Danilo Gallinari announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 37-year-old forward ends a 16-year professional run, including 14 seasons in the NBA. He entered the league as the sixth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and became one of the most successful Italian players in league history.
A Long and Productive Career
Gallinari played for nine NBA teams: the Knicks, Nuggets, Clippers, Thunder, Hawks, Celtics, Wizards, Pistons, and Bucks. He missed two full seasons because of ACL injuries but still joined a group of 299 players who have reached at least 14 NBA seasons.
He comes from a strong basketball family. His father, Vittorio Gallinari, played with Mike D’Antoni in Italy. Danilo became the second-highest drafted Italian player ever, behind Andrea Bargnani. His 11,607 points are the most by any Italian in NBA history.
Impact in New York and Denver
Gallinari first gained attention with the Knicks under coach Mike D’Antoni. In 2011, he moved to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade. He helped the Nuggets win 57 games in the 2012-13 season, but an ACL tear late in the year derailed that playoff run.
Injuries continued to affect his availability, and he missed at least 10 games in almost every season of his career.
One of the NBA’s Best Tall Shooters
Gallinari built a reputation as an elite shooter for his size. His 1,456 made threes rank sixth among players who stand 6-foot-10 or taller. In February 2021, he joined a short list of players who have hit 10 or more threes off the bench in a single game.
That same season, he made his first conference finals appearance with the Atlanta Hawks and played a key role in their 2021 run.
Final Chapter Outside the NBA
Gallinari’s last NBA game came in the 2024 playoffs during Milwaukee’s first-round loss to Indiana. He closed his pro career with a championship and a Finals MVP award for Vaqueros de Bayamón in Puerto Rico earlier this year.
His retirement ends a career marked by skill, toughness, and consistent scoring.
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