Three days after Gordon Hayward announced his retirement from the NBA, Jeremy Lamb, who also played for the Hornets for multiple seasons, followed suit in similar fashion. Lamb may not have received any notable accolades during his 10-year NBA career, but it’s commendable that he lasted a decade in such a competitive league from top to bottom.
“Basketball has been good to me throughout my entire life, so this decision didn’t come easy, but I have decided to retire from the game that has given me everything,” Lamb stated on Instagram. I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at without the love and support from my family and friends, so I want to take a minute to express my appreciation. I’m thankful for the many ways you’ve been there throughout my career. I also want to acknowledge my teammates who have made this experience unforgettable. To my coaches, thank you for your guidance and belief in me. Your impact on my life goes beyond the court. Now it’s time to catch another dream!
After a stellar collegiate career at UConn that included two separate postseason championship runs (Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament), Lamb was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 12th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft (the pick was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder). Lamb lasted three seasons alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook before he was shipped off to the Charlotte Hornets for Luke Ridnour and a 2016 second-round pick. In Charlotte, Lamb joined the double-figure scoring club for the first time during the 2017-18 season and sunk a memorable half-court buzzer beater in 2018-19 to stun the Toronto Raptors on their home floor. As a free agent in 2019, Lamb inked a three-year contract with the Indiana Pacers, but he only hung around the organization for two and a half seasons. Just 46 games into his third season as an Indiana Pacer, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson. Despite resigning with the Kings after finishing out the 2021-22 season in Sacramento, Lamb failed to appear in another NBA game between 2022-24. For his career, Lamb averaged 10.1 points on 43.9 percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from three.
