Every member of the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 championship team will be remembered by this uniquely passionate fanbase, even if they didn’t have the greatest on-court contribution to their success. Names like Jodie Meeks and Jeremy Lin will forever hold a special place in Raptors franchise annals.
While Meeks was nothing more than a veteran backup who only game into games when the outcome had already been decided, he is still going to be remembered forever in Raptors history as one of the select few who has been on the franchise’s only championship team to date.
Just a few days after Patrick McCaw announced that he was trying to make it back to the NBA and give it one last try, Meeks saw the writing on the wall after another season of lukewarm interest from American teams. The sharpshooter decided to call time on his career.
Meeks, who turned 35 in August, announced that his playing career will be over after his stint with Team USA in the FIBA AmeriCup. Meeks, who said that his career has “been a good one,” will get his start in coaching as an assistant for the Birmingham Squadron, the G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans.
"This will be the icing on the cake.”
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) September 1, 2022
As Jodie Meeks approaches his new basketball career - coaching - he's hopeful he can accomplish one last dream, and that is winning a gold medal with his country in the @AmeriCup.
Toronto Raptors 2019 champion Jodie Meeks will retire.
Meeks, who was a collegiate star at Kentucky, was drafted No. 41 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2009. His best years in the NBA came during a 2.5 year stint with the 76ers and with the moribund Lakers near the end of Kobe Bryant’s tenure in LA. Between 2011 and 2015, Meeks averaged 10.8 points per game.
Meeks originally joined the Raptors on a 10-day contract in 2019 before subsequently being brought back later in the season. He played just eight games in the regular season for Toronto, averaging 6.4 points per game on 54% shooting from the field when he got in the game.
Meeks tried to give it one more go in the NBA, signing with Raptors 905 last year with the hopes of getting Toronto interested. Once that move failed to get him back in the NBA, Meeks seems to have realized that his time in the NBA has unfortunately come to a close. Still, his career is nothing to shake a stick at.
I missed this over the weekend but apparently Jodie Meeks is retiring
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) September 6, 2022
One of the great bulk scorers in UK history. The game against Tennessee will always be one of my favorites
Meeks came into the NBA as a second-rounder who was promised nothing, yet he ended his career as a 10-year veteran who hit double digits in points per game multiple times while slipping a ring on his finger thanks to the Raptors. Meeks has become the first 2019 champion to retire from basketball altogether.
Enjoy retirement, Jodie! It’s well deserved.