A true Czech Republic basketball great Lubos Barton had announced his retirement at age 36.
Barton was part of the EuroLeague-winning Barcelona squad of 2010 and the 2006 ULEB Cup (now EuroCup) with Joventut Badalona, in a career that spanned for twenty years, he played for twelve different clubs.
Of those twenty years as a professional, Barton spent nine of those years in Spain. He spent last season with the Barcelona B squad.
Barton also enjoyed a solid stint with the Czech Republic national side.
“The time has come to end my career as a basketball player,” Barton wrote in his farewell statement.
“I assure you that I feel the same love and passion for the sport as my first day I began playing.
“I would like to thank everyone I have worked with all these years, teammates, coaches, executives, managers and all the fans, who were very important. Also, I want to especially thank my family who have been with me everywhere I went, travelling with me, supporting me over the years and celebrating my achievements.”
Post retirement, Barton plans to stay involved in basketball.
I am not going away, since I will now devote my time energy and passion on being a basketball coach, his statement continued. “So this is not a goodbye, but a… ‘see you later’.”
