Nov 15, 2019; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari (8) celebrates after shooting a three-point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City won in overtime 127-119. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY SportsClemente Almanza, OKC Thunder WireThu, December 4, 2025 at 1:00 AM UTC·3 min readAfter an extensive career where he didn't let injuries slow him down, Danilo Gallinari has hung up his sneakers for good. The 37-year-old announced his retirement on Tuesday. He had recently played in Puerto Rico as his NBA tenure was over.
Gallinari will go down as one of the more underrated players of his era. The 6-foot-10 forward was ahead of his time as a go-to scorer who can stretch the floor. He quietly averaged 14.9 points on 42.8% shooting and went 38.1% from 3 on 4.9 attempts.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGallinari spent 14 seasons in the NBA from 2008-24. A couple of those seasons, he sat out as he recovered from injuries. He suited up for eight teams. One of his most notable years was with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2019-20 season.
It gets forgotten about over time, but Gallinari was part of the 2019 Paul George blockbuster deal. Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a treasure trove of draft picks, the LA Clippers gifted the Thunder the foundations of an eventual NBA champion.
Before that happened, though, Gallinari's sole season in OKC is often remembered as one of the more fun years. They overplayed their expectations with a 44-28 record and a playoff appearance. He averaged 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds. He shot 40.5% from 3 on 7.1 attempts.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talked about Gallinari's retirement. There was a spark in his eye when he reflected on his short tenure in OKC. Just as a memory refresher, Daigneault was an assistant on Billy Donovan's staff before he was promoted.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I was an assistant with him. He was a player development guy for me. It was a pleasure. He was awesome. He's a great guy," Daigneault said. "He's an unbelievable player... You have to be physical with him because he's this load and can really shoot and score at all three levels. You're at his mercy as he's walking to the free-throw line."
The 2019-20 Thunder forced a Game 7 in their Round 1 series against the Houston Rockets. Chris Paul rejuvenated his career as an All-NBA player. Gilgeous-Alexander also showed signs of being an intriguing prospect at the time. It was a good mix of veterans and young players who were all on the same page.
Meanwhile, Gallinari quickly became a fan favorite. He didn't complain about his role and took a glass-half-full approach with his new squad. That resonated with the OKC fanbase. To the point that they frequently referenced his old theme song.
"Great personality, great locker room guy. Fun guy to be around. He was on The Bubble team. We were in The Bubble together. I got these unique experiences with him despite it being a short period of time," Daigneault said. "Great player, great career. Someone we have a lot of respect for and thankful for. I congratulate him."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Mark Daigneault all smiles reacting to Danilo Gallinari's retirement
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