John Henson has decided that it is time to call it a career.
John Henson announces his retirement from basketball, per @RGSafePlay pic.twitter.com/ckKMTCo0dD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 11, 2024
The former UNC basketball standout has officially announced his retirement from the sport of basketball, a move that was expected given that he hasn’t played professionally since the 2019-2020 season.
A five-star recruit out of high school, Henson became one of the best defensive players in the country during his time at North Carolina. He remains as the only UNC basketball player to win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award and is one of two players in conference history to win the award on multiple occasions.
In an interview with Inside Carolina, Henson spoke about how his time with the UNC basketball program was the best time of his life.
“UNC was a great experience. I loved every minute there. It was the best time of my life to this day. Not even close. I still talk to a lot of teammates.”
After his time at North Carolina, Henson was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He played in seven seasons for the Bucks before making brief stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, finishing his NBA career averaging 7.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest.
Following his time in the NBA, Henson attempted to continue his career overseas, but has now decided to fully focus his attention on his next venture: broadcasting.
This season, Henson will continue to provide color commentary for ACC games under Raycom and will also be a key contributor on the Field of 68 podcast (among other media opportunities). For UNC basketball fans, it’s likely that you’ll see the former Tar Heel talking some ACC basketball this season and beyond!
Henson put together a career to be proud of, one that not many people can say they’ve come close to. It’s one thing to make it to the NBA but it’s even harder to stay in the league, as his ability to remain with one franchise for the bulk of his career is a testament to his hard work and dedication.
Based on what we saw from him during his playing days, we know John Henson is destined to continue blossoming as a top-tier sports analyst as he dives even deeper into his next career path.
