Philadephia Sixers forward Brand retires after 17 seasons

Elton Brand #42 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Carlos Boozer #5 of the Chicago Bulls battle for position for a rebound in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center on May 10, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Drew Hallowell/Getty Images/AFP

Philadelphia 76ers forward Elton Brand retired Thursday, calling it quits at age 37 after 17 NBA seasons since being the first overall selection in the 1999 NBA Draft.

Brand played in 1,058 career games, 868 of them as a starter, for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and 76ers.

The two-time NBA All-Star averaged 15.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots a game for his NBA career after being rated the nation’s top college player while at Duke university.

Brand spent four seasons with Philadelphia from 2008-2012 and after retiring last year decided to sign with the 76ers last January, playing 17 games and averaging 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds as the club struggled to a 10-72 finish, the worst record in the NBA last season.

Brand had inked a new one-year contract with the 76ers last month.