FILE — Leandro Barbosa #of the Golden State Warriors reacts in Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 5, 2016. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images/AFP
Former NBA champion and Sixth Man of the Year Leandro Barbosa announced his retirement Monday and said he is rejoining the Golden State Warriors as a “player mentor coach.”
Barbosa, 37, played 14 NBA seasons with five teams from 2003-17 before returning to his native Brazil to continue his playing career.
A first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2003 NBA Draft, he won Sixth Man honors with the Phoenix Suns in 2006-07 and helped the Warriors win the NBA championship in 2014-15.
Barbosa averaged 10.6 points, 2.1 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 850 career games (112 starts) with the Suns, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Warriors. He made 988 career 3-pointers.
He made Monday’s announcement on Instagram.
“I’m ready for a fresh start,” Barbosa wrote, translated from Portuguese. .”.. I’m sure I’ll feel at home, after all it was like that as a player and it’s been that way ever since. I couldn’t be more motivated. I know I’ll be surrounded by brilliant professionals and I’ll do everything in my power to collaborate with player development and the entire organization.”
There was no immediate word from the Warriors confirming his role with the club.