Former Rockets, Mavericks Standout Announces Retirement at 33

Parsons suffered several severe injuries in a January 2020 car accident.

Former NBA small forward Chandler Parsons officially announced his retirement on Tuesday in an Instagram post. He confirmed The Athletic's Shams Charania's Tweet that he was retiring after settling a lawsuit from career-ending injuries caused by a January 2020 car accident, per her Instagram story. 

“Man, I don't even know where to begin... It's been a crazy last couple years and has put a lot of things in perspective,” Parsons wrote. “I've had so many ups and downs and thankful for every single one of them. My entire life all I wanted to be was an NBA player. I didn't even realize, or think what came with that, I just wanted to compete and play basketball at the highest level. I can proudly say, I did THAT!”

Parsons “suffered multiple severe and permanent injuries including a traumatic brain injury, disc herniation and a torn labrum,” according to his attorneys in a January 2020 statement. The three-car crash in Atlanta was caused by a person who was charged with DUI. 

At the time, Parsons, 33, was playing for the Hawks, but he was waived by the team in February and his playing days were effectively over after the accident. Before playing for the Hawks, Parsons was drafted by the Rockets and played for both the Mavericks and the Grizzlies over his nine-year NBA career. 

”I sure will miss it, the flights, the film sessions, the games, but am so excited for the next chapter of my life. Thank you all, love. CP25.”