NBA player Kristaps Porzingis announces he is stepping away to address health concerns

NBA player Kristaps Porzingis says he is stepping away from basketball to address health concerns Advertisement Updated: 5:45 PM EST Nov 6, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Matt Cudahy Digital Curator NBA player Kristaps Porzingis says he is stepping away from basketball to address health concerns Updated: 5:45 PM EST Nov 6, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Matt Cudahy Digital Curator Golden State Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis announced Friday that he is stepping away from basketball to address recent health concerns. Porzingis announced it on social media. Advertisement "This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn't respond the way I anticipated," Porzingis said. "I've made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love." In 2025, Porzingis was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a neurological condition that can be triggered by viral infections, including COVID-19. The 31-year-old forward first noticed that something was wrong the year before during a playoff run with the Boston Celtics. Suddenly, he couldn't run long distances without getting out of breath. Sometimes not even short distances. “It hit me and it hit me like a truck,” Porzingis told The Athletic at the time. “The breathing wasn’t good. I did everything I could potentially to feel as good as I could, but my engine wasn’t running the way I wanted.” Eagles All-Pro offensive lineman Lane Johnson retires after 14 seasons Porzingis had a brief stint with the Atlanta Hawks last season before being traded to the Golden State Warriors in February 2026. He played 15 games, averaging 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. He signed a two-year, $40-million contract in the offseason to return to the Warriors. However, Porzingis has not appeared in a game yet this season. Last month, he posted a statement on social media addressing rumors about his health. "Hello people, I'm working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap," he wrote. "Honestly, I'm getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I'll be feeling great again soon." He added, "It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can't exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it has added up for sure, but we will get through it." It's unclear whether Porzingis is officially retiring from the NBA or will be placed on some sort of exempt list. 'The day has come': Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from international soccer The New York Knicks drafted Porzingis in 2015. Despite some fan disappointment with selecting the largely unknown Latvian product, Porzingis took the league by storm. He averaged over 14 points and seven rebounds per game in his rookie season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. In the following years, he took his game to another level; by his third season, he averaged over 20 points per game and was named an All-Star. However, an ACL tear cut his season short and kept him out the next year as well. After stops in Dallas and Washington, Porzingis joined the Boston Celtics, where he won an NBA championship in 2024. Make WLWT a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks Watch: Giant pandas make much-anticipated debut at Zoo Atlanta 19-year-old to become one of Massachusetts' youngest representatives in state history Dramatic video: Mother rescues man drowning 'We brought him home': A WWII soldier killed 82 years ago has finally been laid to rest