History maker: Star reflects on incredible legacy

Isaac Humphries shocked the basketball community on Tuesday by announcing his immediate retirement from the sport.

The Adelaide big man, who averaged 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.5 blocks per game across his 173 appearances, made the decision due to a persistent knee injury that has plagued him for a number of years.

Read more >> Adelaide star's shock retirement

During a sit-down interview with the 36ers, the Australian Boomer reflected on his decision and all he achieved in his career.

“I’m incredibly sad, [as it was a] very hard decision, but one that was almost made sort of for me," Humphries said.

“There’s a weird, complicated plethora of emotions, because it’s not as straightforward as finishing my career, having a great time and then hanging up the laces.

“I’m young, I’ve just played the best season of my career, and unfortunately, I have to retire.

“[But] I walk away with incredible memories and having achieved a fair bit in the sport.

“10 years of good pro basketball as well as college. I have two NBA jerseys, I changed history [as the sport's first openly gay player], and ticked a lot of things off.

“I can certainly walk away leaving a really good legacy behind.

“I did give a lot to this sport, and it’s given me a whole realm of incredible things that I could never even comprehend sometimes, and that’s all because I put a sphere in a circle like with a net on it.”

As well as suiting up for Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne in the Hungry Jack’s NBL, Humphries, 28, played for the University of Kentucky and NBA franchises Atlanta and Orlando.

He also made an incredible impact off the court, as the first openly gay NBL player.

"I think coming out, obviously my sort of identity has become that, you know. Before, there was pre coming out, post coming out. Like, you know, I had an identity before that, but that was a big moment not just for me but for, like, so many other people as well," Humphries said.

"I think that’s why that makes me most proud of that one, ’cause it wasn’t just about me in that moment, you know. And so much of sport can be about what you’re doing and what that is, and that one was so clearly about so much more."