By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Carlos Delfino announced his retirement on Tuesday, marking the end of a storied career.
The crowning achievement was helping Argentina capture gold in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The last active player from the golden generation went on to earn a bronze medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. From bronze in the World Championship for Young Men 2001, his senior caps stretched to nearly two decades, from an introduction with Olympic gold until 2023 in the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Argentina.
After being drafted with the 25th pick by the Detroit Pistons in 2003, he proceeded to the NBA in 2004. He played three years with the Pistons before later spells with the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and Houston Rockets. Between 2004 and 2013, separated by one year with Khimki Moscow Region through the 2008-09 season, he logged 548 appearances in the North American league, including 41 in the Playoffs.
Due to various complications from a foot injury, he sat out from 2013 to 2016, but eventually bounced back. The bottom end of his career included a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague comeback and two games with KIROLBET Baskonia in 2017, upping his total to 39. The rest of the appearances were with Skipper Fortitudo Bologna in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 journeys.
In 1998, the Santa Fe native began his run in Argentina. Two years later, he moved his talents to Italy. He was back in 2018 to spend the final chapter in Southern Europe.