Argentine Basketball Legend carlos Delfino Announces Retirement,Marking End of Golden Generation
MIAMI,USA – Carlos Delfino,a celebrated former NBA player and cornerstone of Argentina‘s historic “Golden Generation,” has announced his retirement from professional basketball at the age of 43. The announcement, made in an interview with the YouTube channel Doble Doble, closes a remarkable chapter in Argentine basketball history and signals the end of an era.
Delfino was the last active player from the Argentine team that famously captured the Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games. His final competitive appearance came in March with Cento of Italy’s Serie A2,where he averaged 11 points across 17 games during the 2024-25 season.
The retirement of delfino severs the final link to the team that revolutionized Argentine basketball. Alongside luminaries like Manu Ginóbili, Luis Scola, andrés Nocioni, and Fabricio Oberto, this group not only achieved Olympic glory but also secured a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and consistently ranked among the world’s elite.
Delfino’s own journey began with being selected 25th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons – the highest draft position ever for an Argentine player.He debuted in the NBA with the Pistons the following year and went on to play eight seasons in the league, also with the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston Rockets.
A four-year interruption due to injury didn’t deter Delfino, who successfully reinvented his game and continued his career in Europe, primarily in Italy, with additional stints in Spain and Russia.
Throughout his international career, Delfino amassed an extraordinary medal haul representing Argentina: four gold medals (South American Championship 2004, Olympic Games 2004, FIBA AmeriCup 2011 and 2022), one silver (AmeriCup 2007), and one bronze (Olympic Games 2008). His final appearance with the national team was at the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Santiago del Estero, playing before a passionate home crowd.
Delfino’s departure marks not only the end of a celebrated playing career but also the definitive close of a golden era for Argentine basketball, leaving behind a legacy of fierce competition and unforgettable achievements.
FIBA
