Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young has opened up about the difficult final stage of his NBA career, recalling how signing a short-term deal late in his playing days made him question whether he still belonged in the league.
"It hurt," Young said on Gil's Arena. "That was my first time being in that situation. You start thinking about the outside noise. Like, damn, am I ass now? It hurts, it does."
Young was referring to his brief stint with the Denver Nuggets during the 2018-19 season.
Denver signed him in December 2018 using an injury hardship exception, but his stay lasted only 20 days, and he appeared in four games.
That ultimately proved to be Young's final NBA stop.
Young became a fan favorite with the Lakers
Young, now 41, spent four seasons with his hometown Lakers from 2013 to 2017, averaging a career-best 17.9 points in his first year with the team and becoming a fan favorite as "Swaggy P."
He appeared in 220 games for the Lakers before leaving Los Angeles in 2017.
Young later joined the Golden State Warriors and won the 2018 NBA championship.
He finished his 12-year NBA career with 720 games, averaging 11.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist with the Wizards, Clippers, 76ers, Lakers, Warriors, and Nuggets.