For most of his life, Meyers Leonard focused on basketball. Once playing for the University of Illinois, the athlete went on to get drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012. After spending several seasons with the team, he was traded to the Miami Heat. Spending over a decade in basketball, Leonard decided it was time to retire. Listening to his body, the basketball player not only announced his retirement but did it with an original country song “Good in Goodbye.”
While goodbyes are never easy, [Leonard](https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/former-nba-11th-overall-pick-announces-retirement-from-basketball-meyers-leonard) had a great deal of time to ponder on his goodbye from the NBA. Loving what it produced on the court, he remembered all the great memories he made along the way. But looking forward to what the future had in store for him, the NBA player decided to showcase his love for country music.
Sharing a post on Instagram, Leonard explained how he wasn’t ready to step off the court yet, but his body had other plans. “I knew after the Milwaukee season that I couldn’t play basketball anymore. It was the hardest decision I never had to make – because my body made it for me. At first, I wasn’t planning to say anything. I figured people would assume as time passed. But what I’ve come to realize is that while my body told me to hang it up, my heart wasn’t ready.”
While Leonard left behind the only career he knew, he learned an important lesson about goodbyes. Although hard, he revealed that great things came from closing a door and opening another. “Learning to sing and song write has given me a chance to reflect on everything basketball has given me – and how every goodbye has led to something good.”
Pointing to a few highlights of his career, Leonard saw the advantages of stepping away from the NBA. And it all focused around his family. “And now, leaving the NBA has given me the greatest blessing of all – the chance to be the father I never had, to fall asleep next to my beautiful wife every night, and to spend time with the most important people in my life. This song is a thank you – to basketball, the fans, my teammates, my family, the organizations, and everyone who believed in a young kid from Robinson, Illinois.”
_(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)_