Kristaps Porziņģis says he will 'step away' from basketball in wake of lingering health issues

Kristaps Porziņģis is stepping away from the NBA while dealing with ongoing health issues, the veteran center announced Friday.

In a statement on social media, Porziņģis said he was not able to play at the level he hoped and has decided to focus on his health.

"This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn't respond the way I anticipated," Porziņģis wrote. "I'm doing good, but I know what it takes, and I'm not where I want to be to perform at the level that I expect from myself. At this point, I've made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love."

Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Golden State Warriors this summer, said he hopes to work with the Warriors to "find a solution that makes sense" going forward. The center has been indefinitely away from the team this season while dealing with his health.

ESPN reported Wednesday the Warriors have not paid Porzingis any of his $20 million annual salary while he contemplated his NBA future. Porzingis has reportedly not contested the lack of payments.

Porzingis was acquired by the Warriors before the trade deadline last February and signed the extension to stay in Golden State in June. However, a personal "health issue" caused him to miss the start of training camp .

Neither Porzingis nor the Warriors has clarified what the center has been dealing with. But Porzingis has been open about his struggles with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic condition that can affect the nervous system. Last fall, Porzingis revealed his POTS symptoms flared up during the 2025 NBA playoffs, when he was with the Boston Celtics, and severely limited his ability to play.

Porzingis said last month he was "getting better and better" after consulting with doctors, though he called the health issues "frustrating." It is unclear if Friday's announcement is a full retirement, or just a pause in his NBA career.

Nicknamed "The Unicorn" for his unique big-man skillset, the 31-year-old Latvian center steps away from basketball after an 11-year career spread across six teams. Porzingis is a 2024 NBA champion with the Celtics and earned an All-Star nod in 2018.