Jimmy Butler's former teammate and sharpshooter Kyle Guy announces sudden retirement at age 26
Kyle Guy, a former Miami Heat player, announced his sudden retirement from basketball at the age of 26. Guy last played for the Heat in the 2021-22 season and has since played overseas the past two years.
A former teammate of De'Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Guy will join the Virginia Cavaliers, where he first made a name for himself, as an athlete development mentor and special assistant. The team announced his addition to the program’s staff on Wednesday.
"C’ville I am back! I want to sincerely thank Coach Bennett and Carla Williams for trusting me with the opportunity to come back and begin this next chapter of my life. This was not an easy decision for me, but knowing how much love I have for this culture and community made it very clear where I should be with my family.
"I’m beyond excited to help this team and the University in any way needed. I’m also excited for my kids to see the work never stops! Fail harder!" Guy said.
Guy is a former 55th pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the New York Knicks and played two seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He played a total of 56 games across three seasons, averaging 3.1 points, 1.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.
A sharpshooter since his collegiate days, Guy was named the 2019 Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA March Madness tournament, where he famously scored six points in under 10 seconds in the semifinals against Auburn.
The win propelled Guy and Virginia to the national championship game against Texas Tech, winning it all before throwing his name in the NBA draft that year.
During the 2019 NCAA season, Guy averaged 15.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on 44.9% shooting from the field and 42.6% from the 3-point line to etch his name in Virginia’s basketball lore.
Guy currently ranks number one in career 3-point percentage in Virginia at 42.5% and 27th in scoring with 1,323 points.
Looking back at Kyle Guy’s professional overseas career
After his season with the Heat, Guy moved to Europe to play for Juventut Badalona. He averaged 21.7 minutes in 34 games with 11.5 points, on 34.5% shooting from the 3-point line.
Guy then briefly played for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens to begin the 2023-24 season but later moved to Spain to transfer to La Laguna Tenerife.
With Tenerife in Spain, Guy averaged a career-high 14.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in the Spanish Liga Endesa (ACB). It was Guy’s best season as a pro; coincidentally, the last of his professional career.
Now, he is expected to be a boost for Virginia's basketball program ahead of the 2024-25 season.