Retirement Experiences of Professional Basketball Players in the NBA
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Authors
Foyle, Adonal D.
Issue Date
2010
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Retiring from professional sports can be difficult for any athlete, but may be particularly difficult for retired NBA players due to the drastic lifestyle change that occurs with retirement. The purpose of this study is to explore the retirement experiences of NBA players and their adjustment process. Nine retired National Basketball Association League players were interviewed, and a Grounded Theory approach was used to analyze the data. The data revealed the scope of emotional distress and relationship uncertainty these players experienced as a result of being involuntarily retired from the League. The research revealed the adjustment difficulties these retirees experienced--such as loss of identity, loss of social status, and loss of financial stability. The participants in this study employed various coping methods to manage their adjustment to forced retirement with varying degrees of success. Some continued to suffer emotional distress long after the end of their NBA careers, while others found new beginnings and ways to fill the void of being removed from the League. What emerged from this study was that the uni-dimensional drive pushing these professional athletes to succeed was the very thing that prevented their growth outside the realm of sports after they were retired. My hope is that this study will become the beginning of further investigation into this unexplored demographic and continue to define practical coping strategies for success upon retirement for NBA players.