Six-time NBL champion Damian Martin has called time on his glittering basketball career after more than a decade at the forefront of Perth Wildcats' dominance.
The tough point-guard is widely regarded as the best defensive player in the league's history and leaves a huge hole in the Wildcats' roster before their next title defence.
Martin, who turns 36 in December, is recovering from surgery on an Achilles tendon injury that would have kept him sidelined until next year.
"It's been well beyond anything I ever thought was possible and probably something I won't be really appreciative of until I sit down and take the time to really reflect on it," Martin said of his career.
"But the highlight for me is the way it's made my mum, my dad, my wife and my daughters feel. Anything you do you want to be able to share it with the people you love and that's where I've been most fortunate."
Martin played 342 NBL games, was named the league's best defensive player a record six times and was the grand final MVP in 2016.
The long-time Wildcats captain was named in the All-NBL first team in 2011.
Martin also enjoyed a decorated international career and represented Australia at the 2016 Olympics after narrowly missing out four years earlier.
He was a member of Australia's famous Under-19 World Cup gold medal-winning team in 2003 and snared Commonwealth Games gold with the Boomers in 2018.
Originally from Gloucester, Martin started his professional career with West Sydney Razorbacks before following coach Rob Beveridge to Perth in 2009.
The pair won a NBL title together in their first season at the Wildcats and Martin went on to play in five more championships in seven seasons under Trevor Gleeson.
If this doesn't sum up who Damian Martin was as a player, then I don't know what does.
— Josh Miller (@miltrain) July 21, 2020
I remember sitting in the crowd at this game in shock, as this play swung the entire momentum in Perth's favour.
What a career...
Even for a Wildcat. 😉#ThanksDamopic.twitter.com/dKi6nGOzpy
"Damo's the best player I've coached in over 400 NBL games," Gleeson said. "He's an inspiration and a high IQ player who gives everything he has to his team and to the contest. His toughness is second to none. He's a warrior who earned my respect many years ago."
Meanwhile, one of Martin's former Boomers teammates, Joe Ingles, could be sporting new headgear when the Utah Jazz play their first NBA practice game in the Walt Disney World "bubble" in Orlando, Florida, on Friday (AEST) against the Phoenix Suns.
Utah Jazz media and fans gave Ingles the nickname "Headband Joe" in 2018 when he suffered a cut across his head in a game and continued playing with white bandages that made him look like an Egyptian mummy.
Ingles sparked headlines in Utah again on the weekend when he appeared in the blue headband at an Orlando team workout and a press conference with reporters.
"My hair has been so luxurious and long I was just trying to keep it out of my eyes today," Ingles joked.
Ingles is a key piece of the Jazz's pursuit of a title. They sit in fourth place in the Western Conference behind the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets.
Ingles will likely fill the void of Utah's sharp-shooting Bojan Bogdanovic (wrist).
