Former Cavalier Sasha Kaun retires after one season in the NBA

Sasha Kaun may have only spent one season in the National Basketball Association, but he made the most of his time in the league. The 6’11 Russian native played in 25 games for the Cavaliers last season, scoring 23 points and getting 26 rebounds as his team marched through the regular season and into the playoffs before capturing the NBA Finals crown.

But Kaun will leave the league behind and announced his retirement at the age of 31, according to an article by Gary Bedore on the KU Sports website. He was traded this past offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that immediately waived him.

“I was very blessed and fortunate to play as long as I have. I had a great experience for the (Russian) national team and professionally. Overall, it’s been phenomenal,” Kaun said Saturday in a phone conversation with the Journal-World from Colorado, where he lives with wife, Taylor, daughter Nika (3) and son Maks (9 months old).

Kaun attended Kansas University and helped the Jayhawks with an NCAA title in 2008, and then later earned a bronze medal in 2012 playing for Russia in the Olympics. This past season, he brought home an NBA championship.

And home, it seems, is going to remain here in the United States. Kaun and his family live in the Denver area and he told KU Sports he doesn’t plan on leaving.

Kaun said in his interview that he had been suffering from ankle problems, which is one of the reasons he isn’t looking for another team to play for.

“I kind of feel my ankle has been bothering me awhile. With the amount of pain I was going through, I just wanted to be done. It’s something I’ve had all my career,” he added of right ankle problems. “It was definitely getting worse and worse, year by year. Especially coming here (one year in NBA after seven seasons in Moscow) ... the intensity of the game I just kind of realized I don’t think I can go and do it any more.

”I said, ‘You know what? I’m not going to be happy playing. I’m not going to be happy not playing. I think it’s a good time to call it quits.’’’

Looking back at his career, there is not a shred of doubt that Kaun should be proud of the NCAA and NBA titles he helped win, as well as the Olympic medal he helped his country secure.