Gareth Murray Retires from Playing Basketball to Focus on Player Coach Role
The Glasgow Rocks and former Team GB player is hanging up his jersey to focus on his role as Player Coach of the Scottish basketball team.
Gareth Murray announced his retirement from playing basketball on 8 September, to focus on life off court as Player Coach of Glasgow Rocks.
The 37-year-old former power forward from Arbroath in Scotland, began his playing career in 2006 and has earned over 60 caps for Great Britain.
Throughout his career he also enjoyed brief spells across the channel with French teams, Vendee Challans and Etoile Angers Basket, as well as Plymouth Phoenix, Cheshire Jets, and Cheshire Phoenix in the UK.
In 2013, Gareth earned his first call-up to the Great Britain Men’s National Basketball team and has subsequently competed in every major tournament and qualifying campaign for Great Britain, including FIBA EuroBasket 2017.
Murray was appointed Player Coach for the Rocks back in July 2020 and feels now is the right time to retire from playing after contributing to Scotland’s fourth-place finish in this year’s Commonwealth games.
“I would love to keep playing basketball,” Murray said.“A lot of people have been telling me – and GB coach Nate Reinking is one of them – to play until the wheels fall off, that you can’t get that time back.
“But I want to take coaching seriously. and I want to progress in that. I feel we have a great opportunity this season to not only put a good team on the floor with the Rocks but also to keep developing young talent here in Scotland. I want to give that my full attention. “However I will miss playing and being part of that team dynamic.
“I’m grateful to the coaches who have guided me to the point – from the late John Grant at Arbroath Musketeers to all those who have helped me learn and develop at club and international level with Scotland and GB – as well as team-mates down the years. “And I’m excited about what lies ahead.”
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