Had been in the spotlight due to health issues: Polonara retires from basketball

34-year-old Achille Polonara, who played for many years for major European teams, announced his retirement from professional basketball on social media. In his message, the player stated, "I tried by starting individual training again, but I realized that the time has come to say goodbye to competitive basketball because I can no longer be the player I once was, and I want you to remember me as I was in the past. I will miss you, basketball."

Polonara, who played for both Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko, also played for European clubs such as Baskonia, Zalgiris Kaunas, and Virtus Bologna throughout his career. Polonara's final stop was Dinamo Sassari.

Polonara, who also served for many years on the Italian national team, struggled with health issues in recent years. After overcoming testicular cancer in October 2023, the Italian player returned to the court just two months later, and in June 2025, he was in the spotlight again following a diagnosis of myeloid leukemia.

News Source: 12punto