Champion JackJumper retires after 11 seasons

NBL24 champion and veteran Tasmania JackJumper Anthony Drmic officially called time on his 11-season career on Monday.

Drmic announced his retirement news, due to an ongoing back injury, to his teammates at training on Monday, where he said: “It’s time”.

“It’s been a long 18 months with the back injury.

“I’ve had this up-and-down cycle where I’ll come back, do the rehab, get in good shape, and a few days into that I’ll hurt it again.

“The mental toll that plays is huge, and the last time that happened, my brain just kind of called it quits and said: ‘this is it, you need to do something else’.

“I know it’s the right decision, I feel sad, but I also feel relief.”

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said Drmic and his family have had an enduring impact on the club.

“He leaves as a champion and someone who was hugely impactful on the group,” Roth said.

“He was one of the guys who really epitomised the grit and grind of working hard every day, and he won’t be forgotten.

“I’m sad that he’s leaving, but I’m happy, for one, to have had a chance to coach him and be around him.”

The 34-year-old started his 279-game career with Adelaide, before two years with Brisbane, one more with the 36ers and four with the JackJumpers.

Reflecting on his time at the JackJumpers, Drmic said: “There isn’t one moment; the whole journey has just been awesome.

“It’s hard to beat the championship, and I always joke about the game where we beat Adelaide by about 50 just after I parted ways with them to move down here.”

The NBL26 vice-captain, who had 2,266 points, 1,026 rebounds and 360 assists in his career, also praised the JackJumpers’ fans.

“The fans are so passionate here, the game day environment is so special, so loud, and it might sound cliché, but you truly do have a home court advantage when you play here because of our fans,” he added.

“I’ll miss that, but I’ll always remember it too.”

The JackJumpers host Adelaide on Friday night from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.