There are times in life that a new road presents itself and it appears this time has come for me now. I am so proud of what I have accomplished these past 15 years playing in the NBA. It was a dream entering the league as I just turned 18 years old. I worked hard and poured my heart and soul into this game. I consider myself a student of the game as I have watched, studied and played with and against the best players in the world. The NBA was my University and I learned so much. The gratitude I feel is really immeasurable. I have experienced the best moments a player can experience and have had some dark ones too. Both equally important in helping shape me into the man I am today.
As I leave the league for now, there have been so many profound people who inspired me along my way. I have to say thank you for guiding me and having an enormous influence on the way I played basketball. Isaiah Thomas, Rich Devos, Leslie Alexander and John Gabriel, ...
you believed in me and I thank you. Jeff Van Gundy, you exemplified the brilliance of what a great coach is. Steven A. Smith, you gave us players a voice and for that I thank you. Doug Christy, Charles Oakley, Dee Brown, Mugsy Bogues, Antonio Davis, Dell Curry, Kevin Willis, you all showed a young kid from Auburndale Florida how to be a better player. Kobe, you made me work harder and it was an honor to play against you. And Yao, we shared an experience together that will always be with me, thank you. Sonny & Pam Vaccarro showed me how there is loyalty and genuine friendship in this business. Arn Tellem and Tim Hoy, 15 years and you are still my agents. Thank you for guiding me throughout my career. When all is said and done, there is so many that made an impact on my life. I am one blessed man to have the love and never ending support of my wife CleRenda and the best 4 kids a man can ask for. But most important, I give glory and thanks to God. It is thru Him that I have been so blessed and I am forever thankful.
As I enter this next chapter, I am excited to play for Qingdao Eagles in China. I have been to China several times in the last few years and I love the people and the country. It will be an honor to play for them. Thank you to every fan that has followed me and believed in me. Injuries and all, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I am proud of the mark I left on this game and am grateful to have been a part this league. It was a dream to play in front of all of you, each night, in every stadium. Thank you.
Tmac
OK。。。下面是一位有爱的同学给的中文翻译，谢谢。
再见NBA！你好中国！
生活中有时会有一条新的道路出现，对我来说，现在这条道路已经摆在了我的面前。我为我自己在过去15年中在NBA的表现而感到骄傲。当我18岁的时候，我就梦想能够进入这个联盟，我非常努力，倾尽全力，把我的心和灵魂都投入到比赛当中。当我在场边看比赛的时候，我把自己当做一个学生，我一点点学习怎样和世界上最好的球员打球，NBA就像我的大学，让我学到了很多东西。我对这个联赛的感激无以言表。作为一个球员，我已经经历过了所能经历的最好的时刻了，这其中也遇到了一些困难，不过正是这些经历造就了今天的我。
现在我要离开这个联盟了，在成长的道路上有很多人都给过激励，我必须要对这些帮助过我并给过我巨大影响的人道一声谢谢。包括伊塞亚-托马斯，理查-德沃斯，莱斯利-亚历山大，还有约翰-加布瑞尔，你们一直非常信任我，我要谢谢你们。杰夫-范甘迪，你告诉了我一个伟大的教练应该是什么样的。史蒂文-A-史密斯，感谢你一直以来的解说。道格-克里斯蒂，查尔斯-奥克利，迪-布朗，博格斯，安东尼奥-戴维斯，戴尔-库里，凯文-威利斯，是你们让一个来自佛罗里达的奥本戴尔的孩子学会了应该如何成为一个更加出色的球员。科比，是你激励着我要一直努力地训练，能和你成为对手是我的荣耀。还有姚明，我们一起打球的经历让我一生难忘。谢谢索尼-帕姆沃侃诺，是你们感受到了生意中的忠诚和友谊。还有阿恩-特勒姆和蒂姆-霍伊，过去的15年你们一直是我的经纪人，感谢你们在我的职业生涯中始终指引着我。有很多人和事都影响了我，改变了我的一生。我觉得自己是一个幸运的人，感谢我的妻子科琳达和4个孩子带给我的爱，还有一直以来的支持。最重要的是，我要把光荣和感谢献给上帝。感谢上帝，是他让我这样的幸运，我将永远感恩。
现在，是时候开始人生新的篇章了。我很兴奋能够为中国的青岛队打球。在过去的几年里，我已经去过几次中国了，我很喜欢中国的朋友们，能够到中国打球，我感到非常的光荣。谢谢每一个追随我并信任我的球迷们。伤病其他的困难并没有改变我。我为我在NBA所留下的这些感到非常的自豪，对有机会能够在这个联盟打球感到非常荣幸。这是我之前的一个梦想，每一个晚上，在每一座球馆，一直在球迷的面前打球，现在这些都实现了。谢谢你们。
