Apr 13, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward P.J. Tucker (17) makes a three point basket during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks Veteran Shuts Down Retirement Talk

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 5:00 PM ET

New York Knicks veteran P.J. Tucker refused to let gossip ruin his vacation.

The lasting NBA mainstay issued a "PSA" on his Instagram story on Wednesday, one that denounced the notion that he's planning on ending his pro career.

"Since we are in the era of not doing any fact checking and just repost what we hear from uncredited sources ... I have to take time out of my vacation to set the record straight so y'all can stop sending me the dumb [stuff]!" Tucker declared over a paradisiacal oceanic background. "Never have I mentioned retirement or even given any indication that may be a thing. I'm 40 years young,100 percent healthy, able, and will continue playing the game I've dedicated my life to...HOOPIN....!!"

PJ Tucker says he’s not retiring: “Never have I mentioned retirement or even given any indication that may be a thing.. I'm 40 years young, 100% healthy, able, and will continue playing the game l've dedicated my life to... HOOPIN!!!!!!” pic.twitter.com/OFIFrtsVt3
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 11, 2025

Tucker , who turned 40 in May, is one of two active players leftover from the 2006 NBA Draft alongside Kyle Lowry. He originally joined the Knicks on a series of 10-day contracts in March and inked a two-year deal by the end of the month. That contract, which carries a club option for the upcoming 2025-26 season, allowed Tucker to appear on the postseason roster.

Tucker has played sparingly in New York, appearing in just four games (including one during the recent postseason trek) since March. Many younger Knicks, however, frequently lauded and valued his presence as a veteran through the team's first run to the conference finals in a quarter-century. Tucker is one of the few active Knicks to have a championship ring on his finger, earning it as a member of the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks.

“He’s been around the league a long time and he has a lot of experience and so when he talks, we listen," Knicks captain Jalen Brunson said of Tucker in May, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. "Having a guy like that on our team has been remarkable for us. He’s been fantastic since he’s been there.”

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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