Argentine basketball legend Carlos Delfino announced on Tuesday his retirement from professional basketball. The 43-year-old small forward, who had been playing for Benedetto XIV Tramec Cento in Italy’s A2 league, was the last active player remaining from Argentina’s Golden Generation that won the 2004 Olympic gold medal.

Delfino explained the reasons behind his decision on the basketball streaming show Doble Doble.

“A couple of months ago, I got to a point that I never thought I would reach, which was when I started making excuses in order to not practice and feeling like I didn’t want to go,” he said. Delfino admitted he was fine with the decision, after having struggled with injuries for long stretches in the past.

“Last year I was feeling well, so I was able to call it a day on my terms,” Delfino said. “No special games, no farewell, nothing extraordinary. I just said, ‘That’s it,’ and I feel like I can walk away in peace.”

Delfino had a meteoric career. He started playing basketball at 6 in his native Santa Fe, rising through the ranks before making the jump to Viola Reggio Calabria in Italy at 17. After two years, he moved to Fortitudo Bologna, becoming one of the stars of the 2004 Euroleague and one of the most promising players in Europe.

In the 2003 NBA Draft, he was selected 25th by the Detroit Pistons, becoming the seventh Argentine player to be drafted and the first to be selected in the first round. He went on to play almost 10 seasons in the United States, although his progression was limited by several injuries.

In that time, he became a key member of the Argentine men’s national basketball team. Part of the Generación Dorada that was spearheaded by the likes of “Manu” Ginóbili, Fabricio Oberto, and Andrés Nocioni, he won several titles, including the 2004 Olympic gold medal, the 2004 South American Championships, and the 2008 FIBA Diamond Ball.

“Thank you for your sacrifice, your undying commitment, your talent, and your passion for this jersey,” the Argentine Basketball Confederation wrote on X in appreciation of Delfino’s career. “No doubt about it, [he was] one of the most important players in our history.”