Donovan Dent has announced a major curveball in his playing career by confirming that he will be retiring instead of pursuing a pro basketball career despite a storied college basketball run that will be remembered by fans for a long time to come.
“I’m done with pro basketball,” Dent said to the Albuquerque Journal. “I want to give back to the youth and I want to start training.”
Most recently, Dent was playing at UCLA, where he featured in the 2025-26 campaign for the program. He actually finished second in the scoring charts for the Bruins behind Tyler Bilodeau and topped the assists charts with 265 to his name.
So his retirement has taken a few by surprise, with X lighting up with reactions that weren’t exactly the happiest.
“He loved money more than he loved basketball,” one fan brutally commented.
“What playing for that fraud Mick Cronin will do to you. Great career hell of a player,” another said, blaming Mick Cronin for the retirement.
Another doubted the authenticity of the announcement – “He is just saying he will retire for clout. I guarantee you he will be playing in the G league or overseas in a year or two. There’s no way a guy who averaged 13.5 ppg and made a mil at UCLA will quit basketball.”
“Playing for mick Cronin does that to you,” another one backed up.
Yet another maintained – “Mick Cronin ball causes retirement.”
Why Did Donovan Dent Retire?
The main reason behind the retirement stems from Dent’s wish to help the next generation of basketball players train and prepare for big careers.
But his return to New Mexico for the next phase of his career came after a conversation with his girlfriend Katelyn Estrada by the looks of things.
“She told me I had to come back if the Lobos won (against the Bruins),” Dent said back in September – “so this is me transferring back, I guess.”
He will hold a basketball camp in July at the University of New Mexico’s practice facility.
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