Joe Ikhinmwin announces retirement from professional basketball

London Lions captain Joe Ikhinmwin is retiring from professional basketball following nine seasons in the BBL, he has revealed to Hoopsfix.

“I’ve been playing basketball for a long time and I’m here to announce I’m retiring from professional basketball,” Ikhinmwin said on the Hoopsfix podcast this week.

“I’m no longer with the London Lions and a new phase in life is starting.”

The East Londoner is a former England and GB junior international, going on to represent the England Senior Men’s team at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, along with winning a BBL Cup title, Trophy title, and a league title with the London Lions, having captained his home town club for the past six years.

🗣 "We’re all going through an evolution and this here is the right time. I wanted to leave on my own terms, and the terms I’m leaving on, I’m happy with, so I’m good.”

– @Jicanwin pic.twitter.com/KjAFBgT1bQ

— Hoopsfix (@Hoopsfix) August 19, 2021

“I had been thinking about it for a while but it hasn’t seemed the right time until now,” the 33-year-old added.

“With how last season went, I just felt like towards the end of the season, this makes sense, I think it’s time. It wasn’t like I woke up in the morning and felt it, it was a gradual understanding that this was it.

“With where the club (London Lions) is going as a whole, with 777 (new owners) coming in, we’ve got a new GM, everything is changing. I feel like it is the perfect place for me to change as well. We’re all going through an evolution and this here is the right time. I wanted to leave on my own terms, and the terms I’m leaving on, I’m happy with, so I’m good.”

Starting his career with a season in Newcastle, he moved down to his hometown London Lions the year after where he has remained ever since, whilst building a successful business on the side with two of his childhood friends – The Cyber Nerds, which reviews movies, comics and games – which he will now transition into full time.

 

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A post shared by Joe “iCanWin” Ikhinmwin (@jicanwin)

“Coming to the decision was a gradual thing. I’ve always thought past what was going to happen after basketball,” he added.

“I’ve always been interested in other things and even when I was young, I was always like there will be something else. I didn’t want my whole life to be defined by how good or bad I was at basketball, so I’ve always done things behind the scenes that would push me and give me opportunities after, and I feel like basketball does that anyway.”

The Cyber Nerds have amassed almost 50 million views and 160,000 subscribers on YouTube whilst Joe has been a professional basketball player, while he has also inked himself a presenting gig on Amazon Prime’s ‘The Screen Test’.

Starting his basketball career as a 14 year old at East London Royals, he moved on to Barking Abbey basketball academy before attending Seminole State Junior College and then NCAA Division 1 South Carolina State where he turned pro upon graduation.