Hassan Whiteside Comes Out of Retirement, Joins New Team

He was always one of the top rim protectors and rebounders in his time in the NBA, but Hassan Whiteside has been out of the league for three years, and retired in early 2024. Now, however, the 36-year-old has had a change of heart, and he is taking his talents to the Shanghai Sharks in China for the 2025–2026 season.

Hassan Whiteside is coming out of retirement to sign with the Shanghai Sharks, per @ZhangDuo15

He retired in February 2024 after playing for the Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/kwMtfNfa1X
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 28, 2025

Whiteside last played in Puerto Rico for the Piratas de Quebradillas. He previously played in China in 2013 and 2014.

His last NBA action came in 2022 with the Utah Jazz, but he got very little interest on the free agent market that summer, and hasn't been back in the league ever since.

His Per-36 Minutes in his decade in the NBA read like a video game: 18.4 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots. But unfortunately, observers around the Association felt that his attitude and seeming lack of motivation outweighed his impressive stats. In addition, all of those eye-popping numbers rarely led to winning. His teams made the playoffs just four times, and won just one series.

Whiteside led the NBA in rebounding in 2016-17 and also led the league in blocks on two occasions, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2016.

Overall, in 10 seasons, he averaged 12.6 points per game and 10.8 boards, with 2.2 blocks. He earned almost $100 million during his NBA career.