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Achille Polonara Retires From Basketball After Leukemia Battle

Lasting effects of leukemia treatment made a true comeback impossible.

Overview

  • Polonara, 34, announced his retirement Monday in an Instagram post after months spent testing a return.
  • In a Sky Sport interview Tuesday, he said work since January revealed limits, including trouble dribbling with his right hand.
  • He said he published the post before boarding a flight and even surprised his wife with the timing.
  • Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in June 2025, he had a September 25 bone marrow transplant from a roughly 90% matched American donor and later spent about ten days in a coma after complications.
  • He hopes to stay in basketball, possibly as a coach, and departs with titles in Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Lithuania, including the 2025 championship with Virtus Bologna and a long run with Italy’s national team.