TORONTO (October 3, 2026) — Kevin Pangos has announced his retirement from professional basketball at age 33, closing the book on a career that took him from a driveway in Holland Landing, to some of the biggest stages in the sport.

For Pangos, the journey began long before he reached the NBA.

At 16, he made his Canadian national team debut at the inaugural FIBA Men’s U16 Americas Championship in 2009. Pangos averaged 18.4 points per game, fourth-most in the tournament, and helped Canada win bronze — the country’s first medal at the event.

He would go on to represent Canada at the FIBA U17 and U19 World Cups before taking his talents to the NCAA, where he spent four seasons with the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Pangos made an immediate impact as a freshman, leading Gonzaga in points, assists, steals, minutes played, three-pointers made and free-throw percentage. He helped the Bulldogs to a 26-7 record and a second-place finish in the West Coast Conference.

By the time his collegiate career was over, Pangos had established himself as one of Gonzaga’s most decorated players, earning four First Team All-WCC selections, WCC Newcomer of the Year and WCC Player of the Year honours.

He began his professional career with Gran Canaria (Spain) in 2015 before joining Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) a year later. In Lithuania, Pangos emerged as one of the EuroLeague’s leading guards, helping Zalgiris reach the 2018 Final Four — its first appearance at that stage since 1999.

Pangos made his senior team debut during the FIBA Men’s World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers, starting at point guard, dropping 10 points and nine assists in a win against Brazil. He would later go on to represent Canada at the FIBA Men’s World Cup 2019 the next summer.

Then came a moment Pangos had dreamed about since childhood: an NBA contract.

In 2021, Pangos signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, fulfilling a lifelong dream, joining a golden generation of Canadians to reach the NBA.

Injuries made the final years of Pangos’ career difficult, but he leaves the game with no regrets about the way he approached it.

“When I was a kid I would bring a ball everywhere,” Pangos wrote in an Instagram post announcing his retirement. “I’d write my goals on it. Sleep with it. Dream about what I could accomplish.”

“I don’t know if any athlete finishes their career completely content,” he continued. “We always believe we’re capable of more. But I can 1000% say I gave it everything I had. I never let the circumstances dictate my approach.”

After nearly two decades representing Canada and a professional career that spanned Europe and the NBA, Pangos is ready for what comes next.

“So, to that kid on the driveway. By himself. For hours and hours,” he wrote. “We did it! We left it all out there and accomplished everything you always dreamed of.”

“Now it’s time to do the same for the next chapter.