Layshia Clarendon, WNBA's first openly nonbinary player, retires - ESPN

Los Angeles Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon, a leader in the WNBA's social justice initiatives, the league's first openly transgender and nonbinary player and a 2017 All-Star, announced their retirement on Friday on Instagram.

Clarendon, 33, has not suited up for the Sparks since Aug. 15 vs. the New York Liberty. They averaged 7.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game during their 12-year WNBA career.

«It just felt right,» Clarendon said to ESPN. «I've done a lot of healing in my life the last five years. It was just the culmination of my mind, my body and my spirit telling me that it was time to move on. I just had a deep knowing in my intuition that now is the right time, and I had a really open heart and readiness to let go.»

«Layshia has made a huge impact on and off the court throughout their outstanding basketball career,» Sparks coach Curt Miller said in a statement. «Lay was a true professional, showing up each day with a desire to help our teams compete and improve.… Off the court, Lay is a trailblazer and impacted so many with their bravery to be authentic and unapologetic while consistently fighting for the marginalized.»

Clarendon, who uses she/her, he/him, and they/them pronouns, was drafted ninth by the Indiana Fever in 2013. She also played for the Atlanta Dream, with whom she was named a 2017 WNBA All-Star, the Connecticut Sun, the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx before finishing her career with the Sparks. She posted a triple-double in the Sparks' season opener against the Dream in May.

«I'm very proud of my 2017 All-Star,» Clarendon said. «I wanted to be an All-Star in this league and I proved that to myself. I'm also really proud of the relationships I built with people and the integrity