French Basketball star Florent Pietrus retires

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - World basketball's governing body FIBA paid tribute Friday to the French forward Florent Pietrus, who retired from basketball after a 21-year career.

"Florent Pietrus is proof that you don't always have to pour in 10 points a game, hand out several assists or grab double digits in rebounds to have a long and successful career," FIBA said on its website.

"His career needs to be celebrated, especially for the time he wore the France shirt and served as his national team's de facto "dirty work" player", it added.

Although Pietrus never played in the NBA he got a fantastic career in Europe, FIBA said in a statement.

The-39 year-old helped France win the 2013 FIBA EuroBasket in Slovenia and a bronze medal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Pietrus also helped his nation get to the podium in 2005, 2011 and 2015 EuroBasket championships.

With Spain's Valencia Basket, the French forward had the 2010 EuroCup title, while he won the French championship three times at the Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez.

Pietrus had announced his retirement from the national team along with Tony Parker and Mickael Gelabale after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.