Hannah retires from pro basketball

Basketball carried Clevin Hannah from his front yard in Holly Springs as a child to many foreign countries, and at age 38, he decided it was time to focus more on family.

“Taking my talents from my hometown to that level, I never could have imagined it,” he said. “But I did it, and it was amazing.”

Hannah, who helped lead the Hawks to high school state championships in 2004 and 2005, retired from the game he loves Sept. 24. His 16-year professional career carried him to places like Romania, Finland, France, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Lithuania and Mexico.

He lives in Wichita, Kansas, where he also starred on the court playing for the Wichita State Shockers. Hannah and his wife, a Wichita-area native, have four children.

“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family,” Hannah said. “It’s time to settle down and be helpful here around the house as a husband and a father. I’ve been missing out too long.”

He said what he will remember most about his professional career was competing against elite opponents throughout his journey. Those include Luka Doncic and former NBA players Marc and Pau Gasol.

“I played against some of the best, and it made me raise my level of play,” Hannah said. “I had to match my level with theirs.”

Just before retiring in Mexico, Hannah visited with Derek Fountain, another former Holly Springs standout playing professionally in the country.

“He is going to have a great career,” Hannah said. “It was such an amazing experience, getting to see that young man living out his dream as well. He let me know that I inspired him, and that made me so happy.”

Hannah said he will always cherish his years growing up in Holly Springs alongside Kenny Dawkins, another local basketball standout who played professionally.

“We were playing basketball at 6 or 7 years old with all our friends in the neighborhood,” he said. “The competition started in my front yard. We’d have 40 or 50 kids out there playing pickup basketball.”

Hannah took that drive from the yard to the hardwood, lighting up scoreboards at both Sims School and Holly High. He credited coaches James “Doc” Green and Naylond Hayes as major influences.

“Coach Green had a high impact on me starting out,” he said. “He motivated me to be my best. And Coach Hayes set the standard, the foundation, for how to play at a high level. He gave us confidence. We were the best in the state.”