Andrew Gaze, the Bradman of Australian basketball, has brought down a teary, humble and dignified curtain on his decorated 22-year playing career.

Gaze, the greatest basketballer ever produced in Australia, announced his playing retirement after breaking virtually every available record in a career spanning five Olympics, four world championships and 22 NBL seasons at the Melbourne Tigers.

With his father and long-time Tigers coach Lindsay also calling it quits, Gaze held back tears as he said wear and tear on his body had led to his decision to retire.

Gaze had been subject to some last-minute pressure - not the least from his father - trying to convince him to squeeze one more NBL season out of a near 40-year-old body.

And he revealed he had only made his final decision to quit this week, citing the fact he was seriously feeling the effects of a top-level basketball career started at age 18.

"I've been backwards and forwards about retiring since the end of the season; I've had dad and a lot of other people trying to talk me into playing another year, but that's it," Gaze said.

"My desire has always been to keep playing, I'd love to keep playing, my mind is willing to keep playing and it pains me not to be able to keep playing at this level.

"But you get to a point where you think about your own wellbeing.

"There's a lot of wear and tear on the body that makes it difficult to physically get through - that's probably the primary reason."

The most moving tribute to Gaze came from his father, not normally noted for effusive public praise.

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