Following a summer of great roster turnover, Penn men’s basketball will be forced to move forward without another longtime contributor.
Senior forward Max Martz, an All-Ivy honorable mention last season, announced Wednesday that he would be taking a medical retirement, placing him out for the 2023-24 season and ending his competitive basketball career.
Martz emphasized the pain that came with the decision, and said it is one he came to after significant deliberation.
“This was a difficult decision, one that I have wrestled with since the conclusion of last season," Martz said in his announcement. "Ultimately, after talking with family and friends I have decided that a medical retirement is the best course of action for me and especially for my body … I will miss being on the court with these guys this season, but I look forward to cheering them on.”
The Quakers will miss Martz just as much as he will miss them. He averaged 10.8 points per game last season, and shot 41.2% from three. From marksmanship on the perimeter to smoothness in the post, Martz provided offense for the Red and Blue in all forms.
Penn now returns just two starters from last year’s Ivy League tournament team, and just one of its top three scorers. The program also recently welcomed a class of several new recruits, who will have ample opportunity to earn playing time with so many Quaker mainstays gone.
Martz’s retirement reinforces the fact that Penn’s team will look very different in 2024, but for now, the focus is on the departure of a program leader who has made his mark on and off the court.
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