RONY Seikaly was a standout professional basketball player in the NBA in the 1990s – but in retirement he has found a new calling.

The now 58-year-old quit basketball at the dawn of the century to accomplish a new career in music.

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Rony Seikaly played in the NBA for 11 yearsCredit: Getty

He’s now a professional DJCredit: Instagram @ronyseikaly

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Seikaly was drafted by the Miami Heat in 1988Credit: Getty
The 6-foot-11 giant was born in Beirut, Lebanon, splitting his childhood in his birth country, the United States, and primarily Greece.

In Greece, he played professionally for Panathinaikos before coming to college and making an extended stay in the USA.

Collegiately, Seikaly played for Syracuse and helped guide the team to the NCAA Tournament championship in 1987 against the Indiana Hoosiers.

He graduated from Syracuse as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,094), was second in blocks (319), and fourth in points (1,716).

In the 1988 NBA Draft, Seikaly was selected with the eighth overall pick by the Miami Heat, making him the first Lebanon-born player to ever compete in the league’s history.

The center made an immediate impact and in his second season, won the league’s Most Improved Player award, leading the Heat in points (16.6), rebounds (10.4), and blocks (1.7) while placing sixth in the league in rebounding.

Seikaly would go on to have a successful 11-year NBA career, also playing for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and New Jersey Nets, but ultimately stopped with the sport in 2001.

In retirement, the NBA veteran found his true calling – becoming a professional DJ.

Seikaly always loved music and started as an amateur DJ in Greece when he was 14.

He said in retirement: “Sports will always be my love, but music will always be my passion.”

In 2009, his passion became professional when he officially started making and DJing music.

Seikaly shared: “If I can’t play sports or listen to music every single day, I don’t feel like I am living.

“So I need both to keep me sane and on course.”

Since becoming a DJ, the big man released plenty of solo EPs and launched his own record label.

This summer, Seikaly played shows in Montreal, Ibiza, and Miami.

Seikaly has no shows scheduled yet for the fall, but that’ll change soon enough when he announces new tour dates.

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He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award during the 1989-90 seasonCredit: Instagram @ronyseikaly

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Seikaly averaged 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in the NBACredit: Getty