Rip Hamilton announces retirement

Richard Hamilton has retired from basketball.

The former UConn and Detroit Pistons guard announced his decision Thursday during an appearance on ESPN's "His & Hers" show. He hadn't played in the NBA since 2012-13, when he ended an injury-plagued, two-year stint with Chicago.

"Today is a very special day for me because today is the day that I take my shoes ... and I find a little street corner down the street and throw my sneakers on the power lines because today I officially retire from the NBA," Hamilton said on "His & Hers."

He was a three-time All-Star and spent 14 years in the league, averaging 17.1 points, and helped the Pistons upset the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2004 NBA championship.

Hamilton was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1999 Final Four, leading UConn to its first national championship. He was the No. 7 pick by Washington in that year and spent three seasons there before being dealt to Detroit, where he played nine years.

"Last year I took a year off to get an opportunity to hang out with my kids, let my body recover from the long NBA season," Hamilton explained of sitting out the 2013-14 season.

However, what he called a freak foot injury in October made Hamilton realize it was time to hang them up.

"I looked myself in the mirror and said, 'Hey, you know what, it might be my time. I've got a lot of miles on my body, I think I just need to let it go.' "

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.