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Clippers' Grant Hill announces retirement

Grant Hill (left) shared the 1995 Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images) Seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill announced
Clippers' Grant Hill announces retirement
Clippers' Grant Hill announces retirement

Grant Hill (left) shared the 1995 Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

Seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill announced his retirement Saturday.

"I'm glad to say, I'm done," Hill said. "I'm officially retired. Moving on from playing. I had a great run. I'm announcing it now."

Hill, who signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Clippers last summer, made the announcement on TNT in advance of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Pacers.

"I've been hinting at it the last few years, you get to a point where you just don't want to do it any more," Hill said. "But I've enjoyed it, I've loved it."

The Clippers confirmed Hill's decision in a press release Saturday.

“The entire Clippers organization wants to congratulate Grant on an incredible career,” Clippers VP of basketball operations Gary Sacks said in a statement. “For 19 years, Grant has always been the embodiment of class, a true professional and not only one of the best players - but one of the finest individuals I have been around. We were fortunate to have Grant with us last season, and we wish him all the best in his next endeavor.”

Selected with the No. 3 pick in the 1994 NBA draft after winning two national championships at Duke, Hill enjoyed a 19-year career with the Pistons, Magic, Suns and Clippers, despite losing the entire 2003-04 season and major portions of four other seasons to ankle injuries.

The 1995 co-Rookie of the Year retires with career averages of 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Hill was selected to the All-NBA first or second team for five straight years from 1995-96 to 1999-2000, he won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 1996 Olympics, and won the NBA's sportsmanship award on three occasions.


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Ben Golliver
BEN GOLLIVER

Ben Golliver is a staff writer for SI.com and has covered the NBA for various outlets since 2007. The native Oregonian and Johns Hopkins University graduate currently resides in Los Angeles.