Minnesota's Plenette Pierson to retire after season

NEW YORK (AP) Minnesota Lynx forward Plenette Pierson is retiring after the season.

The two-time WNBA champion entered the league in 2003 and won titles with Detroit in 2006 and 2008. She has played for six different teams and won the league's Sixth Woman of the Year honor in 2007.

''This is my last hurrah,'' Pierson said before the Lynx played the Liberty on Sunday. ''I've been thinking about this for the last two years and know it's time to move on to something else. I've given a lot to the game and it's given me a lot back.''

Pierson has averaged 9.6 points a game in her career, including a high of 12.9 in 2011 for the New York Liberty.

''She's made a career out of doing all the things necessary to help a team win with her toughness,'' said Bill Laimbeer, who coached her in Detroit and New York.

Pierson, whose Twitter handle is ''DaEnforcer33,'' made the All-Star Game in 2015. She is averaging 4.6 points a game this season while playing 13 minutes a contest for the Lynx. Pierson will turn 36 at the end of the month.

''I was originally going to announce it on my birthday, but I was never any good at keeping secrets,'' she said. ''I'm happy it's out there now and the fans know. I've always enjoyed the fans around the league.''

She started the last few games for Minnesota, including Sunday at Madison Square Garden against New York, when Rebekkah Brunson went down with an ankle injury last week,

''It's always great to play here as the fans have been so good to me,'' Pierson said.

Pierson wasn't sure what her future held, but her current coach, Cheryl Reeve, could see her joining the coaching ranks.

''She's embraced being a leader, I think she'd be a great coach,'' Reeve said. ''I trust her, and when a coach tells you that she trusts you, that's the greatest compliment.''

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