<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Richard ‘Rip’ Hamilton Announces NBA Retirement (VIDEO) <a href="http://t.co/Vj2kBcf04V">http://t.co/Vj2kBcf04V</a> <a href="http://t.co/9W8Vfd903e">pic.twitter.com/9W8Vfd903e</a></p>— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/571345588010110976">February 27, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Former NBA Champ & three-time All-Star, Richard "Rip" Hamilton has officially retired. --> <a href="http://t.co/INXDnTan1G">http://t.co/INXDnTan1G</a> <a href="http://t.co/YW133BBCd1">pic.twitter.com/YW133BBCd1</a></p>— FOX Sports: Hoops (@HoopsonFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopsonFOX/status/571351383699386368">February 27, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I'm sure every team and every NBA fan thought he was already retired. (And if the teams didn't think he was retired they definitely considered him retired).
His contribution as a team player will probably get overlooked. He was never a super athlete relative to NBA superstars, but he was highly disciplined and played his role perfectly.
Without a doubt, one of the best off-the-ball players ever. Rip is the guy that adds fluidity to an offense and what made that pistons team so damn scary. Rasheed and Billups obvious were great too, Ben (overrated) , but Rip was the one guy that score from anywhere on the court you gave him a screen.
2nd best SG of all time behind Reggie Miller.................off the ball and finding his spots off screens
Heard he ran an insane number of miles off the court for his workouts; one of the best off the ball guys and had a silky smooth midrange jumper
Ray Allen is a better shooter than Rip, but Rip had better off-ball movement. And he moved a around a lot more. Rip actually took a lot of pride exhausting his opponents from running continuously.
