Richard clay R.I.P Hamilto (born February 14, 1978) is a former professional basketball player from the United States.
Born and bred in the Pennsylvanian community of Coatesville, 40 miles (64 km) west of Philadelphia, Hamilton attended the University of Connecticut for three years as a player. In his third and last season, Hamilton shocked the favored Duke Blue Devils to win the NCAA Championship, earning him the title of last Four’s Most Outstanding Player. In the Connecticut Huskies’ history, he is the team’s second-leading scorer.
Hamilton chose to bypass his senior year and enter the NBA draft after being named a unanimous first-team All-American. The Washington Wizards selected Hamilton seventh overall, and he would play for them for the following three seasons, averaging a notable 20 points per game while starting next to Michael Jordan. Following his 2002 trade for Jerry Stackhouse to Detroit, Hamilton spent nine seasons as a member of the Pistons until playing his final two seasons with the Chicago Bulls. On February 26, 2017, the Pistons retired his No. 32 jersey.
Career in college
From 1996 to 1999, Hamilton attended the University of Connecticut to play collegiate basketball. After rebounding a missed basket by Jake Voskuhl and then attempting his own shot, Hamilton hit the game-winning shot with seconds remaining in a 1998 Sweet 16 matchup between the 2nd-seeded UConn and the 11th-seeded Washington Huskies. He averaged 24.2 points per game and was awarded the 1999 NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player during UConn’s march to the national championship. As UConn’s highest scorer in the game, Hamilton was crucial to the team’s victory over the national Cinderella team, Gonzaga Bulldogs, no. 10, in a close, physical contest.[1] In the championship game, the UConn team defeated a Duke team, and four from 1996 to 1999.
Hamilton attended the University of Connecticut to play collegiate basketball. Players selected in the top 14 of the 1999 NBA draft participated in a 1998 Sweet 16 matchup with Duke. Despite being nine-point favorites, the Huskies overcame the Blue Devils thanks to a game-winning performance by Hamilton that included 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. The final shot in the “One Shining Moment” music video and video featured one of Hamilton’s shots against Duke.[2]
NBA career
Wizards of Washington (1999–2002)
The Washington Wizards selected Hamilton with the seventh overall choice in the 1999 NBA Draft. In his first-ever game, Hamilton led the visiting Atlanta Hawks 94-87 with 10 points in nearly 16 minutes of action.[3] In a 104–95 loss to the Miami Heat on November 12, Hamilton finished with a career-high eight rebounds and 13 points.[4] He averaged nine points per game while playing in 71 games, 12 of which he started, as a backup to seasoned shooting guard Mitch Richmond. Despite winning 29 games, the Wizards were unable to qualify for the postseason.
The next season, Hamilton doubled his scoring average to 18.1 points per game while playing more at the small forward position and starting 42 out of 78 games. In a 102–86 home defeat against the New Jersey Nets on November 8, 2000, Hamilton produced a career-high 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.[5] But the Wizards did not get much better, finishing the season with just 19 victories.
Now that Jordan was the team’s small forward, Hamilton returned to his original position as shooting guard and took the lead. Despite being limited to just 60 games by injuries, Hamilton and Jordan contributed to the team’s ultimate record of 37–45, which was an 18-game improvement over the previous campaign. Despite missing the playoffs, Hamilton was second in the league in free throw percentage (shooting 89 percent) and averaged 20 points per game during the season.
Detroit Pistons from 2002 to 2011
In 2003, Hamilton started donning a face mask, which later became his signature.
The Wizards acquired Ratko Varda, Brian Cardinal, and All-Star scorer Jerry Stackhouse in September by trading Hamilton, Bobby Simmons, and Hubert Davis to the Detroit Pistons.[6] The Pistons also acquired forward Tayshaun Prince through a draft pick and traded for Chauncey Billups in the 2002 off-season. The Pistons already had Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace and reigning Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle.
Gaining the championship and going back to the finals: 2004–2005
Hamilton fractured his nose twice in the first few games of the 2003–04 season (he had previously broken it in 2002), and his doctor recommended him to wear a face mask to avoid requiring major nasal reconstructive surgery. He would wear the transparent plastic face mask for the duration of his playing career, making it his signature piece.
Three choices for All-Stars: 2006–2008
With a career-high 20.1 points per game and his first All-Star Game selection, Hamilton’s 2005–06 season would turn out to be another fantastic one for him personally. Along with leading the league in three-point field goal percentage (.458), he helped the Pistons set a franchise record with 64 victories throughout the season.
Chicago Bulls (2011–2013)
On December 14, 2011, Hamilton cleared waivers and promptly inked a $15 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Bulls, with a team option for the third year.[29][30] He averaged 11.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 24.9 minutes per game during the 2011–12 campaign. He only participated in 28 games (starting all of them) due to injuries. The Bulls won the first Eastern Conference postseason seed with a 50-16 record. But in the opening round of the playoffs, All-Star Derrick Rose tore his ACL, and the eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers upset the squad in six games.
NBA career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship | * | Led the league |
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