Allan Houston Retires

[$do11a biLL$]

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -     New York Knicks guard Allan Houston retired Monday, unable to recover from knee injuries that kept him out much of the last two seasons.
 
A two-time All-Star and member of the 2000 Olympic team, Houston was one of the NBA's best outside shooters before he was slowed by chronic knee soreness. He was limited to only 70 games over the last two seasons.

"I did everything I possibly could to get back and finish my career the way I would have liked to," Houston said at the Knicks' practice facility. "My injuries just wouldn't let me do it."

The 34-year-old Houston appeared in only 20 games last season and averaged 11.9 points, his worst season since he was a rookie. He did not play in either of the team's two exhibition games.

Houston's retirement leaves Larry Brown without his top outside shooter as he begins his first season as Knicks coach. New York could use Jamal Crawford or offseason acquisition Quentin Richardson at the shooting guard spot opposite Stephon Marbury.

Knicks president Isiah Thomas had hoped the trio of Houston, Marbury and Crawford would make the Knicks title contenders again.

"I thought that would make the best backcourt in the NBA," Thomas said. "We never got a chance to do that."

Houston averaged 17.3 points during his 12 NBA seasons, including a career-high 22.5 in 2002-03, his last full season. He shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range.

After spending his first three seasons in Detroit, Houston signed with the Knicks, who hoped he would be the outside shooting complement they needed to Patrick Ewing.

Houston helped New York to an improbable spot in the 1999     NBA Finals, when his running jumper in the closing seconds of the deciding Game 5 knocked off the top-seeded     Miami Heat in the first round.

"I always wanted to be in those moments when you could have an opportunity to win the game," Houston said.

But ultimately, he became a symbol for why the team couldn't improve in the post-Ewing years.

A favorite of Madison Square Garden president James Dolan, Houston was given a much-criticized $100 million, six-year contract extension in 2001. The deal made him virtually untradeable once he began to get hurt and crippled the Knicks' ability to make moves because of salary cap woes.

That also made him a target of criticism from fans.

"New York fans are passionate. I knew that you have to put yourself in other people's shoes sometimes," he said.

Houston hoped to return this season, but knee soreness returned after preseason workouts. A very spiritual person, he knew then that it was time to give up the efforts to come back.

"If it had been what was supposed to happen, it would have happened," Houston said.

A durable player earlier in his career, Houston missed only 10 games due to injury or illness in his first seven seasons in New York before the problems with his left knee.

"Allan exhausted every single possibility trying to get back," Thomas said.

At the a press conference attended by Brown, Marbury, Crawford, former teammate and coach Herb Williams, and his family, Houston was praised for his character.

Thomas, who noted he was at Houston's first NBA press conference while playing for Detroit, pointed out that Houston took the time to say a prayer for Dolan, who recently had surgery and couldn't attend.

"The only thing I could say to myself is 'wow,'" Thomas said. "I don't think there's another NBA player who would have done that."

[ωεεźγ ғ]

good he was overpaid anyways

[acbaylove]

Obviously. Knicks didnt apply the "Allan Houston rule" on him because he already said he was gonna retire. Good player, pretty good career. Best shooting tecnique i've ever seen in a NBA player, probably.

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

so i guess that's one less contract the knicks have to worry about

[The Big Bad Ass]

Best looking shot I've ever seen. Always liked him, and like him even more now that he just called it a quits, instead of draining an already hurting team. Makes people like Penny Hardaway look like crooks.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

But don't you think he's giving up too early? I mean, he's only 34...

[Don Jacob]

wow, is still remember him at 24

[7even]

better than suffering through all them last years while ruining your legacy. amazing he denied all the money he was supposed to get, fuckin weirdass.

[h cottie is bac-tive?]

he denied it becaus he knows he didnt earn it

only thing i remember about allan houston was the running 14foot shot against miami heat with 0.8 seconds left in the 99 playoffs

at that moment...allan houston could do no wrong

[TobyTizzle]

guys, he still gets paid, insurance picks up 80% of the bill = $34million... knicks pay the other 20% = $6-8 million

because the injury ruined his career... he still gettin monaaaay

[wcsoldier]

 He did awesome playoffs in 99 with Spree in the backcourt, sad for him but after all he had a pretty good carreer

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

He should let his injury heal, and if it gets any better, he can make a return mid-season. He's still young and even if he is injured, he could still be a very good spot-up shooter off the bench, or 15-20 minute role player...Sad he had to go out like this.

[TobyTizzle]

^ lmao he has been 'letting the injury' heal for the last 2 years man, he spent all the end of last season, this off season and still couldnt do it... he was not gonna return by half way through the season and everyone knew it... u need spring in your shot, whats the point of being an awesome shooter without actually being able to do it? Nothing... he made the right call, and whats with you thinking everyone is young? lol 34 going on 35 aint young in bball terms...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^ lmao he has been 'letting the injury' heal for the last 2 years man, he spent all the end of last season, this off season and still couldnt do it... he was not gonna return by half way through the season and everyone knew it... u need spring in your shot, whats the point of being an awesome shooter without actually being able to do it? Nothing... he made the right call, and whats with you thinking everyone is young? lol 34 going on 35 aint young in bball terms...

34 is young to retire, sorry. I just truely believe that even with his injury, he would still be a better shooting guard (off the bench) than most 2nd string shooting guards in the league...I'm sure the injury isn't soooo bad that he wont be able to play basketball ever again, he'll just never be 100% again...If he is even capable of stepping onto a court for 10-20 minutes and play some decent basketball, he should be doing that...PeACe

[Juronimo]

^ lmao he has been 'letting the injury' heal for the last 2 years man, he spent all the end of last season, this off season and still couldnt do it... he was not gonna return by half way through the season and everyone knew it... u need spring in your shot, whats the point of being an awesome shooter without actually being able to do it? Nothing... he made the right call, and whats with you thinking everyone is young? lol 34 going on 35 aint young in bball terms...

34 is young to retire, sorry. I just truely believe that even with his injury, he would still be a better shooting guard (off the bench) than most 2nd string shooting guards in the league...I'm sure the injury isn't soooo bad that he wont be able to play basketball ever again, he'll just never be 100% again...If he is even capable of stepping onto a court for 10-20 minutes and play some decent basketball, he should be doing that...PeACe

Bird retired at that same age from back problems. It's a shame but sometimes your body won't allow yourself to do thngs, even if the mind is willing. It's a shame but it happens.

Houston had  a good run though.