[Maynard13]

Allan Houston retires after 12 seasons
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks guard Allan Houston retired Monday, unable to recover from knee injuries that kept him out much of the last two seasons.

Most 3-Pointers Made
In NBA History (*-active)
2,560 Reggie Miller
1,719 Dale Ellis
1,559 Glen Rice
1,542 Tim Hardaway
1,486 Ray Allen*
1,473 Nick Van Exel
1,360 Dan Majerle
1,326 Mitch Richmond
1,305 Allan Houston
1,301 Eddie Jones

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."

Allan Houston
AP Photo/David Karp
Allan Houston will be remembered for his shooting ability, his character, and a nine-figure contract that crippled the Knicks.

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."

[Maynard13]

I really liked this guy, his knees and the pressure of preforming with a big contract screwd him......great guy, prolly will work for MSG

Bye Allan

[Jetsfan115]

Hmm 12 seaosn my a$$. He hans’t played for like 4 straight years. Biggest waste of 100million dollars ever. I liked him at the time but then he got hurt and never came back. make room for some young blood. U know he was the first knick to average 20 points a game since ewing did it

[S-Dubb]

Yea i liked him to but never could really cut it.

[Jetsfan115]

he was one of the best shooters all time. he had such a sweet jump shot u could even hear the way it went through the net. just flat out perfect. however the knee injuries killed him My favorite moment was “the shot heard arund the world” that took that lucky bounce. Man that was a good year. also the year of the LJ 4 point play to beat the pacers. It was a bad call by the refs admittedly but I’m not complaining. Lol.

The funniest moment was when he had a big cut on his head and he said it was cause he hit his head on the fridge at night.