Richard Hamilton (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Richard Hamilton

Hamilton speaking at a USO event in 2018
Personal information
Born	(1978-02-14) February 14, 1978 (age 47) Coatesville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
High school	Coatesville Area (Coatesville, Pennsylvania)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	193 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	UConn (1996–1999)
NBA Draft	1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Washington Wizards
Pro career	1999–2013
Career history
1999–2002	Washington Wizards
2002–2011	Detroit Pistons
2011–2013	Chicago Bulls
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2004) 3× NBA All-Star (2006–2008) No. 32 retired by Detroit Pistons NCAA champion (1999) NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1999) Consensus first-team All-American (1999) Consensus second-team All-American (1998) 2× Big East Player of the Year (1998, 1999) 2× First-team All-Big East (1998, 1999) No. 32 retired by UConn Huskies McDonald's All-American (1996) Second-team Parade All-American (1996)
Career statistics
Points	15,708 (17.1 ppg)
Rebounds	2,852 (3.2 rpg)
Assists	3,125 (3.4 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas Championship Gold 1999 San Juan Team competition

Richard Clay "Rip" Hamilton (born February 14, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He is also a basketball analyst for CBS Sports HQ. Hamilton played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for his nine years with the Detroit Pistons. There, he was a three-time All-Star. He helped the Pistons reach the Eastern Conference Finals six times in a row. They also made it to the NBA Finals twice. In the 2005–06 season, they had their best record ever (64–18). He was a key player in their 2004 NBA championship win.

Richard was born and grew up in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. This city is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Philadelphia. He played college basketball for the University of Connecticut for three years. In his final year, he was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. This was after UConn won the NCAA Championship. They upset the strong Duke Blue Devils team. He is the second-highest scorer in UConn Huskies history.

After college, Hamilton was named a top All-American. He decided to join the 1999 NBA draft instead of playing his senior year. He was picked seventh overall by the Washington Wizards. He played there for three seasons. He famously averaged 20 points per game playing alongside Michael Jordan. In 2002, he was traded to Detroit for Jerry Stackhouse. Hamilton played with the Pistons for nine seasons. He finished his career with two seasons playing for the Chicago Bulls. The Pistons honored him by retiring his No. 32 jersey on February 26, 2017.

College Basketball Journey

Hamilton played college basketball for the University of Connecticut from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, during a "Sweet 16" game, UConn played against the Washington Huskies. Hamilton made a game-winning shot right as time ran out. He grabbed a rebound and then scored his own missed shot.

Winning the NCAA Championship

He was named the 1999 NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player. This was after UConn won the national title. He averaged 24.2 points per game during that tournament. UConn, ranked number 1, also beat the underdog Gonzaga Bulldogs. Hamilton was UConn's top scorer in that game.

In the final game, UConn beat a Duke team that had four players drafted in the top 14 of the 1999 NBA draft. UConn was expected to lose by nine points, but they upset Duke. Hamilton scored 27 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 3 assists in that final game. One of his shots against Duke was the very last shot shown in the famous "One Shining Moment" video.

Professional Basketball Career

Richard Hamilton was chosen as the 7th pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. In his very first NBA game, he scored 10 points. This helped the Wizards win 94–87 against the Atlanta Hawks. On November 12, he scored 13 points and had a career-high 8 rebounds. In his first season, he played 71 games and averaged 9 points. The Wizards did not make the playoffs that year.

The next year, Hamilton played more as a small forward. He started in 42 of 78 games. His scoring average doubled to 18.1 points per game. On November 8, 2000, he scored a career-high 30 points. However, the Wizards still struggled, winning only 19 games. During the off-season, Michael Jordan announced he would return to play for the Wizards. Doug Collins became the new coach.

With Jordan now playing small forward, Hamilton moved back to shooting guard. He became a starter. Both Hamilton and Jordan played in 60 games due to injuries. But they helped the team improve its record to 37–45. This was 18 more wins than the previous season. They missed the playoffs, but Hamilton averaged 20 points per game. He was also second in the league for free throw percentage, shooting 89 percent.

Detroit Pistons: A Championship Era (2002–2011)

Hamilton began wearing a face mask in 2003 that became his trademark.

In September 2002, the Wizards traded Hamilton to the Detroit Pistons. He joined Bobby Simmons and Hubert Davis in exchange for Ratko Varda, Brian Cardinal, and Jerry Stackhouse. That same off-season, the Pistons also traded for Chauncey Billups and drafted Tayshaun Prince. The team already had Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle and Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace.

In his first game with the Pistons, Hamilton scored 22 points. This helped them win 86–77 against the New York Knicks.

Hamilton started all 82 games for Detroit. He led the team in scoring with 19.7 points per game. The team won 50 games and the Central Division title. In his first playoff series with Detroit, he helped the team come back from a 3–1 deficit. They beat Tracy McGrady and the Orlando Magic in seven games. They then defeated the Philadelphia 76ers and reached the Conference Finals. This was their first time since 1991. They faced the New Jersey Nets, who swept them in four games. Hamilton led Detroit in scoring throughout the playoffs with 22.5 points per game.

Winning the NBA Championship (2004)

During the 2003–04 season, Hamilton broke his nose twice. He had also broken it in 2002. Doctors told him to wear a face mask to protect his nose. This clear plastic face mask became his signature look. He wore it for the rest of his career. This season also saw the arrival of All-Star forward Rasheed Wallace. He joined Hamilton, Billups, Ben Wallace, and Prince under new coach Larry Brown. This group became known as the "Goin' to Work" Pistons.

Wearing his mask every night (he called it his "Superman cape"), Hamilton led the Pistons in scoring again. He averaged 17.6 points per game. The Pistons finished the season with 54 wins. Hamilton scored a career-high 44 points in a 92–88 home win against the Cavaliers.

In the playoffs, the Pistons easily beat the Milwaukee Bucks. Then, they had a rematch with the New Jersey Nets. In a tough seven-game series, Hamilton scored 21 points in the deciding Game 7 win. The Pistons came back from being down 3–2. Next, they faced the top-ranked Indiana Pacers in the conference finals. Detroit's strong defense and efficient scoring were too much for the favored Pacers. Hamilton scored 33 points in a Game 5 victory in Indiana. Detroit won the series in Game 6, 69–65, at home. This sent them to their first NBA Finals since 1990. Hamilton contributed 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in that Game 6 win.

Hamilton led the Pistons in scoring for eight consecutive seasons.

Many people thought the Pistons would lose the 2004 NBA Finals. They were facing the star-filled Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had won three championships in a row recently. The Pistons surprised everyone by dominating Game 1 in Los Angeles, winning 87–75. The Lakers won Game 2 in overtime, tying the series 1–1. But in the three games in Detroit, the Pistons' defense and scoring broke down Los Angeles. They won the championship in five games! Hamilton led the Pistons with 21.4 points per game in the Finals. He scored 31 points in their 88–68 Game 3 win.

Returning to the Finals (2005)

The next season, the Pistons wanted to win another championship. Hamilton led the team in scoring for the third year in a row, averaging 18.7 points per game. On January 6, 2005, Hamilton didn't make any field goals (0-for-10). But he made all 14 of his free throws. He was the only player in NBA history to lead his team in scoring without making a single field goal.

As the second seed in the playoffs, Detroit beat Philadelphia. Then, they had another rematch with Indiana. This series was tense because of a fight between the two teams earlier in the season. The Pistons came back from a 2–1 series deficit. Hamilton scored 28 points in the deciding Game 6 victory. In the conference finals, they faced the Miami Heat. The Heat had Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. The Pistons were down 3–2, but won two straight games to reach the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. Hamilton scored 24 points in Game 7.

Detroit faced the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals. The Spurs had stars like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili. The Spurs won the first two games. The Pistons then won two games to tie the series. The Spurs took a 3–2 lead after winning Game 5 in Detroit. Detroit fought back and won Game 6 on the road, with Hamilton scoring 23 points. But the Spurs were too strong in Game 7, winning the game and the series. Hamilton averaged 20 points throughout the 2005 playoffs.

Three All-Star Selections (2006–2008)

Hamilton dunks the basketball in 2008

The 2005–06 season was great for Hamilton personally. He averaged a career-high 20.1 points per game. He also earned his first All-Star Game selection. He led the league in three-point field goal percentage with .458. The Pistons had an amazing season, winning a team-record 64 games. Detroit easily won their first-round playoff series against Milwaukee. Hamilton scored 40 points in the Game 5 win that clinched the series. Next, they played the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James. The series went to seven games before the Pistons won. This set up a rematch with Miami. The Pistons had home-court advantage, but they couldn't stop Dwyane Wade. They lost in six games. Hamilton scored 33 points in Game 6. He averaged 20.4 points in the 2006 Playoffs. Miami went on to win the NBA title. After the season, Ben Wallace left to play for the Chicago Bulls. This changed the Pistons' team dynamic.

During the 2006–07 season, on December 27, Hamilton scored a career-high 51 points. This happened in a triple-overtime loss to the New York Knicks. He was the first opposing player since Michael Jordan to score over 50 points at Madison Square Garden. Hamilton averaged 19.8 points that season. He was chosen again for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. The Pistons won 53 games. They swept the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. Then they beat Chicago and Ben Wallace in the conference semifinals. This led to another rematch with the younger Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers won the last two games of the series to win it. Hamilton averaged 18.8 points throughout the 2007 playoffs.

After losing in the conference finals two years in a row, the Pistons faced new challenges. Teams like the Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Boston Celtics were getting stronger. But in the 2007–08 season, the Pistons still won 59 games. They also won the Central Division title. Hamilton averaged 17.3 points per game. He was selected as an All-Star for the third year in a row. He also took part in the Three-Point Shootout.

The Pistons beat Philadelphia in the first round. Then they held off the young Orlando Magic team led by Dwight Howard. Hamilton scored 32 points in Game 5 and 31 points in Game 6. He also passed Isiah Thomas to become the Pistons' all-time leading scorer in the playoffs. Detroit reached their sixth straight Eastern Conference Finals. But they lost to the Boston Celtics in six games. After this loss, the team's general manager, Joe Dumars, said it was likely the end of an era. Changes began right away. Coach Flip Saunders was let go, even though he had the best winning percentage in Pistons history.

Playing Without Billups (2008–2011)

Hamilton shoots a jump shot in a game with the Pistons in 2009.

Just two games into the 2008–09 season, Detroit traded Hamilton's long-time teammate Chauncey Billups. They received former MVP Allen Iverson in return. Hamilton was disappointed by the trade. However, he signed a new contract to stay with Detroit. He averaged 18.3 points per game that season. He scored 38 points as a reserve in an overtime game against Milwaukee. This was the most ever by a Pistons reserve player. He also had a career-high 16 assists on March 13 against the Toronto Raptors. But the team struggled to play well together under coach Michael Curry. Detroit had their first losing record with Hamilton on the team. They still made the playoffs as the 8th seed. But they were swept by Cleveland in the first round. After the season, Iverson and Rasheed Wallace left the team.

Hamilton played in 46 games in the 2009–10 season. He averaged 18.1 points per game. Detroit won 27 games that year. The next year, Hamilton often argued with coach John Kuester. This led to Kuester not playing Hamilton in many games. For more than six weeks, Hamilton played only 20 total minutes. He was on the team roster but did not play in 23 out of 24 games. Even though Kuester was fired after the 2010–11 season, the Pistons bought out Hamilton's contract in December 2011. This made him a free agent.

Chicago Bulls (2011–2013)

Hamilton became a free agent on December 14, 2011. He quickly signed a three-year contract with the Chicago Bulls. In the 2011–12 season, he averaged 11.6 points per game. He played only 28 games due to injuries. The Bulls finished with a great record of 50–16. They were the top team in the Eastern Conference. However, their All-Star player Derrick Rose suffered a serious knee injury in the first playoff game. The Bulls were then defeated in six games by the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the 2012–13 season, Hamilton averaged 9.8 points per game. He played 50 games, starting in 45 of them. On November 26, 2012, Hamilton scored a season-high 30 points. But he missed a shot at the end of the game that would have won it. The Bulls finished 45–37. They reached the second round of the playoffs. But they were eliminated by the Miami Heat. The Bulls decided not to keep Hamilton for the next season.

On February 26, 2015, Hamilton officially announced he was retiring from the NBA. This was after a foot injury in October 2014. That injury convinced him to stop playing.

On February 26, 2017, the Pistons honored Richard Hamilton by retiring his No. 32 jersey. This means no other Pistons player will wear that number again.

Media and Community Work

In the 2006–07 NBA season, Hamilton appeared in the NBA Fundamentals series on TNT. In this show, basketball players explain different parts of the game. Hamilton showed how to "move without the ball" to get away from a defender.

He also appeared as a contestant on the game show Wanna Bet?.

Richard Hamilton has worked with many charities. He supported the "Read to Achieve" program and read books to children. As part of his work with kids, he was on an episode of Disney Channel's Imagination Movers. He helped the characters play basketball and learn about friendship.

Personal Life

Richard Hamilton married T. J. Lottie on July 11, 2009, in Boca Raton, Florida. They have a son named Richard Clay Hamilton II, born in 2007. Many famous guests attended their wedding, including Dwyane Wade, Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and Michael Jordan.

Hamilton got his nickname "Rip" from his father. His father received the nickname from his own mother because he used to rip off his diaper as a baby!

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and Honors

NBA

• NBA champion (2004)
• 3× NBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2008)
• No. 32 retired by Detroit Pistons
• Inducted 2023 into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame

College

• NCAA champion (1999)
• NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1999)
• Consensus first-team All-American (1999)
• Consensus second-team All-American (1998)
• 2× Big East Player of the Year (1998, 1999)
• 2× Big East All-Tournament Team (1998, 1999)
• 2× Big East leader in season points (1998, 1999)
• Big East All-Rookie Team (1997)
• Second-leading scorer in UConn history (2,036 points)
• Number 32 jersey retired by the University of Connecticut

Images for kids

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  Hamilton speaking at a USO event in 2018

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  Hamilton began wearing a face mask in 2003 that became his trademark.

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  Hamilton led the Pistons in scoring for eight consecutive seasons.

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  Hamilton dunks the basketball in 2008

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  Hamilton shoots a jump shot in a game with the Pistons in 2009.

See also

In Spanish: Richard Hamilton (baloncestista) para niños

• List of NBA franchise career scoring leaders