NBA star Grant Hill announces his retirement

Ankle injuries kept Grant Hill from playing a full 82-game NBA schedule all but one season

INDIANAPOLIS – Grant Hill, one of basketball's most versatile players who never reached his full potential because of debilitating injuries, is calling it a career in the NBA.

The 18-year veteran and seven-time All-Star, who played for the Los Angeles Clippers this season, announced his retirement Saturday on TNT moments before the start of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

Hill, 40, hinted at retirement this season but didn't come to his decision until earlier in the week.

"The last four or five years I would take about a month (after the season to decide to continue) and within a month, if I still wanted to do it, I would. Putting it simply, after a month, I just realized I didn't want to play anymore," Hill told USA TODAY Sports on Saturday. "There's a lot of reasons for that, but you know when you know. It just felt right. I'm excited and looking forward to moving on and doing other things.

"I worked hard. I put a lot into it, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But now is the time to move on. I feel great physically. It's important to go out feeling good, particularly considering all the setbacks I had health-wise throughout my career."

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