Alan Houston to retire

[Young Drachma]

I just saw it in the New York Times.

I've been gone from home a long time. Does this really matter, since he's been out so much?

[Young Drachma]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/17/sp...rtner=homepage

Allan Houston, the last link to the Knicks' Eastern Conference championship team of 1999, has decided to retire and will make his decision public later this afternoon.

The Knicks did not immediately announce the decision, but in a statement said they would hold a "major press conference" at 4 p.m. A team official confirmed that Houston's retirement was the purpose of the press conference.

Houston informed his teammates before practice this morning, then left the team's training center.

Houston, 34, has been plagued by knee injuries for more than two years, and his decision to retire was both unsurprising and inevitable. He played just 20 games last season, and 50 the season before, and although he stubbornly vowed to make a comeback, it had been clear for some time that his career was in its twilight.

Even as he reiterated his intentions to play again, during an interview in August, Houston admitted that he would have to consider walking away if his body did not respond during training camp.

"I've done it several times," he said of contemplating retirement.

Still, he expressed nothing but optimism, saying he was making steady progress.

"I just don't have it in my mind that I'm not going to be able to come back, honestly," Houston said then.

That changed two weeks ago. A few days into training camp in Charleston, S.C., Houston began feeling pain again in his left knee, and team trainers decided to shut him down. Houston was discouraged but even then vowed that he would persevere and try to return.

[rkmsuf]

Worst kept secret in all of basketball. That's why the Knicks didn't release him.