UConn retiring the jersey of Coatesville hoops legend Richard Hamilton
Hamilton, who led UConn to a national title in 1999, will have his jersey retired when the Huskies host Villanova on Feb. 24 (8 p.m., Fox29).
Looks like the Gampel Pavilion at the University of Connecticut is getting another banner when its men’s basketball program retires the No. 32 of Coatesville native Richard “Rip” Hamilton next month.
Hamilton, 45, who led UConn to a national title in 1999, will have his jersey retired when the Huskies host Villanova on Feb. 24 (8 p.m., Fox29).
The 6-foot-6 forward finished his three-year career from 1996-99 as the second all-time scorer in program history with 2,036 points, but Hamilton’s biggest moment at UConn was his last. Collecting 27 points and seven rebounds, he helped the Huskies upset a loaded Duke squad for the NCAA championship under coach Jim Calhoun.
Hamilton’s No. 32 will be the only retired men’s number in Gampel next to Ray Allen’s No. 34, which was retired in March 2019.
Hamilton was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, a two-time All-Big East first-team member, a two-time Big East player of the year, a second-team All-American in 1998, and a first-team All-American in 1999.
The Detroit Pistons, where Hamilton played nine seasons and won the 2004 NBA title with former 76ers coach Larry Brown, retired his No. 32 jersey on Feb. 26, 2017. Hamilton was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
Hamilton was traded to the Pistons in 2002 by Washington, where he was drafted No. 7 overall in 1999. He played for the Pistons until 2011 and then spent the last leg of his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls until 2013.
Hamilton attended Coatesville Area Senior High School, a noted PIAA rival of Lower Merion at the time. As a result, Hamilton was a part of a Raiders team that matched up three times against the late Kobe Bryant. Two of those matchups were in the district playoffs, but one was inside the gym at Coatesville.