Richard Hamilton Biography
When one thinks of Detroit Pistons shooting guard Richard "Rip" Hamilton, thoughts of the thick, clear plastic mask covering most of his face during games comes to mind. Why does he wear it? At the onset of the 2003-04 season, Hamilton's nose was broken, then broken again that February, this time requiring surgery. After nasal reconstructive surgery, Jerry McHale, of the Michigan Hand & Sports Rehab Center, produced a mask that could be worn during game play to protect Hamilton's face. In order to rejoin the team for the playoffs, Rip would have to don the mask. He returned wearing it and went on to win the National Basketball Association (NBA) title with the Pistons that year.
Born February 14, 1978, in Coatesville, Penn., the 6'7" 210-lb. basketball star is no stranger to championships. Before moving on to the NBA, Hamilton played college ball at the University of Connecticut. It was there that he got his first taste of winning when the Huskies won the NCAA tournament in 1999. Rip was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. He was also one of three college players to make the 1999 USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team. That team went 10-0 in the Tournament of the Americas, qualifying them for the 2000 Olympic Games.
Hamilton was drafted by the Washington Wizards in the '99 draft, picked seventh overall. In 2002 he was traded to the Pistons, where his endless energy, great defense and great mid-range jump-shot have made him an NBA champion. Now, Hamilton wears the mask during every game as a precautionary measure due to his proneness to broken noses. In 2005, Rip again finds himself helping his team in hopes of repeating as NBA champions.
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