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Detroit Pistons to Retire Richard Hamilton’s Number 32

By Zac Snyder

Feb 10, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Richard Hamilton waves to the crowd during the Chauncey Billups halftime retirement ceremony in the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Nuggets won 103-92. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Richard Hamilton waves to the crowd during the Chauncey Billups halftime retirement ceremony in the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Nuggets won 103-92. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Detroit Pistons announced today that they will raise the number 32 to the rafters in honor of Richard Hamilton.

On a day in which offices across the country are either empty or sparsely filled, the Detroit Pistons decided to drop a big piece of news today.

The announcement is a year in the making as it was reported last February that Rip would be the next Piston to have his number retired. There was no official word at that time, but today’s announcement does not come as a surprise as it was a matter of when, not if it would happen. Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups had their numbers retired at on-court ceremonies last season.

With Ben Wallace, Billups and Hamilton having their numbers retired, speculation will begin whether or not Tayshaun Prince will be next. He was the fourth member of a core group of guys that saw the Pistons become one of the NBA’s best teams of the 2000s, going to six straight Eastern Conference Finals, two NBA Finals and winning a championship.

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It’s arguable whether or not the Wallace, Billups, Hamilton trio lives up to the standard set by other former Pistons with retired numbers but that is irrelevant at this point. The organization has clearly decided they want to honor that era of Pistons basketball in this way and with that decision made, they almost had to retire all those numbers. Those teams were defined by a lack of a superstar and the team wouldn’t have reached the consistent heights they did if not for the contributions of all involved.

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