Dickerson to call it quits

Former Wildcat guard Michael Dickerson announced his retirement from the NBA Saturday.

A member of Arizona's 1997 national championship squad, a series of chronic injuries ÷ most recently, a severe groin strain ÷ forced the shooting guard to call it quits after just five seasons.

During a stellar career at the UA in which he averaged 13.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, Dickerson was on the All-Pac-10 first team twice. In 1998, he was selected as a third team All-American.

"It's a very sad day for Michael Dickerson and the Arizona basketball family," said UA assistant coach and former teammate Josh Pastner. "To retire at 28 is very young. But Michael signed a $43 million deal and is a very smart young man, and will be set. But money doesn't make you happy, necessarily."

The 6-foot-6-inch Dickerson was selected 14th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 1998 draft. A year removed from being selected to the 1998-99 Schick All-Rookie second team, he was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies in a deal that would bring Steve Francis to the Rockets.

"He's one of the best that's ever come here, as explosive as one can be," said Pastner, a member of Arizona's 1997 championship team with Dickerson. "His first step was as good as anyone who's ever come through here, maybe even better than Sean Elliott."

The sharp-shooting Dickerson averaged 15.7 points per game during his five-year NBA career. Despite playing in 212 NBA contests, he retires after appearing in a mere 10 games the past two seasons with the Grizzlies.