New York Knickerbockers Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced forward/center Rasheed Wallace has retired from playing professional basketball.

Wallace, who was trying to return from an injured foot, determined that he had too much soreness, too much pain to continue during a game in Charlotte against the Bobcats. He became well known in college as a North Carolina Tar Heel. After two years, he turned pro where he became known for never, not once, committing a foul. In other words, he amassed many technical fouls.

“Rasheed has given this team everything he had,” Head Coach Mike Woodson said. “He is a winner, true professional and leader on and off the court. Due to his injury, he will not be available to play for us during the playoffs. We owe this season’s success to veterans like Rasheed.”

Wallace, 6-11, 245-pounds, averaged 7.0 points, on 38.7-percent shooting, and 4.0 rebounds over 14.1 minutes in 21 games this season. In his 15th NBA season Wallace missed 60 games due to an injured left foot. On Feb. 27, new X-rays showed progression to a fractured left fifth metatarsal and he had surgery on Feb. 28.