SportsLine wire reports

STORRS, Conn. -- All-American Richard Hamilton, who helped the University of Connecticut men's team to its first national championship, will skip his senior season and enter the NBA Draft.

Hamilton, who averaged a team-leading 21.5 points per game this season, announced his decision Tuesday, just short of a month after teammate Khalid El-Amin said he would return next season.

Hamilton was voted the outstanding player in the Final Four, averaging 26 points and six rebounds per game as Connecticut upset Duke 77-74 for the NCAA tournament championship.

A 6-FOOT-6 FORWARD, HAMILTON WAS the third player in the Big East's 20-year history to win the player of the year at least twice. Chris Mullin of St. John's won in 1983, '84 and '85; Patrick Ewing of Georgetown shared the award in '84 and '85.

Hamilton won the award in 1998 and shared it this year with Miami forward Tim James.

Hamilton helped UConn to a 25-2 record this year and the school's fifth Big East Conference title in the last six regular seasons. The Huskies were ranked No. 1 for 10 weeks.

Hamilton, 21, contemplated turning professional after his sophomore year, but stayed in school in hopes of winning a national title. He said winning the title was a key factor in his decision to leave.

"If we hadn't won the national championship, to be honest with you, I might have come back," he said.

UConn coach Jim Calhoun said he supported Hamilton's decision.

"I look at it as a graduation date for Rip; he graduated from our basketball program," said Calhoun, using Hamilton's nickname.

Richard Hamilton led UConn to the NCAA title.(AP)

Calhoun, who came to Connecticut from Northeastern in 1986, said Hamilton was the best scorer he had ever coached.

Hamilton said he would try to continue his studies in order to earn his college degree.

TEN UCONN PLAYERS HAVE BEEN drafted or played in the NBA in the last 10 years. Hamilton is the third to leave school early to play professionally.

Hamilton is considered a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, probably among the first 10 players to be chosen, because of his ability to score off the drive and play defense.

Hamilton leaves UConn as the school's second-highest all-time scorer, with 2,036 points. Chris Smith scored 2,145 from 1988-92.

Hamilton's 19.8 points per game is third in school history, behind Wes Bialosuknia (1965-67, 23.6 ppg) and Walt Dropo (1942-47, 20.7), who went on to play major league baseball with the Boston Red Sox.

"All I know is, when he left the college basketball floor with his teammates at Tropicana Field, there wasn't a better player in college basketball," Calhoun said. "That's a pretty good way to end your college career."

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