Ray Allen announces retirement from NBA

File photo shows Ray Allen of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five of the 2014 NBA Finals in San Antonio, Texas on June 15, 2014. [Photo/VCG]

WASHINGTON - The two-time NBA champion Ray Allen announced his retirement from NBA on Tuesday after playing 18 seasons.

"I write this to you today as a 41-year-old man who is retiring from the game," Allen wrote in a piece for the Players' Tribune. "I write to you as a man who is completely at peace with himself."

Allen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth pick of the 1996 NBA draft. Immediately after his selection, Allen was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 10-time All-Star spent his first 11 seasons with Milwaukee and Seattle SuperSonics before joining the Boston Celtics in 2007. Along with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Allen led the Celtics to a championship that season. In 2012, Allen landed with the Miami Heat and helped LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh win an NBA title. Allen has not played in the NBA since the 2013-14 season.

Allen averaged 18.9 points per game in 1,300 regular-season contests and shot 89.4 percent from the free-throw line, the seventh-best percentage in league history. He is the league's all-time leader with 2,973 career 3-pointers made.