May 5 (Reuters) - Three-times Olympic champion Tina Charles announced her retirement from professional basketball on Tuesday, bringing a close to a 14-year WNBA career during which the American became the league's all-time leading rebounder.
The 37-year-old Charles had 4,262 rebounds during her WNBA career and walks away from the league with 8,396 points, second on the WNBA's all-time list behind Diana Taurasi.
"At some point, you have to edit your life," Charles said in a statement. "Growth requires
honesty, and for me, that meant recognising when my impact was being called in a new direction."
Charles, who hails from Queens, New York, was selected first overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2010 WNBA draft, following a college career in which she won two national championships at the University of Connecticut.
She went on to be named the WNBA's rookie of the year in 2010, Most Valuable Player in 2012 and is an eight-times All-Star.
While her time playing for the Sun, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream never produced a WNBA title, she did win three gold medals at the Olympics with Team USA and three World Cup championships.
"Tina Charles has defined excellence and consistency throughout one of the most remarkable careers in WNBA history," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.
"From earning unanimous Rookie of the Year honors to being named league MVP, to becoming the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder and second all-time leading scorer, Tina’s impact on the game will be felt for generations to come."
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
