Tiffany Hayes to retire from WNBA after 11 seasons

Tiffany Hayes, an 11-year WNBA veteran and 2017 All-Star, announced Wednesday she is retiring from the league.

“It’s the end,” Hayes said on the “Counted Me Out” podcast. “You can still catch me overseas. WNBA — this right here with the Connecticut Sun was my last season.”

Hayes, 34, was drafted No. 14 overall in 2012 by the Atlanta Dream, where she played 10 seasons before being traded this past offseason to the Sun.

“It’s a lot of things,” Hayes said on her rationale for retiring from the WNBA. “I really feel like I’m older now. I’ve got a lot of stuff that I really always wanted to get into, but I’m so busy because I’m playing year-round. … Plus my body, playing 11 seasons straight with no breaks, every year, two seasons in a year every time — that’s a lot.

“I just figured I’d focus on one thing and then summertime, I can turn up my businesses, turn up time with my family, and just live like that. I want to see how that goes.”

Hayes averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game across 317 career WNBA games while reaching the postseason six times, including most recently with the Sun, where she helped them advance to the semifinals.

The 5-foot-10 Hayes was an all-WNBA first team selection as well as an all-defensive second team pick in 2018, while compiling an extensive overseas playing career, featuring stints in China, Turkey and Spain.

Prior to playing in the WNBA, Hayes won two national championships with UConn in 2009 and 2010.