Stockton is the all-time NBA leader in assists and steals

Basketball legend John Stockton has announced his retirement from the NBA.

The Utah Jazz guard, who is the all-time NBA leader in assists and steals, had been considering retirement for the past two years.

The 41-year-old finally decided to call it quits two days after the Jazz were eliminated by Sacramento in the first round of the NBA play-offs.

The decision had Utah coach Jerry Sloan in tears as he contemplated the magnificent career of Stockton.

With Stockton retiring and Karl Malone's likely departure an era has come to an end for the Jazz.

Malone, 39, is expected to go to a title contender when he becomes a free agent on 1 July.

Stockton spent much of his career supplying Malone and they were one of the best combinations in the league.

Stockton had 15,806 regular-season assists and 3,265 steals in an 18-season career spent entirely with Utah, the most NBA seasons ever spent by one player with the same club.