Mar. 16, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill before game against the Detroit Pistons at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Pistons 109-101. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
One of the earliest conversations I ever had about the NBA came in 1997. My cousin Andrew and I were talking about the next Michael Jordan. Mind you, the current one was still playing and was about to win his fifth NBA championship. Nevertheless, his career was waning and as is the nature of sports, everyone wanted to know who was going to be Heir Jordan.
In the late 90s, there was only one option.
Grant Hill retired this weekend, announcing on TNT shortly before game six of the Eastern Conference Finals. Along with all of the well-wishers, congratulations, and out-pour of love, there was the inevitable question. What might have been?
Hill was a beast. After putting Duke over the top in 1991 and again in 1992, Hill took charge of the Blue Devils only to see North Carolina win the NCAA crown in 1993. Hill entered his senior year as the reigning NABC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. As a senior, Hill kicked it up a notch or two, specifically from outside the arc. Hill had taken just 17 three-pointers before his senior year when he launched exactly 100. Hitting 39, Hill had added the new dynamic to his game that prevented defenses from simply sagging off of him to cut off his drives. Hill also started to distribute the ball more as he claimed a larger role in the offense as a point forward.
Grant then took Duke on a magical ride through the 1994 NCAA tournament. What most people forget about that year is that UNC was a large favorite to cut down the nets and go back to back (immediately after Duke had gone back to back). Instead, UNC met their demise in the Boston College Eagles as Hill carried the Blue Devils on his Atlas-sized shoulders.
Through the first three games, Hill was averaging 19 points, 8 boards, and 6 assists per game as Duke knocked out Texas Southern, Michigan State, and Marquette. It was the Elite 8 game that would be one of Hill’s signature Duke moments.
Glenn Robinson, affectionately called “Big Dog, led Purdue against Duke and was touted the best player in the land. He came in averaging 30 points per game and 11 rebounds, both tops in the Big 10. The Boilermakers were 29-4 and #3 in the country.
A physical, brutish bash, Hill and Robinson worked each other into sub-par games. Grant held Robinson to his season-low of 13 points while Hill chipped in 11. Only, Grant added seven rebounds and five assists.
Duke moved on to the Final Four where they met up with Florida and Arkansas. Hill played all but 2 minutes in the final weekend, scoring 37 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists. Most every Duke fan knows the result of this weekend as Scotty Thurman’s prayer was answered with 50 seconds left, to effectively put Arkansas up for good after Duke fails to get off a shot in the waning seconds.
Hill left Duke as the ACC Player of the Year and the only player ever in the ACC to have at least 1,900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocks. He went on to be drafted third overall by the Detroit Pistons and began a six year run that was only matched by the games greatest.
Rarely does a rookie take the sport by storm the way Grant Hill did. He was the first athlete in any of the major sports to lead the league in All-Star voting as a rookie. He averaged 19.9 – 6.4 – 5.0 his first season and shared NBA Rookie of the Year voting with Jason Kidd.
His second season, Hill led the league with ten triple-doubles and once again led the league in All-Star voting beating out Michael Jordan in his first year back from baseball. His game began to evolve as rebounding became a bigger focus translating to just missing out on averaging a double-double. His final line that season was 20.2 – 9.8 – 6.9.
Hill did something in his third season that hasn’t been replicated since. Not by Kobe, nor Wade, nor Pierce, or even Lebron. Grant finished up his third year averaged 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He was the first since Larry Bird to average at least 20-9-7. He finished with 13 triple doubles (nearly 40% of the league total) and finished third in the MVP voting behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan.
Grant would go on to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to lead their teams in points, rebounds, and assists. After their first six seasons, only Bird, Oscar Robertson, and Lebron James have scored, rebounded, and assisted more than Grant Hill.
Then came the injuries.
Hill was traded in the offseason for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace as part of the sign and trade deal that allowed Orlando to pay him much more than Detroit could. Unfortunately, the ankle injury Hill suffered in the playoffs the year prior forced him to miss all but four games of the 2000-2001 season. The following years weren’t much better as Hill played in just 14 games his second year in Orlando, 29 the next year. After refracturing his ankle in 2003, Hill had to have major surgery to realign the ankle with the rest of his leg. Post-surgery, it was discovered Hill had a potentially fatal MRSA infection that forced him to use an IV for 6 months and miss the entire 03-04 season.
In Grant’s first full year back, he seemed to be 80% of what he once was. Even though he averaged nearly 20 points per game, his rebounding and assist numbers were down as his trademark versatility faded. He was still voted to the All-Star team that season.
His return to glory would be short-lived as groin injuries and a sports hernia caused him to miss much of the 05-06 season, limiting him to just 21 games. He went on to play just one more season for Orlando, this time managing to play in 65 games but his skills were clearly diminished.
The Phoenix years are something of a marvel. Despite having basically shattered his ankles, despite nearly dying from a severe infection, despite missing nearly ALL of his prime basketball years, Hill went on to play the role of all-around cog in the Steve Nash led Suns for five seasons. He played four straight years of more than 70 games (including three straight 80+ game years) and 30 minutes per game. This longevity is phenomenal when you realize the Phoenix years were his age 35-39 seasons.
Most NBA players start to breakdown around age 33 and are done by age 36. Hill was torn apart at age 28, missed nearly four full years from injuries, then went on to play NINE more years to the age of 40.
There is no doubt that Hill could have been one of the games all-time greats, mentioned in the same breath as Jordan, Bird, Magic, and James. However, he’ll have to settle for being known as something a little bit different.
A Hall of Famer.
The Hall of Famer who is famous for his role in the greatest college game ever played, went to three Final Fours, won two national titles, joined rarified air in the NBA at the very beginning of his career, helped revolutionize the game as a point-forward, will more than likely be remembered not for his accolades but for his determination to never stop fighting.