Grant Hill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Grant Hill in a shootaround.
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| Position | Small forward |
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| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| League | NBA |
| Team | Phoenix Suns |
| Jersey | #33 |
| Born | October 5, 1972 Dallas, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | South Lakes |
| College | Duke |
| Draft | 3rd overall, 1994 Detroit Pistons |
| Pro career | 1994–Present |
| Former teams | Detroit Pistons (1994–2000) Orlando Magic (2000–2007) |
| Awards | 1995 NBA co-Rookie of the Year 2005 NBA Sportsmanship Award 7-time NBA All-Star 2008 NBA Sportsmanship Award |
| Official profile | Info Page |
| Olympic medal record | |||
Competitor for  United States |
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| Men's Basketball | |||
| Gold | 1996 Atlanta | Team | |
Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the NBA's Phoenix Suns. He is 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in). As a collegiate and early professional, Hill was considered one of the best all-around players in the game, often leading his team in points, rebounds and assists. His stint in the league has been hampered by career-threatening injuries, notably towards the late part of his career.
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[edit] Early life and college
Grant Hill was born in Dallas, Texas, while his father, Calvin, was starring as a running back for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1969. His mother Janet was a Wellesley graduate, who shared a suite with Hillary Clinton when both were freshmen there.[1] After his father's NFL career ended, the family settled in Reston, Virginia, where Grant became a high-school superstar at South Lakes High School, and he was selected for the 1990 McDonald's All-American Team.
When the time came to choose a college, Hill's mother states in the Fox Sports "Beyond the Glory" documentary about Hill's career, that she wanted him to attend Georgetown University, while his father preferred the University of North Carolina. Hill chose a neutral path and decided to attend Duke University. Hill played four years with the Duke Blue Devils, winning national titles in 1991 and 1992, where Duke became the first college to win consecutive titles since UCLA in 1973. Despite losing two of the biggest contributors on the Blue Devils, Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley (who went on to play in the NBA), Hill led Duke to the championship game once again in 1994, but ended up losing to Arkansas Razorbacks. Hill won the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the nation's top defensive player in 1993, and in 1994 he was the ACC Player Of the Year. During his collegiate career, Hill became the first player in ACC history to collect more than 1900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocked shots. As a result of his successful college career, he became the 8th player in Duke history to have his jersey number (33) retired. After his freshman season at Duke, Hill played on the bronze-winning U.S. team at the 1991 Pan American Games, held in Havana, Cuba.
Hill is also widely known for his role in a desperation play in an NCAA tournament regional final against Kentucky in 1992, which many consider to be the greatest college basketball game of all time. With Duke down 103-102 in overtime and only 2.1 seconds remaining after Kentucky's Sean Woods hit a floater, an unguarded Hill heaved the in-bounds pass 75 feet across the court into the hands of Christian Laettner, who dribbled once and spun before pulling up to make the game-winning jumper from just outside the free-throw line as time expired.
[edit] NBA career and Team USA
[edit] Detroit Pistons (1994–2000)
Grant Hill was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the third pick in the NBA Draft after graduating from Duke in 1994. He entered the league to high expectations, where many expected him to be the future face of the league in a time where Michael Jordan was retired. In his first season, he averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.77 steals per game, and became the first Pistons rookie since Isiah Thomas in 1981-82 to score 1000 points. Hill ended up sharing NBA Rookie of the Year Award honors with Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the first Piston since Dave Bing in 1966-67 to win the award. Hill also won the Sporting News Rookie Of the Year award. He was named to the all-NBA first team in 1997, and all-NBA second teams in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Hill also regularly played in the NBA All-Star Game, where he made history by being the first rookie ever to lead an NBA All-Star fan balloting in (1994-95) with 1,289,585 votes[2], narrowly defeating Shaquille O'Neal. In fact, Hill became the first rookie in all major sports to get most votes for an All-Star game.
In his second season (1995-96), he once again led the All-Star fan balloting, this time edging Michael Jordan (Jordan's first All-Star game after returning since retiring in 1993). During the 1995-96 season, Hill showcased his all-round abilities by leading the NBA in triple-doubles (10). He also won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, where he had the team's fifth highest scoring average (9.7) and led the team in steals (18). Hill's 1996-97 season was his finest yet, with averages of 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He became the first player since Larry Bird in 1989-90 to average 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in a season, an accomplishment that has not been duplicated since. Once again, Hill led the league in triple-doubles, where his 13 triple-doubles represented 35 percent of the league's triple-double total that season. He was the league's Player of the Month for January and was also awarded NBA's IBM Award, given to the player with the biggest statistical contributions to his team. He finished third in MVP voting, behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan.
Much like Scottie Pippen with the Bulls, Hill assumed the role of a "point forward" in Detroit, running the Pistons offense. As a result, between the 1995-96 and 1998-99 NBA seasons, Hill was the league leader in assists per game among non-guards all four seasons. In the lockout-shortened 1999 season, as he led his team in points, rebounds and assists for the third time, Grant Hill joined Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history to lead their teams in scoring, rebounding and assists more than once. Hill and Chamberlain are the only two players in league history to lead their teams in points, rebounds and assists per game three times. Hill was selected to play in the 1998 FIBA World Championship, but in the end no NBA players played in this tournament due to the lockout.
Hill's 1999-2000 season showed that he could be one of NBA's truly dominant scorers. He averaged 25.8 points while shooting 49% from the field, the season's third highest scoring average, behind MVP Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson. He maintained solid overall numbers, averaging 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. However, despite Hill's individual accomplishments in Detroit, the Pistons never made it far in the playoffs, either losing in the first round (1996, 1997 and 1999), or missing the playoffs entirely in the 1994-95 and 1997-98 seasons. The 2000 playoffs would be no different. On April 15, 2000, 7 days before the start of the playoffs, Hill sprained his left ankle in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite his hurting ankle, Hill was bothered by being labeled "soft" by some Pistons fans and thus decided to play against the first round opponent, Miami Heat. However, his injured ankle got worse and Hill was forced to leave halfway through game 2. Eventually, the Heat swept the Pistons 3-0. Hill was initially selected for the 2000 Summer Olympics U.S. team, but could not play due to his ankle injury, which would prove to be a major liability for many years to come.
After the first six seasons of his career, before his ankle injury, Hill had a total of 9,393 points, 3,417 rebounds and 2,720 assists. Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird are the only two players in league history to eclipse these numbers after their first six seasons.
[edit] Orlando Magic (2000–2007)
On August 3, 2000, Hill forced the Pistons to send him to the Orlando Magic, in what appeared to be a one-sided sign-and-trade deal in favor of Orlando for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace. The Magic hoped he would team up with fellow superstar Tracy McGrady, who had been signed away from the Toronto Raptors at that time, to return Orlando among the NBA elite. But Hill had been hampered by ankle injuries ever since his arrival in Orlando, playing in only four games in his first season with the Magic, 14 games in his second and 29 in his third. He was forced to sit out his entire fourth year with Orlando (2003–04). Meanwhile, the Pistons, who had defeated the Magic in the 2003 Playoffs but ended losing to the New Jersey Nets in Eastern Conference Finals, won the championship the next year in 2004.
In March 2003, Hill underwent a major surgical procedure in which doctors re-fractured his ankle and realigned it with his leg bone. Five days after the surgery was performed, the unexpected happened: Hill developed a 40.5 °C (104.5-degree) fever and convulsions. He was immediately rushed to a hospital. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had developed a staph infection, from which he nearly died. He was hospitalized for a week and had to take intravenous antibiotics for six months.
The 2004–05 season saw a return to the old Grant Hill, who was so popular earlier in his career. Hill, though hampered by a bruised left shin that caused him to miss several games, started and played 67 games for the Magic, well over the combined amount of games he played for the Magic the previous four seasons. He was named the Eastern Conference player of the week for the week between November 15–November 21, 2004. Over the season, Hill averaged 19.7 points per game on a .509 field goal percentage. Fans voted him an All-Star starter again, and he led the Eastern Conference All-Star Team to a victory over the West. In addition, at the conclusion of the season, Hill was awarded the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the NBA Sportsmanship Award Winner.
During the 2005–06 season, Hill was once again injured frequently as nagging groin injuries kept him sidelined for much of the first half of the season, limiting him to 21 games. He got a sports hernia that was caused by an uneven pressure on Hill's feet while he was running, due to concerns that he could re-aggravate the injury on his left ankle if it got too much pressure. Hill underwent surgery for the hernia and has since stated that he would consider retirement if he has to get another surgery.
In the 2006–07 season, Hill returned from injuries despite numerous rumors surrounding his retirement. Hill received ankle rotation therapy from specialists in Vancouver, BC during the off-season and has stated that he has regained much motion in his left ankle. Hill returned to the Magic lineup, starting at the shooting guard position. Despite having problems with injuries on his left knee and a tendon in his left ankle, Hill managed to play 65 games, two short of the highest number of games he played over a single season as a member of the Magic. He finished the season with averages of 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. This season would see Hill return to the playoffs for the first time since 2000, his first playoff appearance with the Magic. The 8th seed Magic would meet Hill's old team, the Detroit Pistons, in the first round. The Pistons' vast playoff experience would prevail over the inexperienced Magic, who had not seen significant post-season action for some years, and despite having some close games, the series would end with a 4–0 Pistons sweep, leaving Hill undecided on whether to return for the 2007–08 season with the Magic, sign with another team, or retire.[3]
[edit] Phoenix Suns (2007–present)
Hill became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2007. On July 5, Hill's agent, Lon Babby, said Hill intended to sign with the Phoenix Suns on July 11 (the first day free agents can officially sign contracts).[4] Hill will earn $1.83 million for 2007–08, with a $1.97 million player option for the next year. Hill was given permission by Suns Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams to wear his familiar No. 33 with the Suns. Hill has adapted well to the Suns' up-tempo style, averaging double figures in points as a key role player for Phoenix in the early months of the 2007-08 season. He played in the team's first 34 games before an emergency appendectomy on January 9, 2008, sidelined him for two weeks. Despite being bothered by multiple injuries throughout the season, Hill had his first 70-game season since leaving Detroit, averaging 13.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.9 apg in the process.
[edit] Public life outside basketball
- In the 1990s, one of Sprite's longest-running ad campaigns was "Grant Hill Drinks Sprite" (overlapping its "Obey Your Thirst" campaign), in which Hill's abilities, and Sprite's importance in giving him his abilities, were humorously exaggerated.[1][2]
- In addition to Sprite, Hill was also a spokesperson for McDonald's restaurant, watchmaker TAG Heuer and sportswear companies Fila, and later Adidas.
- Grant Hill has been married to R&B singer Tamia since July 1999. They have 2 children: Myla Grace, 5, and Lael Rose, born August 9.
- In 1998, he was in an episode of "Home Improvement" on the show inside a show "Tool Time"
- Grant Hill also featured in the video of the song Rockstar by Nickelback.
- Hill presented an award at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards with talk show host Ricki Lake.
- Hill owns a substantial collection of African-American art, centering around the work of Romare Bearden and Elizabeth Catlett. A selection of 46 works from the collection were featured in a touring exhibition at a number of American museums from 2003 to 2006. The exhibition was last shown at the Nasher Museum of Art at Hill's alma mater, Duke.
- Hill has established ties with the Democratic Party. His mother was a college roommate of Hillary Clinton. On the night Hill was drafted in the NBA, he received a congratulatory phone call from President Bill Clinton. Later, Hill publicly supported John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and Barack Obama's 2008 presidential bid.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Reporters Notebook: Conspiracy theory? O’Malley signs two versions of bills
- ^ Hill's record 1,289,585 votes will go down in all-star history. | Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (January , 1995)
- ^ Beset by injuries in career, Hill considers retirement, updated April 28, 2007
- ^ Hill to sign with Phoenix after agreeing to two-year deal July 5, 2007
[edit] External links
- Grant Hill Info Page at NBA.com
- Grant Hill Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
- GrantHill.com - Official Site
- Interview with Michael Tillery of The Starting Five
- Complete Pro and College statistics and Game Logs for Grant Hill
- Something All Our Own: The Grant Hill Collection of African American Art
- Berri et al (February 2004). "Stars at the Gate: The Impact of Star Power on NBA Gate Revenues". Journal of Sports Economics 3 (1): 33-50.
| Preceded by Alonzo Mourning |
Henry Iba Corinthian Award 1993 |
Succeeded by Jim McIlvaine |
| Preceded by Rodney Rogers |
ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year 1993-94 |
Succeeded by Joe Smith |
| Preceded by Chris Webber |
NBA Rookie of the Year 1994-95 co-awardee with Jason Kidd |
Succeeded by Damon Stoudamire |
| Preceded by P.J. Brown Luol Deng |
NBA Sportsmanship Award 2004-05 2007-08 |
Succeeded by Elton Brand Incumbent |
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