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Grant Hill (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American
professional basketball
player who most recently played for the Phoenix Suns
. As a collegian
with Duke University
and early in his professional career with the Detroit Pistons
, Hill was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the game, often leading his team in points, rebounds
and assists
. His time in the league has been hampered by career-threatening injuries, notably during the prime of his career.
. His father, Calvin Hill
, graduated from Yale University with a degree in history, later attended Southern Methodist University and was a three-time All-Pro running back
for the National Football League
's Dallas Cowboys
, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1969
. His mother, Janet, is a Wellesley College graduate. 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
.
documentary Beyond the Glory
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
. Duke became the first Division I program to win consecutive titles since UCLA in 1973
. Despite losing two of the biggest contributors on the Blue Devils, Christian Laettner
(in 1992) 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 the 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 1,900 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 is considered by many to be one of the greatest college basketball games 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 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.
As of March 28, 2010, he was tied for sixth-most career double-figure scoring games at Duke with Mike Gminski
, behind Jon Scheyer
.
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 when 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, narrowly defeating Shaquille O'Neal
. In fact, Hill became the first rookie in all major sports to get the 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
. He continued to play until the first round playoff series against the Miami Heat, in which 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
, Larry Bird, and LeBron James
are the only three players in league history to eclipse these numbers after their first six seasons.
for Chucky Atkins
and Ben Wallace
. The Magic hoped he would team up with budding 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 up losing to the New Jersey Nets in Eastern Conference Finals, won the championship the following 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, Hill developed a 104.5 °F (40.3 °C) fever
and convulsion
s. He was rushed to a hospital
. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had contracted a potentially fatal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infection. 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 15–21, 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.
, said Hill intended to sign with the Phoenix Suns
on July 11 (the first day free agents can officially sign contracts). Hill earned $1.830 million for 2007–08 with a $1.97 million player option for the next year. Hill was named captain along with Steve Nash
. Hill was given permission by Suns Ring of Honor
member Alvan Adams
to wear his familiar No. 33 with the Suns. Hill 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.
Playing for the Phoenix Suns in the 2008–2009 season, Hill appeared in all 82 games for the first time in his career and averaged 12.0 ppg, 4.90 rpg, and 2.3 apg, scoring 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Suns' season finale.
On July 10, 2009, the Associated Press
reported that Hill decided to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns for a 2-year deal, despite an offer from the New York Knicks
for the full mid-level exception and the Boston Celtics
offering Hill the bi-annual exception. The first year of the contract is believed to be worth around $3 million with the second year at Hill's option.
In 2010, the Phoenix Suns advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, marking Hill's first playoff series victory, and making him the first NBA player in history to win his first playoff series after 15 years in the league. After sweeping the San Antonio Spurs
4-0, the Suns then moved to the Western Conference Finals to face the Los Angeles Lakers
but lost in the sixth game. On June 8, Hill exercised his option for the 2010–11 season. The Suns underwent two major roster changes in the 2010–11 season. During the pre-season, teammate Amar'e Stoudemire left for New York while Hedo Türkoğlu, Josh Childress
, and Hakim Warrick
joined the Suns. Not long after the season began, Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson
, and Earl Clark
were traded to the Orlando Magic
for Vince Carter
, Marcin Gortat
, and Mickaël Piétrus
. Hill became one of six all-time NBA players to average 13 or more points at 38 years of age. On January 15, 2011, Hill passed the 16,000 career points milestone in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers
.
he was introduced to Tamia
by singer Anita Baker
. Hill and Tamia married on July 24, 1999. Their daughter, Myla Grace Hill, was born on January 23, 2002. On August 9, 2007, Tamia gave birth to their second child, Lael Rose Hill.
In 2003, they announced on Extra
that Tamia had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
. In an interview with Smooth
magazine, Tamia reported that the disease is seemingly in remission and that she has occasional symptoms but they are controlled.
In 2003, Hill contracted a life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, from which it took him six months to recover. He has since become an advocate for the awareness and prevention of MRSA and has appeared in public service announcements for Stop MRSA Now!, a non-profit organization.
| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" | Detroit
| 70 || 69 || 38.3 || .477 || .148 || .732 || 6.4 || 5.0 || 1.8 || .9 || 19.9
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Detroit
| 80 || 80 || 40.8 || .462 || .192 || .751 || 9.8 || 6.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 20.2
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Detroit
| 80 || 80 || 39.3 || .496 || .303 || .711 || 9.0 || 7.3 || 1.8 || .6 || 21.4
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Detroit
| 81 || 81 || 40.7 || .452 || .143 || .740 || 7.7 || 6.8 || 1.8 || .6 || 21.1
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Detroit
| 50 || 50 || 37.0 || .479 || .000 || .752 || 7.1 || 6.0 || 1.6 || .5 || 21.1
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Detroit
| 74 || 74 || 37.5 || .489 || .347 || .795 || 6.6 || 5.2 || 1.4 || .6 || 25.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Orlando
| 4 || 4 || 33.3 || .442 || 1.000 || .615 || 6.3 || 6.3 || 1.2 || .5 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Orlando
| 14 || 14 || 36.6 || .426 || .000 || .863 || 8.9 || 4.6 || .6 || .3 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Orlando
| 29 || 29 || 29.1 || .492 || .250 || .819 || 7.1 || 4.2 || 1.0 || .4 || 14.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Orlando
| 67 || 67 || 34.9 || .509 || .231 || .821 || 4.7 || 3.3 || 1.5 || .4 || 19.7
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Orlando
| 21 || 17 || 29.2 || .490 || .250 || .765 || 3.8 || 2.3 || 1.1 || .3 || 15.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Orlando
| 65 || 64 || 30.9 || .518 || .167 || .765 || 3.6 || 2.1 || .9 || .4 || 14.4
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 70 || 68 || 31.7 || .503 || .317 || .867 || 5.0 || 2.9 || .9 || .8 || 13.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 82 || 68 || 29.8 || .523 || .316 || .808 || 4.9 || 2.3 || 1.1 || .7 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 81 || 81 || 30.0 || .478 || .438 || .817 || 5.5 || 2.4 || .7 || .4 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 80 || 80 || 30.1 || .484 || .395 || .829 || 4.2 || 2.5 || .8 || .4 || 13.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 948 || 926 || 34.8 || .485 || .319 || .770 || 6.3 || 4.3 || 1.3 || .6 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 6 || 6 || 22.2 || .571 || .500 || .545 || 2.5 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .2 || 10.5
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Detroit
| 3 || 3 || 38.3 || .564 || .500 || .857 || 7.3 || 3.7 || 1.0 || .0 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Detroit
| 5 || 5 || 40.6 || .437 || .000 || .718 || 6.8 || 5.4 || .8 || 1.0 || 23.6
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Detroit
| 5 || 5 || 35.2 || .457 || .000 || .813 || 7.2 || 7.4 || 2.0 || .4 || 19.4
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Detroit
| 2 || 2 || 27.5 || .375 || .500 || .900 || 5.5 || 4.5 || .5 || .0 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Orlando
| 4 || 4 || 35.8 || .500 || .000 || .667 || 5.5 || 3.8 || .5 || .2 || 15.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 3 || 2 || 22.7 || .455 || .000 || 1.000 || 5.3 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 16 || 16 || 28.3 || .480 || .188 || .868 || 5.8 || 2.3 || .8 || .6 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 38 || 37 || 31.9 || .469 || .238 || .781 || 6.2 || 3.6 || .9 || .5 || 13.7
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who most recently played for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. As a collegian
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
with Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and early in his professional career with the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Hill was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the game, often leading his team in points, rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
and assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
. His time in the league has been hampered by career-threatening injuries, notably during the prime of his career.
Early life
Grant Hill was born in Dallas, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. His father, Calvin Hill
Calvin Hill
Calvin G. Hill is a retired American football running back who had a 12-year NFL career from 1969 to 1981. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns...
, graduated from Yale University with a degree in history, later attended Southern Methodist University and was a three-time All-Pro running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1969
1969 NFL season
The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. To honor the NFL's 50th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season.As per the...
. His mother, Janet, is a Wellesley College graduate. After his father's NFL career ended, the family settled in Reston, Virginia
Reston, Virginia
Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census...
, where Grant became a high-school superstar at South Lakes High School
South Lakes High School
South Lakes High School is the primary high school for the community of Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia. The school, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, had 1,860 students in the 2009-2010 school year....
and he was selected for the 1990 McDonald's All-American Team
McDonald's All-American Team
The McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
.
College
When the time came to choose a college, Hill's mother states in the Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
documentary Beyond the Glory
Beyond the Glory
Beyond the Glory was a documentary series that profiles some of the most legendary and controversial athletes in recent history. Executive produced by Steve Michaels and Frank Sinton and narrated by accomplished actor and voice-over artist D. B...
that she wanted him to attend Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, while his father preferred the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. Hill chose a neutral path and decided to attend Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. Hill played four years with the Duke Blue Devils, winning national titles in 1991
1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
and 1992
1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
. Duke became the first Division I program to win consecutive titles since UCLA in 1973
1973 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1973 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA University Division college basketball. It began on March 10, 1973, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in St. Louis, Missouri...
. Despite losing two of the biggest contributors on the Blue Devils, Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
(in 1992) and Bobby Hurley
Bobby Hurley
Robert Matthew 'Bobby' Hurley is an American former basketball player and currently an assistant coach at Wagner College.-Biography:...
(who went on to play in the NBA), Hill led Duke to the championship game
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
once again in 1994
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, but ended up losing to the Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
Razorbacks
1993–94 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team
The 1993–94 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team represented the University of Arkansas. The Head Coach was Nolan Richardson. The team played its home games in the Bud Walton Arena, and was a member of the Southeastern Conference.-Awards and honors:...
. Hill won the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the nation's top defensive player in 1993, and in 1994 he was the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player Of the Year. During his collegiate career, Hill became the first player in ACC history to collect more than 1,900 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
1991 Pan American Games
The 11th Pan American Games were held in Havana, Cuba from August 2 to August 18, 1991. There were a total number of 4,519 athletes from 39 countries of the PASO community, with events held in 32 different sports...
, held in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
Hill is also widely known for his role in a desperation play in an NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
regional final against Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in 1992, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest college basketball games of all time. With Duke down 103–102 in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
and only 2.1 seconds remaining after Kentucky's Sean Woods
Sean Woods
Sean Woods is an American former basketball player who is currently serving as thehead coach of the Mississippi Valley State University men's basketball team. He had previously been an assistant coach at Texas Christian University....
hit a floater, an unguarded Hill heaved the in-bounds pass 75 feet across the court into the hands of 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.
As of March 28, 2010, he was tied for sixth-most career double-figure scoring games at Duke with Mike Gminski
Mike Gminski
Michael Thomas Gminski is a retired American college and professional basketball player. Gminski played his high school ball for Masuk High School in Monroe, CT. From there he played four seasons with the Duke Blue Devils, from 1977 to 1980. He led the team in scoring during his junior and senior...
, behind Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
.
Detroit Pistons (1994–2000)
Grant Hill was drafted by the Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
with the third pick in the NBA Draft
1994 NBA Draft
The 1994 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1994 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is notable for the fact that two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season...
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 when Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
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
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
in 1981–82 to score 1000 points. Hill ended up sharing NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
honors with Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
of the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, becoming the first Piston since Dave Bing
Dave Bing
David "Dave" Bing is the mayor of Detroit, Michigan, a businessman, and a retired American professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association , primarily for the Detroit Pistons...
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
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
, 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, narrowly defeating Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. In fact, Hill became the first rookie in all major sports to get the 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
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
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
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
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
IBM Award
The IBM Award was an award formerly given out to National Basketball Association players from 1984 to 2002. The award was sponsored and calculated by technology company IBM and was determined by a computer formula, which measured a player's statistical contribution to his team. The player with the...
, given to the player with the biggest statistical contributions to his team. He finished third in MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
voting, behind Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
and Michael Jordan.
Much like Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
with the Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Hill assumed the role of a "point forward
Point forward
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.A point forward is usually described as a forward who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's...
" 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
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
and Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
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
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
, but in the end no NBA players played in this tournament due to the lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
.
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
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. 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
1996 NBA Playoffs
The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
, 1997
1997 NBA Playoffs
The 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
and 1999
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
), or missing the playoffs entirely in the 1994–95 and 1997–98 seasons. The 2000 playoffs
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
would be no different. On April 15, 2000, 7 days before the start of the playoffs, Hill sprained his left ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. He continued to play until the first round playoff series against the Miami Heat, in which 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
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
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
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Larry Bird, and LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
are the only three players in league history to eclipse these numbers after their first six seasons.
Orlando Magic (2000–2007)
As an unrestricted free agent, Hill had planned to sign with Orlando. However on August 3, 2000, a sign and trade deal allowed Hill to receive a slightly more lucrative contract while Detroit received at least some compensation for losing him. The Pistons traded Hill to the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
for Chucky Atkins
Chucky Atkins
Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins is an American professional basketball player. He is currently a free agent.-Basketball career:...
and Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
. The Magic hoped he would team up with budding superstar Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady
Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons.Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto...
, who had been signed away from the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
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
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
but ended up losing to the New Jersey Nets in Eastern Conference Finals, won the championship the following 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, Hill developed a 104.5 °F (40.3 °C) fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
and convulsion
Convulsion
A convulsion is a medical condition where body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in an uncontrolled shaking of the body. Because a convulsion is often a symptom of an epileptic seizure, the term convulsion is sometimes used as a synonym for seizure...
s. He was rushed to a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had contracted a potentially fatal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It is also called multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...
(MRSA) infection. 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 15–21, 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
NBA Sportsmanship Award
The National Basketball Association's Sportsmanship Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1995–96 NBA season, to the player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court—ethical behavior, fair play and integrity"...
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
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
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
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
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
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
position. Despite having problems with injuries on his left knee and a tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
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.
Phoenix Suns (2007—2011)
Hill became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2007. On July 5, Hill's agent, Lon BabbyLon Babby
Lon Babby is a long-time NBA player agent who was named the Phoenix Suns President of Basketball Operations on Tuesday July 20, 2010.-Career:Babby graduated from the Yale Law School and Valley Stream South High School....
, said Hill intended to sign with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
on July 11 (the first day free agents can officially sign contracts). Hill earned $1.830 million for 2007–08 with a $1.97 million player option for the next year. Hill was named captain along with Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. Hill was given permission by Suns Ring of Honor
Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor
The Ring of Honor is an award given to prominent players and employees of the professional basketball team, the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Awardees are selected to recognize the significant role the individual has had for the Suns organization .-Recipients:...
member Alvan Adams
Alvan Adams
Alvan Leigh Adams is a retired American professional basketball player. After starring at the University of Oklahoma, the 6'9" power forward/center was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 4th pick of the 1975 NBA Draft...
to wear his familiar No. 33 with the Suns. Hill 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.
Playing for the Phoenix Suns in the 2008–2009 season, Hill appeared in all 82 games for the first time in his career and averaged 12.0 ppg, 4.90 rpg, and 2.3 apg, scoring 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Suns' season finale.
On July 10, 2009, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Hill decided to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns for a 2-year deal, despite an offer from the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for the full mid-level exception and the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
offering Hill the bi-annual exception. The first year of the contract is believed to be worth around $3 million with the second year at Hill's option.
In 2010, the Phoenix Suns advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, marking Hill's first playoff series victory, and making him the first NBA player in history to win his first playoff series after 15 years in the league. After sweeping the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
4-0, the Suns then moved to the Western Conference Finals to face the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
but lost in the sixth game. On June 8, Hill exercised his option for the 2010–11 season. The Suns underwent two major roster changes in the 2010–11 season. During the pre-season, teammate Amar'e Stoudemire left for New York while Hedo Türkoğlu, Josh Childress
Josh Childress
Joshua Malik Childress is an American professional basketball player with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He previously played with the pro club Olympiacos Piraeus in the Greek A1 League and the Euroleague, as well as the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.-High school career:Childress attended Mayfair High...
, and Hakim Warrick
Hakim Warrick
Hakim Hanif Warrick is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently with the Phoenix Suns. Commonly nicknamed "Helicopter" and "Skinny", the 6'9", 219 lb forward was a major part the Syracuse Orange's run to the 2003 National Championship, often being most remembered...
joined the Suns. Not long after the season began, Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson
Jason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
, and Earl Clark
Earl Clark
Earl Rashad Clark is an American professional basketball player. Clark played collegiate basketball for the University of Louisville men's basketball team and was drafted 14th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2009 NBA Draft....
were traded to the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
for Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, Marcin Gortat
Marcin Gortat
Marcin Gortat, pronounced "MAHR-cheen GOR-taht" , also known as the Polish Hammer, is a Polish professional basketball player who plays the center position for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. The 6'11", 240 pound power forward/center is the son of boxer Janusz Gortat...
, and Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus is a Caribbean-French professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He is listed at 6'6", 215 pounds and plays both the small forward and shooting guard positions...
. Hill became one of six all-time NBA players to average 13 or more points at 38 years of age. On January 15, 2011, Hill passed the 16,000 career points milestone in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
.
Career transactions
- June 29, 1994: Drafted 3rd overall by Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in 1994 NBA Draft1994 NBA DraftThe 1994 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1994 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is notable for the fact that two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season...
. - August 3, 2000: Signed and traded by Detroit to the Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
for Chucky AtkinsChucky AtkinsKenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins is an American professional basketball player. He is currently a free agent.-Basketball career:...
and Ben WallaceBen WallaceBen Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
. - July 11, 2007: Signed as a free agent by Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
.
Sponsorships and paid endorsements
- In the 1990s, one of the soft drink Sprite'sSprite (soft drink)Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...
longest-running advertising 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. - Hill was a spokesperson for McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurant, watchmaker TAG HeuerTAG HeuerTAG Heuer is a Swiss luxury watchmaker known for its sports watches and chronographs. It is a division of luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton. The company motto is "Swiss Avant-Garde Since 1860"...
and sportswear companies FilaFila (company)Fila is one of the world's largest sportswear manufacturing companies. Founded in 1911 in Italy, Fila has been owned and operated from South Korea since a takeover in 2007. Headed by chairman and CEO Yoon-Soo Yoon, Fila now has offices in 11 countries worldwide....
, and later AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
and NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
.
In television and film
- In 1995, Hill appeared in an episode of the FOX sitcom Living SingleLiving SingleLiving Single is an American television sitcom which aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 29, 1993 to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.Throughout its run, Living...
. In the episode, Hill (portraying himself) has a whirlwind romance with magazine owner/publisher Khadijah James (Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
). - In 1998, he was in an episode of Home Improvement on the show inside a show Tool Time.
- Grant Hill is featured in the video of the song "RockstarRockstar (Nickelback song)"Rockstar" is the fifth U.S. single by the Canadian rock band Nickelback from their 2005 fifth studio album All the Right Reasons. It was only released in the U.S. and Canada, and has since been re-released worldwide...
" by NickelbackNickelbackNickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
. - Hill presented an award at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards1995 MTV Video Music AwardsThe 1995 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 7, 1995, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1994, to June 15, 1995. The show was hosted by Dennis Miller at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. David Sandlin was commissioned to design the program catalogue.TLC and Weezer were...
with talk show host Ricki LakeRicki LakeRicki Pamela Lake is an American actress, producer, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from...
. - The March 13, 2011 airing of the ESPN filmsESPN FilmsESPN Films is a production company owned by ESPN that produces and distributes sports films and documentaries.-History:...
30 for 3030 for 3030 for 30 is the umbrella title for a series of documentaries airing on ESPN and its sister networks. The series, which premiered in October 2009 and concluded in December 2010, chronicles 30 stories from the "ESPN era," each of which detail the issues, trends, people, teams, or events that...
documentary The Fab FiveThe Fab Five (film)The Fab Five is a 2011 ESPN Films documentary about the 1990s Michigan Wolverines men's basketball players known collectively as the Fab Five: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson...
sparked national outrage that lead to a series of media exchanges between members of the press, Michigan Wolverines men's basketballMichigan Wolverines men's basketballThe Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
players and Duke Blue Devils men's basketballDuke Blue Devils men's basketballThe Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
players, especially Hill, in forums such as The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
and The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
Personal life
In Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
he was introduced to Tamia
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...
by singer Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
. Hill and Tamia married on July 24, 1999. Their daughter, Myla Grace Hill, was born on January 23, 2002. On August 9, 2007, Tamia gave birth to their second child, Lael Rose Hill.
In 2003, they announced on Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
that Tamia had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. In an interview with Smooth
Smooth (magazine)
Smooth is a bimonthly magazine, published by Sandra Vasceannie geared toward young urban men that includes a mix of news, entertainment, urban fashion, music, movies, books, sports reporting, as well as feature articles on the hottest stars in black entertainment. Smooth covers feature photos of...
magazine, Tamia reported that the disease is seemingly in remission and that she has occasional symptoms but they are controlled.
In 2003, Hill contracted a life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, from which it took him six months to recover. He has since become an advocate for the awareness and prevention of MRSA and has appeared in public service announcements for Stop MRSA Now!, a non-profit organization.
Charitable activities
- Hill had been a Vice-Chairman for the Board of Directors of the Special Olympic World Summer Games in 1999 which were held in Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
- Grant Hill, his mother Janet Hill and grandmother Vivian McDonald established a scholarship at the Dillard UniversityDillard UniversityDillard University is a private, historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 incorporating earlier institutions that went back to 1869, it is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church....
in New Orleans. This scholarship is in memory of Hill's grandfather, who supported this University consistently. - Hill was featured on a poster "READ" that supported libraries, literacy, and advocated reading.
- Hill contributed to the day care center established by his father, Calvin Hill, in New Haven, Connecticut in 1972, by donating funds. This day care center was established after Calvin graduated from Yale University and the goal was helping children and families in the local community.
- Hill funded an organization in his hometown, Reston, Virginia, in order to help needy students of any ages pursue education.
Other interests
- Hill owns a substantial collection of African-American art, centering on the work of Romare BeardenRomare BeardenRomare Bearden was an African American artist and writer. He worked in several media including cartoons, oils, and collage.-Education:...
and Elizabeth CatlettElizabeth CatlettElizabeth Catlett Mora is an African-American sculptor and printmaker. Catlett is best known for the black, expressionistic sculptures and prints she produced during the 1960s and 1970s, which are seen as politically charged....
. 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 ArtNasher Museum of ArtThe Nasher Museum of Art is the art museum of Duke University, and is located on Duke's campus in Durham, North Carolina, USA. The $24 million museum was designed by architect Rafael Viñoly and opened on October 2, 2005...
at Hill's alma mater, Duke University. - Hill has established ties with the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. 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 US President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. Hill publicly supported John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's 2004 presidential campaignJohn Kerry presidential campaign, 2004The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
and Barack Obama'sBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
2008 presidential bid.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" | Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
| 70 || 69 || 38.3 || .477 || .148 || .732 || 6.4 || 5.0 || 1.8 || .9 || 19.9
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Detroit
| 80 || 80 || 40.8 || .462 || .192 || .751 || 9.8 || 6.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 20.2
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Detroit
| 80 || 80 || 39.3 || .496 || .303 || .711 || 9.0 || 7.3 || 1.8 || .6 || 21.4
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Detroit
| 81 || 81 || 40.7 || .452 || .143 || .740 || 7.7 || 6.8 || 1.8 || .6 || 21.1
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Detroit
| 50 || 50 || 37.0 || .479 || .000 || .752 || 7.1 || 6.0 || 1.6 || .5 || 21.1
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Detroit
| 74 || 74 || 37.5 || .489 || .347 || .795 || 6.6 || 5.2 || 1.4 || .6 || 25.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 4 || 4 || 33.3 || .442 || 1.000 || .615 || 6.3 || 6.3 || 1.2 || .5 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Orlando
| 14 || 14 || 36.6 || .426 || .000 || .863 || 8.9 || 4.6 || .6 || .3 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Orlando
| 29 || 29 || 29.1 || .492 || .250 || .819 || 7.1 || 4.2 || 1.0 || .4 || 14.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Orlando
| 67 || 67 || 34.9 || .509 || .231 || .821 || 4.7 || 3.3 || 1.5 || .4 || 19.7
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Orlando
| 21 || 17 || 29.2 || .490 || .250 || .765 || 3.8 || 2.3 || 1.1 || .3 || 15.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Orlando
| 65 || 64 || 30.9 || .518 || .167 || .765 || 3.6 || 2.1 || .9 || .4 || 14.4
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 70 || 68 || 31.7 || .503 || .317 || .867 || 5.0 || 2.9 || .9 || .8 || 13.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 82 || 68 || 29.8 || .523 || .316 || .808 || 4.9 || 2.3 || 1.1 || .7 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 81 || 81 || 30.0 || .478 || .438 || .817 || 5.5 || 2.4 || .7 || .4 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 80 || 80 || 30.1 || .484 || .395 || .829 || 4.2 || 2.5 || .8 || .4 || 13.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 948 || 926 || 34.8 || .485 || .319 || .770 || 6.3 || 4.3 || 1.3 || .6 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 6 || 6 || 22.2 || .571 || .500 || .545 || 2.5 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .2 || 10.5
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 1995–96
1996 NBA Playoffs
The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
| align="left" | Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
| 3 || 3 || 38.3 || .564 || .500 || .857 || 7.3 || 3.7 || 1.0 || .0 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
1997 NBA Playoffs
The 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
| align="left" | Detroit
| 5 || 5 || 40.6 || .437 || .000 || .718 || 6.8 || 5.4 || .8 || 1.0 || 23.6
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
| align="left" | Detroit
| 5 || 5 || 35.2 || .457 || .000 || .813 || 7.2 || 7.4 || 2.0 || .4 || 19.4
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
| align="left" | Detroit
| 2 || 2 || 27.5 || .375 || .500 || .900 || 5.5 || 4.5 || .5 || .0 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" | Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 4 || 4 || 35.8 || .500 || .000 || .667 || 5.5 || 3.8 || .5 || .2 || 15.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 3 || 2 || 22.7 || .455 || .000 || 1.000 || 5.3 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 16 || 16 || 28.3 || .480 || .188 || .868 || 5.8 || 2.3 || .8 || .6 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 38 || 37 || 31.9 || .469 || .238 || .781 || 6.2 || 3.6 || .9 || .5 || 13.7
External links
- GrantHill.com – Official Site
- Grant Hill YouTube Highlights Channel
- 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
- Stop MRSA Now! - Grant Hill is a member of the Stop MRSA Now Coalition