Grant Hill facts for kids
Hill with the Phoenix Suns in 2007
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| Atlanta Hawks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vice Chair of the Board | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | October 5, 1972 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| High school | South Lakes (Reston, Virginia) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Duke (1990–1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1994–2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2000 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2012 | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 17,137 (16.7 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 6,169 (6.0 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 4,252 (4.1 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is a famous American basketball player. He used to play in the NBA. Now, he is a co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team. He also helps own the Orlando City SC soccer team and the Orlando Pride women's soccer team. In 2024, he became part of the group that bought the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. Grant Hill also works as a basketball expert for TV channels like CBS and Turner Sports.
Grant Hill played four years at Duke University. Many people thought he was one of the best college basketball players ever. In the NBA, he played for the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers. He mostly played as a small forward. Hill was chosen for the NBA All-Star team seven times. He was also picked for the All-NBA team five times. He won the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times. In 2018, he was added to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1994, he was named the ACC Player of the Year. He was also a two-time NCAA All-American. Hill helped his team win two NCAA championships. He is seen as one of the greatest players for the Duke Blue Devils.
After college, the Pistons picked Hill third in the NBA draft. He shared the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1995 with Jason Kidd. Early in his NBA career, Hill was known as a great all-around player. He often led his team in points, rebounds, and assists. In his first six NBA seasons, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. He was also an All-Star five times.
In 2000, an ankle injury changed his career. It caused problems for several years. He had surgery in 2003, which led to serious health issues. He missed the entire 2003–04 season because of it. In 2005, Hill became an All-Star again while playing for the Magic. He reached the Western Conference Finals in 2010 with the Phoenix Suns. After his ankle injury, Hill still played well. He averaged 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for 12 seasons. On June 1, 2013, Hill announced he was retiring from the NBA.
In 2015, Hill and Tony Ressler bought the Atlanta Hawks basketball team. In 2023, Hill and his wife, Tamia, became part owners of the MLS club Orlando City. They also bought a share of the NWSL club, Orlando Pride.
Contents
College Basketball Journey
When it was time to pick a college, Grant Hill's parents had different ideas. His mother wanted him to go to Georgetown. His father preferred the University of North Carolina. Hill chose to attend Duke University. He played four years for the Blue Devils. He helped them win national championships in 1991 and 1992. Duke was the first team to win two titles in a row since UCLA in 1966–73.
Even after losing key players, Hill led Duke to the championship game again in 1994. But they lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks. In 1993, Hill won the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the best defensive player in the country. In 1994, he was the ACC Player of the Year. During his college career, Hill was the first player in ACC history to get over 1,900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocked shots. Because of his great college career, Duke retired his jersey number (33).
After his first year at Duke, Hill played for the U.S. team that won a bronze medal. This was at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. As an amateur, Hill also practiced against the famous "Dream Team" before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Hill is also famous for a play in the 1992 NCAA tournament. It was against Kentucky. Many call it one of the greatest college basketball games ever. Duke was down by one point with 2.1 seconds left in overtime. Hill threw the ball 75 feet across the court to Christian Laettner. Laettner then made the game-winning shot as time ran out. Hill later made a film about Duke's two championships and this famous play. In 2016, Hill was added to the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.
Many people consider Hill one of the best college basketball players of his time. In 2002, he was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team. This team honored the fifty greatest players in ACC History.
Professional Basketball Career
Detroit Pistons (1994–2000)
The Detroit Pistons picked Grant Hill third in the NBA draft. He usually played as a small forward. In his first season, he averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.77 steals per game. He was the first Pistons rookie since Isiah Thomas to score 1,000 points. Hill shared the NBA Rookie of the Year Award with Jason Kidd. He also won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award.
Hill was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1997. He was on the All-NBA Second Teams in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Hill was also a regular in the NBA All-Star Game. He made history by being the first rookie to lead the fan voting for the All-Star game in 1995. He got 1,289,585 votes, beating Shaquille O'Neal. He was also the first rookie in any major professional sports league to lead All-Star fan voting.
In his second season (1995–96), he led the All-Star fan voting again. This time he beat Michael Jordan. During that season, Hill showed his amazing all-around skills. He led the NBA in triple-doubles (10). He also won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He was part of the U.S. men's basketball team. He had the team's fifth-highest scoring average and led them in steals.
In the 1996–97 season, Hill averaged 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He was the first player since Larry Bird to average 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in a season. This was not done again until Russell Westbrook in 2016–17. Hill led the league in triple-doubles again, with 13 that season. He was named the league's Player of the Month for January. He also won the NBA's IBM Award. This award goes to the player with the biggest statistical contributions to his team. He finished third in the MVP voting.
Hill often ran the Pistons' offense, like a "point forward". From 1995–96 to 1998–99, he led the league in assists per game among non-guards. In the 1999 season, he led his team in points, rebounds, and assists for the third time. This made him one of only a few players in NBA history to do this more than once. Hill and Wilt Chamberlain were the only two players to lead their teams in points, rebounds, and assists per game three times.
In the 1999–2000 season, Hill averaged 25.8 points. This was the third-highest scoring average that season. He also averaged 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. However, the Pistons never went far in the playoffs with Hill. They either lost in the first round or missed the playoffs. On April 15, 2000, Hill sprained his left ankle. This happened just before the playoffs. He kept playing, but his ankle got worse in the playoff series against the Miami Heat. He had to leave Game 2. The Heat swept the Pistons. Hill was supposed to play in the 2000 Olympics but couldn't because of his ankle injury. This injury would cause him many problems for years.
After his first six seasons, before the ankle injury, Hill had 9,393 points, 3,417 rebounds, and 2,720 assists. Only Oscar Robertson, Bird, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James have reached these numbers after their first six seasons.
Orlando Magic (2000–2007)
In 2000, Hill decided to join the Orlando Magic. On August 3, 2000, he was traded to Orlando. The Magic hoped he would team up with star player Tracy McGrady. They wanted to make Orlando a top NBA team again. But Hill was hurt by ankle injuries. He played only four games in his first season with the Magic. He played 14 games in his second season and 29 in his third. He missed his entire fourth year with Orlando (2003–04). Even with injuries, Hill played well when he could. He averaged 18.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per 36 minutes in 2002–03. Meanwhile, his old team, the Pistons, won the championship in 2004.
In March 2003, Hill had a big surgery on his ankle. Doctors had to re-break and fix it. Five days later, Hill got a high fever and had seizures. He was rushed to the hospital. Doctors found that he had a serious infection called MRSA. He stayed in the hospital for a week. He had to take strong medicine for six months.
In the 2004–05 season, Hill played 67 games for the Magic. He was still bothered by a bruised shin. He was named the Eastern Conference player of the week in November 2004. Hill averaged 19.7 points per game. Fans voted him an All-Star starter again. He led the Eastern Conference All-Star Team to a win. After the season, Hill won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.
During the 2005–06 season, Hill was injured often again. Groin injuries kept him out for much of the season. He played only 21 games. He had surgery for a sports hernia. Hill said he would consider retiring if he needed another surgery.
In the 2006–07 season, Hill came back from his injuries. He had therapy for his ankle and felt much better. Hill returned to the Magic lineup. He played 65 games, almost his highest number with the Magic. He averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. This season, Hill made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2000. The Magic played Hill's old team, the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons won the series 4–0. Hill was unsure if he would return to the Magic or retire.
Phoenix Suns (2007–2012)
On July 5, 2007, Hill decided to sign with the Phoenix Suns. He earned $1.83 million for the 2007–08 season. Hill was named captain along with Steve Nash. He was allowed to wear his usual No. 33 jersey. Hill fit well with the Suns' fast style of play. He averaged double figures in points as a key player. He played in the team's first 34 games. Then he had an emergency appendectomy on January 9, 2008. This kept him out for two weeks. Despite injuries, Hill played 70 games that season. This was his first 70-game season since leaving Detroit. He averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
In the 2008–2009 season, Hill played in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He averaged 12.0 points, 4.90 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He scored 27 points and got 10 rebounds in the Suns' last game of the season.
On July 10, 2009, Hill re-signed with the Phoenix Suns for two years. Other teams like the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics also wanted him. The first year of his contract was worth about $3 million.
In 2010, the Phoenix Suns made it to the Western Conference Semifinals. This was Hill's first playoff series win. He became the first NBA player to win his first playoff series after 15 years in the league. The Suns swept the San Antonio Spurs 4–0. They then played the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. But they lost in six games.
In 2010, Sporting News named him the tenth-smartest athlete in sports.
On June 8, Hill decided to play for the 2010–11 season with the Suns. The Suns changed their team a lot that year. Hill became one of only seven NBA players to average 13 or more points at age 38 or older. On January 15, 2011, Hill scored his 16,000th career point in a win.
On December 9, 2011, Hill stayed with the Phoenix Suns for one more year. He accepted a $6.5 million contract. By the end of the 2011–12 season, Hill had reached 17,000 career points.
Los Angeles Clippers (2012–2013)
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After his contract with the Suns ended, many teams wanted Hill. These included the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. On July 18, 2012, Hill signed with the Clippers. Hill hurt his right knee in the preseason. This kept him out for three months. He played his first game with the Clippers on January 12, 2013. During the 2012–13 season, he played only 29 games. He averaged 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. The Clippers finished with a good record. They won their division for the first time. However, the Clippers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.
Retirement
On June 1, 2013, Grant Hill announced he was retiring from professional basketball. He played 19 seasons in the NBA.
On September 7, 2018, Hill was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Life After Playing Basketball
Executive Roles
On June 24, 2015, the NBA approved a deal to sell the Atlanta Hawks team. Grant Hill was part of the group that bought the team. He became a co-owner.
On April 3, 2021, USA Basketball named Hill as the managing director for the USA Men's National Team. He took over after the Tokyo Olympics.
In January 2024, Hill joined a group that bought the Baltimore Orioles baseball team.
Broadcasting Career
Starting in 2013, Hill hosted NBA Inside Stuff on NBA TV. He also works as a sports broadcaster for CBS. In 2015, Hill became a lead announcer for the NCAA men's basketball tournament. He worked with famous announcers Jim Nantz and Bill Raftery.
Sponsorships and Endorsements
- In the 1990s, the soft drink Sprite had a long-running ad campaign called "Grant Hill Drinks Sprite." These ads humorously showed how Sprite helped Hill's basketball skills.
- Hill was a spokesperson for McDonald's restaurants. He also worked with watchmaker TAG Heuer. He endorsed sportswear companies like Fila, and later Adidas and Nike.
- In 2014, Hill appeared in ads for AT&T and Microsoft with his wife, Tamia.
In Television and Film
- In 1995, Hill was on an episode of the FOX sitcom Living Single. He played himself and had a quick romance with the character Khadijah James.
- In 1998, he was in an episode of Home Improvement.
- Hill is in the music video for the song "Rockstar" by Nickelback.
- Hill presented an award at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards with talk show host Ricki Lake.
- A documentary called The Fab Five caused some discussion in 2011. One of the players in the film made comments about Hill and other black Duke players. This led to many discussions in the media.
Personal Life and Family
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Grant Hill's father is Calvin Hill, a former NFL football player. His mother, Janet, was a math teacher and later a business executive. Grant was born in Dallas, Texas. He grew up near Washington, D.C. He dated actress Jada Pinkett Smith from 1993 to 1995.
In 1996, Hill met Canadian singer Tamia in Detroit, Michigan. They got married on July 24, 1999. They have two daughters: Myla Grace Hill, born in 2002, and Lael Rose Hill, born in 2007. The family lives in Windermere, Florida.
In 1999, Hill received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
After getting a serious MRSA infection in 2003, Hill became an advocate. He helps raise awareness and prevent MRSA. He has appeared in public service announcements for Stop MRSA Now!, a non-profit group.
Hill earned his college degree from Duke University. He studied both history and political science.
Charitable Work
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Hill was a Vice-Chairman for the Board of Directors of the Special Olympic World Summer Games in 1999.
Grant Hill, his mother Janet, and grandmother Vivian McDonald started a scholarship at Dillard University in New Orleans. This scholarship honors Hill's grandfather, who supported the university.
Hill was on a poster called "READ" that supported libraries and reading.
Hill gave money to a day care center his father Calvin started in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1972. The center helps children and families in the community.
Hill funded an organization in his hometown of Reston, Virginia. It helps students of all ages get an education.
Other Interests
Hill has a large collection of African-American art. He especially collects works by Romare Bearden and Elizabeth Catlett. Some of his art was shown in museums from 2003 to 2006.
Hill has connections with the Democratic Party. When he was drafted into the NBA, U.S. President Bill Clinton called him to say congratulations. Hill publicly supported John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. He also supported Barack Obama's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.
Images for kids
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Hill with the Phoenix Suns in 2007
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Hill with the Phoenix Suns in 2009
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Hill with the Clippers in 2013
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Hill covering Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals
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Hill (right) with his father, Calvin, in 2022
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Hill (left) with Alonzo Mourning (center) and President Barack Obama in the White House Rose Garden in 2014
See also
- List of oldest and youngest NBA players
- List of National Basketball Association career triple-double leaders
