Grant Hill: The Time is Now!
The comparisons of Grant Hill to Michael Jordan in 1994 were undeniable, to an extent.
Before even talking about their skills, just look at the numbers and other parallels.
Michael Jordan went to a North Carolina college, Grant Hill went to a North Carolina college. Michael Jordan won the 1982 NCAA Championship, Grant Hill won the 1992 NCAA Championship.
In 1984, Michael Jordan was drafted by a Midwestern team with the third overall pick. In 1994, Grant Hill was drafted by a Midwestern team with the third overall pick.
That is where the comparisons begin to drop off. Grant Hill was a bit bigger than Jordan and his game was not quite as polished. Still, he was a force.
He led the Detroit Pistons to 8 more wins than the previous season and won Rookie of the Year honors.
The following season, Hill led the Pistons into the playoffs. They became playoff contenders every season, not including 1998. In 2000, Grant Hill’s career fell apart due to his ankle issues.
Despite being out for a full season, teams lined up to sign Hill. Initially, he promised to return to Detroit, but he ended up signing with the Orlando Magic, teaming with Tracy McGrady.
That dream did not happen due to constant injuries from Hill. By 2004, the Magic were the worst team in the NBA as Hill’s former Pistons won the NBA title.
That same year, McGrady was traded to Houston for Steve Francis as Hill’s career continued to flounder.
In 2007, he signed with the Phoenix Suns, a title contender. He was at his healthiest, but his age had slowed him down along with the surgeries he had years earlier.
Despite his efforts, the Suns lost in the first round. This past season, Hill had arguably the best season of his career since his Piston days, being the only person to remain healthy on the squad, but Grant was no longer able to lead a team, so the Suns missed the playoffs.
After 15 years in the NBA, Grant Hill has yet to make it past the first round of the playoffs. He is no longer a star player or the main option, now Hill has a right to choose the team best for him.
NBA insiders speculate that Hill may become a Celtic before the end of free agency, teaming with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace to make a run at the title.
