Grant Hill #33 The Air Apparent"/>
Grant Hill #33 The Air Apparent0
Posted In Articles,Blog
Grant Hill flew on the scene as a 6’8 Freshman @ Duke University helping the Blue Devils win a National Championship. In doing so, Hill caught one of the sickest oops ever in CBS Sports history. Grant gave us all a glimpse into the future during that one shining moment via March Madness, we said damn Duke (#33) is a problem.
Grant Hill would make First Team All-America in 93′- 94′, his last season at Duke. The Detroit Pistons would select The son of former Dallas Cowboys great Calvin Hill 3rd overall in The 1994 NBA Draft. Straight out of the gate Hill let it be known he was there to get busy, just as he had done on the collegiate scene, on the highest level. Grant would swoop and drive to the hoop at such a smooth pace, that he evoked images of the Iceman George Gervin slash Dr.J mixed with a dash of Scottie Pippen, but smoother.
Grant could go left or right with the bounce, and was adept at finishing at the rim with either hand. He would go between the legs, spin, and take a big step like James Worthy and tea bag somebody. Grant Hill won Co -Rookie Of The Year honors along with Jason Kidd, as he averaged 19-ppg, 5-assists; and 6-rebs. Hill was responsible for many a sleepless night for opposing coaching staffs, with the height of a 4 and the quickness of a 2.
In the 99′- 00′ season, Hill averaged a career best 25.8 and was poised for the takeover. He was set to carry the NBA torch into the new millenium. In the summer of 2000 he was traded to Orlando for Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins. Grant would only appear in four games in his first season there, and fourteen the next with the Magic. After averaging 20-plus points in five straight seasons, Hill would never average more than 2o-ppg again.
In the 04′-05′ season Hill would play in 67 games for The Magic that season, his most in four years, on the way to averaging 19-ppg; and earning his seventh All-Star bid. Hill seemed to be finally healthy and playing well, and then the injury bug struck again destroying what was a solid season. He would only play in 21 games the next season. From 98′ to 09′, Grant only appeared in 404 games out of a possible 738 over a 9-yr span, 7 of them years on the Orlando payroll.
Hill earned 93 million dollars during his tenure in Orlando… wow. Fast forward, it’s 2011 and Hill is finally healthy and playing solid ball in Phoenix. In the last four years Grant has played no less than 70 games in each of his four years with the Suns. Can anyone say perseverance and dedication? …He’s made it back. I hate to think what we would have witnessed had he not been bitten by that bug.
Let me sum it up: Grant was like the “ultimate playboy”, ”a go get her”…Check it raaight; The Ball Was the Her, and once he saw “her” she was up for grabs. He would take “her” where she needed to go, moving “her” through the crowd with surgeon like precision on some DR. Lecter type flow. He didn’t seem to be in any rush, but you knew he was gonna get “her” there. In his prime, #33 was too much to stop, would have been an all-time great.
@Boemoney1
Video courtesy of Yinka Dare via Youtube, Images courtesy of: G.cobb.com, cybersportscards.com, rivals.yahoo.com, northcarolina.inetgiant.com, losthatsportsblog.com and sportsillustrated.cnn.com
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