NBA career and Team USA (1994–2013) Grant Hill

1 nba career , team usa (1994–2013)

1.1 detroit pistons (1994–2000)
1.2 orlando magic (2000–2007)
1.3 phoenix suns (2007–2012)
1.4 los angeles clippers (2012–2013)
1.5 retirement (2013)

nba career , team usa (1994–2013)
detroit pistons (1994–2000)

grant hill drafted detroit pistons third pick in nba draft after graduating duke in 1994. in first season, averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists , 1.77 steals per game, , became first pistons rookie since isiah thomas in 1981–82 score 1000 points. hill ended sharing nba rookie of year award honors jason kidd of dallas mavericks, becoming first piston since dave bing in 1966–67 win award. hill won sporting news rookie of year award. named all-nba first team in 1997, , all-nba second teams in 1996, 1998, 1999 , 2000. hill regularly played in nba all-star game, made history being first rookie lead nba all-star fan balloting in (1994–95) 1,289,585 votes, narrowly defeating shaquille o neal. in addition, became first rookie in of 4 major professional sports leagues lead all-star fan voting.

in second season (1995–96), once again led all-star fan balloting, time edging michael jordan (jordan s first all-star game after returning since retiring in 1993). during 1995–96 season, hill showcased all-round abilities leading nba in triple-doubles (10). won gold medal @ 1996 summer olympics in atlanta member of u.s. men s basketball team, had team s fifth highest scoring average (9.7) , led team in steals (18). in 1996–97 season, hill averaged 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists , 1.8 steals per game. became first player since larry bird in 1989–90 average 20 points, 9 rebounds , 7 assists in season, accomplishment had not been duplicated until russell westbrook averaged triple-double in 2016-17 nba season. once again, hill led league in triple-doubles, 13 triple-doubles represented 35 percent of league s triple-double total season. league s player of month january , awarded nba s ibm award, given player biggest statistical contributions team. finished third in mvp voting, behind karl malone , michael jordan.

much scottie pippen bulls, hill assumed role of point forward in detroit, running pistons offense. result, between 1995–96 , 1998–99 nba seasons, hill league leader in assists per game among non-guards 4 seasons. in lockout-shortened 1999 season, led team in points, rebounds , assists third time, hill joined wilt chamberlain , elgin baylor players in nba history lead teams in scoring, rebounding , assists more once. hill , chamberlain 2 players in league history lead teams in points, rebounds , assists per game 3 times. hill selected play in 1998 fiba world championship, in end no nba players played in tournament due lockout.

in 1999–2000 season, hill averaged 25.8 points while shooting 49% field, season s third highest scoring average, behind mvp shaquille o neal , allen iverson. averaged 6.6 rebounds , 5.2 assists per game. however, despite hill s individual accomplishments in detroit, pistons never made far in playoffs, either losing in first round (1996, 1997 , 1999), or missing playoffs entirely in 1994–95 , 1997–98 seasons. 2000 playoffs no different. on april 15, 2000, 7 days before start of playoffs, hill sprained left ankle in game against philadelphia 76ers. continued play until first round playoff series against miami heat, in injured ankle got worse , hill forced leave halfway through game 2. eventually, heat swept pistons 3–0. hill selected 2000 olympics u.s. team, not play due ankle injury, prove major liability many years come.

after first 6 seasons of career, before ankle injury, hill had total of 9,393 points, 3,417 rebounds , 2,720 assists. oscar robertson, bird, , lebron james 3 players in league history eclipse these numbers after first 6 seasons.

orlando magic (2000–2007)

as unrestricted free agent, hill had planned sign orlando magic. on august 3, 2000, however, sign , trade deal allowed hill receive more lucrative contract while detroit received @ least compensation losing him. pistons traded hill orlando chucky atkins , ben wallace. magic hoped team budding superstar, tracy mcgrady, had been signed away toronto raptors @ time, return orlando among nba elite. hill hampered ankle injuries ever since arrival in orlando, playing in 4 games in first season magic, 14 games in second , 29 in third. forced sit out entire fourth year orlando (2003–04). meanwhile, pistons, had defeated magic in 2003 playoffs, ended losing new jersey nets in eastern conference finals, won championship following year in 2004.

in march 2003, hill underwent major surgical procedure in doctors re-fractured ankle , realigned leg bone. 5 days after surgery performed, hill developed 104.5 °f (40.3 °c) fever , convulsions, , rushed hospital. doctors removed splint around ankle , discovered hill had contracted potentially fatal methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) infection. hospitalized week , had take intravenous antibiotics 6 months.

the 2004–05 season saw return old grant hill, popular earlier in career. hill, though hampered bruised left shin caused him miss several games, started , played 67 games magic, on combined amount of games played magic previous 4 seasons. named eastern conference player of week week between november 15–21, 2004. on season, hill averaged 19.7 points per game on .509 field goal percentage. fans voted him all-star starter again, , led eastern conference all-star team victory on west. in addition, @ conclusion of season, hill awarded joe dumars trophy presented nba sportsmanship award winner.

during 2005–06 season hill once again injured nagging groin injuries kept him sidelined of first half of season, limiting him 21 games. got sports hernia caused uneven pressure on hill s feet while running, due concerns re-aggravate injury on left ankle if got pressure. hill underwent surgery hernia , stated consider retirement if had surgery.

in 2006–07 season hill returned injuries despite numerous rumors surrounding retirement. hill received ankle rotation therapy specialists in vancouver, bc during off-season , stated had regained motion in left ankle. hill returned magic lineup, starting @ shooting guard position. despite having problems injuries left knee , tendon in left ankle, hill managed play 65 games, 2 short of highest number of games played on single season member of magic. finished season averages of 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds , 2.1 assists per game. season see hill return playoffs first time since 2000, first playoff appearance magic. 8th seed magic meet hill s old team, detroit pistons, in first round. pistons vast playoff experience prevail on inexperienced magic, had not seen significant post-season action years, , despite having close games, series end 4–0 pistons sweep, leaving hill undecided on whether return 2007–08 season magic, sign team, or retire.

phoenix suns (2007–2012)

hill became unrestricted free agent on july 1, 2007. on july 5 hill s agent, lon babby, said hill intended sign phoenix suns on july 11 (the first day free agents can officially sign contracts). hill earned $1.83 million 2007–08 $1.97 million player option next year. hill named captain along steve nash. hill given permission suns ring of honor member, alvan adams, wear familiar no. 33 suns. hill adapted suns up-tempo style, averaging double figures in points key role player phoenix in months of 2007–08 season. played in team s first 34 games before emergency appendectomy on january 9, 2008, sidelined him 2 weeks. despite being bothered multiple injuries throughout season, hill had first 70-game season since leaving detroit, averaging 13.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg , 2.9 apg in process.

playing phoenix suns in 2008–2009 season, hill appeared in 82 games first time in career , averaged 12.0 ppg, 4.90 rpg, , 2.3 apg, scoring 27 points , 10 rebounds in suns season finale.

on july 10, 2009, associated press reported hill decided re-sign phoenix suns 2-year deal, despite offer new york knicks full mid-level exception , boston celtics offering hill bi-annual exception. first year of contract believed worth around $3 million second year @ hill s option.

in 2010 phoenix suns advanced western conference semifinals, marking hill s first playoff series victory, , making him first nba player in history win first playoff series after 15 years in league. after sweeping san antonio spurs 4–0, suns moved western conference finals face los angeles lakers, lost in 6 games (4-2).

in 2010, chosen tenth-smartest athlete in sports sporting news.

on june 8 hill exercised option 2010–11 season. suns underwent 2 major roster changes in 2010–11. during pre-season teammate amar e stoudemire left new york while hedo türkoğlu, josh childress , hakim warrick joined suns; within year traded 3 other players. hill became 1 of 7 all-time nba players average 13 or more points @ 38 years of age or older. on january 15, 2011, hill passed 16,000 career points milestone in win on portland trail blazers.

on december 9, 2011, hill decided stay phoenix suns 1 year, accepting $6.5 million contract. end of 2011–12 season, hill had reached 17,000 career points, ending season 78th on all-time nba scoring list (82nd nba/aba), 79th in career assists (83rd), , 66th in career steals (71st).

los angeles clippers (2012–2013)

after contract suns expired, hill pursued multiple contenders, including los angeles lakers, miami heat, new york knicks, portland trail blazers, , oklahoma city thunder. on july 18, 2012, hill signed contract clippers. hill suffered bruised bone in right knee in preseason kept him out 3 months. made debut clippers on january 12, 2013 against orlando magic. during 2012–13 season, played 29 games, averaging 3.2 ppg , 1.7 rpg in 15.1 mpg. clippers finished 56-26, fourth best in western conference, , won pacific division first time in franchise history. however, clippers fell memphis grizzlies in six-game series in first round.

retirement (2013)

on june 1, 2013, hill announced retirement professional basketball after 19 seasons in nba. hill later join nba tv become analyst.