When Grant Hill got drafted third overall in the 1994 Draft, he got hyped up as a top prospect. He was a phenom at Duke, so the NBA world was excited to see him tear it up in the pro ranks. Grant got to work, averaging 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, five assists, and 1.8 steals per game in his rookie season, winning the Rookie of the Year alongside Jason Kidd.
That promising first campaign made him one of the most exciting players in the league, evolving from a superstar in college into a superstar for the Detroit Pistons . Unfortunately for Grant and the Pistons, they could not get past the first round of the Playoffs. He left to sign with the Orlando Magic in 2000 but always regretted his time with the Pistons.
“I didn’t give myself permission to really appreciate and celebrate those moments because we weren’t winning. I didn’t enjoy those moments like I probably should have,” Hill said in 2022. “I blamed myself while I was going through it. The exercise of going through the book and reflecting, like wow, you almost appreciate it later and celebrate it later.”
Hill could not lead the Pistons to postseason success
Despite playing for the Pistons for six seasons, Detroit qualified for the Playoffs four times, but they were always the lower seed. The Pistons’ highest finish was the fifth seed on two occasions, but they always got bounced out of the first round.
It was a heartbreaking development for a star player like Hill, so his decision to move to Orlando was warranted. He wanted to succeed in the Playoffs, so he continued his career with the Orlando Magic, where the future was bright. Unfortunately, that became Hill’s toughest challenge because he would face constant injuries in Orlando, which he felt guilty about .
The Pistons floundered for a season without him, but they would return to form and become the second seed in the 2001/02 campaign. That was the start of a dominant decade for the Pistons, as they were always contenders for the championship, even winning it in 2004. A healthy Hill could have been the star player Detroit wanted to take them over the edge and become a dynasty. However, Hill and the Pistons moved on by the time Detroit was a contender.
Hill has learned to appreciate his Pistons stint
Now that Hill is long removed from his stint in Detroit, he has learned to appreciate the best times and not the worst moments. He never got past the thought that he let the people of Detroit down because they had high expectations for him as the superstar and supposed Michael Jordan successor.
Hill was a fantastic player during his Pistons days because he was a good scorer but also shined in other areas. Hill played like an earlier version of LeBron James because he could do everything on an elite level on the court, like King James. While Grant regretted his time in Detroit, seeing the positives was a good development for him in the end.
Related: Isiah Thomas on why he would pick Grant Hill over Scottie Pippen as the best SF of the 90s: "Pippen can't carry the league"
Most Popular
Comments / 0