Height: 6-8 / 2.03
Weight: 225 lbs. / 102.1 kg.
College: Duke Years
14 Grant Hill Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays small forward in the Phoenix Suns in the NBA.Though many players may be satisfied with these kinds of accomplishments, Hill constantly pushes himself to improve his game. As part of the Olympic Development squad in 1992, Hill realized he needed to be physically stronger to compete at the highest level. That summer, he began to seriously workout with weights and developed an improved outside shot, which helped him tally 39 three-pointers after making just five during his first three years.
It is not only Hill’s on-court play making and talent that impresses people. It’s also his off-court personality that truly makes him a refreshing addition to the NBA. Hill’s strong work ethic, humble and gracious attitude, academic achievements, and strong family ties combined with his overwhelming success and good sportsmanship on the court, makes him a perfect choice for a role model. Although many athletes shy away from being labeled as a role model, Hill embraces the idea. Off the court, he tries to lead by setting positive examples.
He has said that the adulation society showers upon its athletes obliges him to use his influence for good. Hill’s concerns vary in scope. He lends his support not only to a variety of national issues but to local issues as well. Hill was recently awarded a key to the city of Reston, Virginia, where he was raised with the proceeds from that reception going to the Medical Care for Children Partnership, which provides medical services for needy children in the county. Hill also appeared on behalf of Foot Locker and Fila, at a Detroit middle school to kick-off a program designed to replace backboards in 250 area schools. In addition, GMC Trucks sponsored Hill’s visit to the Michigan Special Olympics Women’s basketball team where he spoke, joked, and shot baskets with the players.
At Duke, Hill volunteered for the Read with the Blue Devil’s literacy program. In 1993, he served as the Co-Chairperson of Durham’s Project Graduation, which promoted a drug and alcohol-free graduation party for high school students.
Hill’s marvelous attitude, strong work ethic, and high moral code, was influenced by a strong family environment. His father, Calvin, attended Yale and was a star running back for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. However, Grant was prohibited from playing organized football until the ninth grade, (by which time he no longer wanted to play), so he would not suffer comparisons to his father. Grant’s mother, Janet, graduated from Wellesley College and currently works as a Capital Hill consultant. Grant’s parents were a constant source of support while he was growing up and they were concerned with every aspect of his life. Their dedication as parents, no doubt, inspired Grant Hill’s will to better himself as an athlete and serve as a positive model in society.
Grant married Canadian native Tamia Washington of Windsor, Ontario in July 1999. Tamia is a four-time Grammy nominated singer. In 2006, Tamia released her current album, Between Friends, under her own label, Plus 1 Music Group.
American basketball player
Grant Hill has a rare combination of size, speed, and ball-handling skills that set him apart. Able to create his own shots, Hill averaged more than twenty points per game during five of his first six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA); he averaged 19.9 points per game his rookie year. After four years as a star player at Duke University, Hill spent his first six seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons. In 2000 he accepted an offer to join the Orlando Magic, but an ankle injury kept him off the floor for all but a handful of games during the next two seasons.