Grant Hill announced his retirement on Saturday. Hill’s departure from the league elicited a common response among those who followed him in his prime:
In case you forgot, here’s some video evidence of how great Grant Hill was
(Very great.)
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People forget how dope Grant Hill was for the #Pistons...even in those ugly ass Teal Uniforms.
— Jay Scott Smith (@JayScottSmith) June 2, 2013
The youngsters don't remember that pre-ankle surgery Grant Hill in DET. He would Dunk On You: youtube.com/watch?v=Dhd5SW…
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) June 2, 2013
We were robbed of some amazing years of basketball due to Grant Hill's ankle issues. People forget how awesome he was
— John Karalis (@RedsArmy_John) June 2, 2013
With his retirement, I hope we can all remember how great a player pre-injury Grant Hill was. So skilled, so smooth...what a talent.
— Darius Soriano (@forumbluegold) June 2, 2013
Basically, if we did this, we’d end up in the hospital:
Drink every time a Grant Hill tweet includes the phrase "People forget…"
— Dexter Fishmore (@dexterfishmore) June 2, 2013
Basketball fans, especially young ones, might not remember how magnificent Grant Hill was before knee injuries interfered with (but, to his credit, didn’t abort) his NBA career. Like, he was really a big deal. So, for those who don’t remember and those who’d just like to reminisce, here’s a little footage:
Here’s some stuff from very early in Hill’s NBA career with Detroit:
Some classic smashes (some of which -- in the latter video -- were post-surgeries, which says something):
Some single-game highlight packages:
And some well-made highlight mixes to give you an overall sense of the man’s astounding blend of grace, power and poise:
Whether you remember Grant Hill as the dazzling pre-injury dynamo or the resilient, cunning, yet still remarkably athletic elder statesman, you’ll probably remember him fondly. Happy trails, Mr. Hill.
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