Many NBA fans know the legend that is Grant Hill. Before he got injured in 2000, the forward was considered one of the most exceptional and versatile players in the league. In the same year, when Hill did a sign and trade deal to get him to the Orlando Magic, Tracy McGrady thought it was going to be the piece that pushed the team over the top.
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It wasn’t a crazy thing for McGrady to wonder at the time. In his prime from 1995-2000, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game on the Detroit Pistons. So, when he arrived in Orlando, massive expectations came with him playing alongside T-Mac.
Sadly, it all came crashing down after Hill suffered a severe ankle injury on April 15th, 2000. It was just one week before the NBA Playoffs. Initially, Hill was diagnosed with a bone bruise from team trainers, which allowed him to start against Philadelphia in the playoffs. But that start only exacerbated the injury and significantly impacted his mobility for the rest of his career.
When McGrady remembers how good Hill was before the injury, he compares him to one of the all-time greats.
“I’m playing with Grant Hill? Grant Hill, he was like LeBron before LeBron. Like, Mr. Triple-Double. This guy was incredible. And that was my teammate, and I thought that was going to elevate me to a whole new level,” McGrady said on 947 Joburg.
The move for Hill certainly elevated T-Mac to a new level. He ended up increasing his points per game from 15 to 26 per game and won the Most Improved Player Award. It really makes you wonder how good the Magic could’ve been if Hill was healthy.
From McGrady’s perspective, he thinks the two would’ve won an NBA Championship, and he would’ve been remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
“If I would’ve won an NBA Championship, for sure I would’ve been viewed as one of the greatest to play this game. Because of how I am viewed without winning that,” McGrady stated.
Ultimately, the injury to Hill set T-Mac down a different path. He eventually evolved into one of the greatest scorers in NBA history after bearing the Magic’s franchise on his shoulders. McGrady led the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons with the team from 2002-2004. And he’s one of the few players in history to cross 32 points per game.
But T-Mac would never win a ring, and neither would Hill. They had Hall of Fame careers that didn’t entail much playoff success. It’s a testament to how hard it is to win an NBA Championship.
Not even some of the best players from this generation of basketball have won a championship. Players like James Harden, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and Jimmy Butler are all still chasing that elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. And they’re undoubtedly Hall of Famers when their careers end, too.
