Respect isn’t earned in the NBA by how much money you make on a contract or how many sneaker deals you get. True respect comes from banging it out in the paint. For a rookie, that sometimes takes a lot of moxie to do. But Grant Hill welcomed the challenge.
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The seven-time All-Star shared a story about his toughness during a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show. The 52-year-old star recalled getting respect from a New York Knicks legend during his first year in the league in 1994.
“I didn’t really jump a lot of jump shots. I’m coming right at you. That was the mentality,” stated Hill to set the stage for his story. “I remember my rookie year, we played the Knicks. I went down, I was going 1-on-1 with Anthony Bonner and I get by him and Oakley fouls me, and I fall down.”
Hill had the confidence of a superstar
Hill then revealed that Oakley would tag him with a foul on the very next possession. However, it wasn’t done to send a message, but because the young baller was trying to once again drive the rock.
“Next play I go to the hole, this time Bonner fouls me, but then Oakley fouls me again, and then I fall down. Oak’s like, ‘I like you. You got heart.’ I just couldn’t shoot,” he stated, which got a big laugh from Patrick. “I had no other option. I had to go in there.”
Hill’s confidence at the time was admirable. He knew how important it was not to back down or pull back on the type of game he wanted to play. It’s the type of confidence that true superstars have always possessed, and that is what Hill eventually became. A superstar.
“It was always respectful,” Hill added. “I know who Oak is, but I wasn’t going to back down. I felt like I won some respect from him as a rookie, which was hard to do.”
Having Oakley be the centerpiece of the story is what makes it so legendary. The iconic Knicks star was a known enforcer who had a no-nonsense style of play, never backing down from a challenge, and never afraid to get in anyone’s face.
Hill should wear that statement as a badge of honor. He may have never gotten a ring during his prestigious NBA career, but he got something even greater. Respect from an NBA great.
