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Report: Grant Hill headed to Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FORIDA - NOVEMBER 27: Grant Hill #33 of the Orlando Magic makes a layup against Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Waterhouse Centre on November 27, 2004 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic won 105-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo by: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FORIDA - NOVEMBER 27: Grant Hill #33 of the Orlando Magic makes a layup against Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Waterhouse Centre on November 27, 2004 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic won 105-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo by: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Former Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill is reportedly headed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year. An official announcement is coming.

Former Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill appears set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Grant Hill joins a star-studded class that includes Jason Kidd and Steve Nash heading into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

The official announcement will come this weekend as part of the NCAA’s Final Four Weekend.

To Magic fans, Hill’s inclusion might be a bit puzzling. Hill spent seven of his 19 seasons with Orlando. That is more than any other team in his illustrious career. And it was ultimately the most disappointing, something that left a bit of emptiness in his career.

Hill played in only 200 games in his seven seasons (28.6 per season) with the Magic. He was plenty productive in that time, averaging 16.4 points per game in 5.0 rebounds per game. He was just never on the court long enough. Certainly not long enough to make any kind of impact even with Hall of Fame guard Tracy McGrady coming into his own.

Hill arrived in Orlando nursing an ankle injury and could never get healthy. He played in just four games that first season. He played in more than 60 games just twice in a Magic uniform — both after Tracy McGrady left the team.

That dream duo never came to fruition.

But in the summer of 2000 when the Magic signed Hill, things looked so much brighter. Hill was one of the best players in the league at that time and it seemed like a sure thing the Magic would be competitive for a long time.

In six seasons with the Detroit Pistons to start his career, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. If he was not the heir apparent to Michael Jordan, he certainly looked like the next Magic Johnson with his ability to drive aggressively to the rim and great playmaking ability. Grant Hill was setting marks that included just him, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson.

It is that elite company that has Hill heading to the Hall of Fame and Springfield this summer. That and his strong run with the Duke Blue Devils that included two national championships helped him get in.

Basketball-Reference’s Hall of Fame probability metric put his Hall of Fame odds at 89.1 percent. Considering he was a Rookie of the Year winner and a seven-time All-Star, three times with the Magic, it is hard to argue against his credentials.

His legacy with the Magic will remain mixed though. It is a great what if and what could have been for the team and for Hill. He never reached his full potential despite a lengthy career after he finally recovered from injuries. He was never the same elite player again.

Next: Steve Clifford reminisces about 2009 Orlando Magic

Those highs were extremely high. Unfortunately, his time in Orlando saw him at his lowest lows.