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Orlando Magic Daily Podcast Episode 93: Searching for Grant Hill’s legacy

By Philip Rossman-Reich

AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: The Detroit Pistons' Grant Hill (R) drives past the Orlando Magic's Horace Grant (L) in the third quarter 12 February at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. Hill recorded his fifth triple-double of the season with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pistons beat the Magic 96-87. (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: The Detroit Pistons' Grant Hill (R) drives past the Orlando Magic's Horace Grant (L) in the third quarter 12 February at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. Hill recorded his fifth triple-double of the season with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pistons beat the Magic 96-87. (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Grant Hill entered the Basketball Hall of Fame this week with some mixed emotions for Orlando Magic fans. It is not just them. His legacy seems mixed.

Orlando Magic fans felt a strange mixture of nostalgia and disappointment Friday as Grant Hill entered the Basketball Hall of Fame.

In some ways, Hill arrived in Springfield despite his disappointing six-year tenure with the Magic. Much of the talk of his playing days focused on his championships with the Duke Blue Devils, his sublime play with the Detroit Pistons and then his renaissance with the Phoenix Suns. All those added up to help Hill reach Springfield.

His time with the Magic was largely forgotten.

It was not for his averages. He averaged 16.4 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. He only played 200 games across six seasons thanks to an ankle injury that never seemed to go away. And then a sports hernia injury that knocked him out for most of the 2006 season.

Hill still had two All-Star appearances in Orlando and his 2005 season where he played 67 games and averaged 19.7 points per game proved he could still play in the league at a high level.

But his game changed as he went away from his athleticism and focused more on technical and defensive skill.

Before his injury, Hill was on track to be one of the best players in NBA history. But ultimately his career seemed unfulfilled. In Orlando, it was an issue of injuries and Hill’s desire to play and live up to his contract that continually reaggravated that injury.

His Hall of Fame speech barely mentioned his time in Orlando other than to say he was injured — and a quick joke that he wished Doc Rivers had coached him.

In Detroit? His Pistons legacy is surprisingly complicated too.

As Matt Schoch of Locked On Pistons examined throughout last week, Hill’s legacy in Detroit was complicated. His week of podcasts examining Hill’s strong Pistons run was intriguing to listen to. Pistons fans did not quite take to Hill or celebrate his six years there.

It seems Detroit fans do not want to retire Hill’s jersey, but opinions run the gamut. Despite a strong six-year run in the Motor City — 21.6 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game and 6.3 assists per game — his departure did not endear him to Pistons fans. In fact, he is sometimes met with apathy on his return.

That is one of the big contradictions about Hill.

He is an extremely personable and kind person whenever anyone interacts with him. When he played, he was sublime to watch, previewing the modern wave of versatile, ball-handling forwards.

Yet, it seems like he did not have a home or a place he could truly call home or appreciate his Hall of Fame career.

Hill’s complicated legacy was the recent topic of discussion on an episode of Locked On Magic where Matt Schoch of Locked On Pistons joined to discuss Hill and his career:

On This Episode:

  • Just how good was Grant Hill with the Detroit Pistons?
  • How Grant Hill’s departure set up the Detroit Pistons’ championship runs… and made Orlando Magic fans more miserable
  • Grant Hill finally plays for the Orlando Magic and then seemed set to leave as the Magic decided to move in a different direction with new on-court leadership
  • How the Phoenix Suns helped resurrect Grant Hill’s career and Hall of Fame chances
  • How Grant Hill’s desire to play ruined his career and how fans react to his legacy in Orlando and Detroit
  • Recapping the Orlando Magic’s 2018 season
  • How the Detroit Pistons are putting themselves in position for the 2019 Playoffs

Be sure to check out all the great Grant Hill coverage from Matt Schoch on Locked On Pistons, including a conversation with former player Chris Mills. You can find Locked On Pistons on iTunes here. Also be sure to follow Matt on Twitter @Matt_Schoch_.

Next. Grant Hill was selfless to the end. dark

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