Hill was the keynote speaker at the Best of Preps banquet
The third annual Best of Preps banquet took place on Tuesday, and the hundreds of student-athletes in attendance were treated to a special appearance by Grant Hill.
The former Duke basketball star played 19 seasons in the NBA for Detroit, Orlando, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers, and was a seven-time All-Star. In March, Hill, who lives in Orlando and now works as an analyst for CBS Sports, is heading to the basketball Hall of Fame.
Before speaking to the crowd, Hill sat down with The News-Journal to talk about his own high school memories, the 'one-and'done' rule, and, of course, the NBA Finals.
Q: Did they have events like this when you were in high school?
A: I grew up in the Washington D.C. area, and there was an All-Met convention for players that made the All-Met team. It was an honor, and that was put on by the Washington Post. We didn’t have something this large or extravagant though, in any way. For the kids, it’s a moments to recognize the excellence that they’ve demonstrated in high school. For some who transition on to college, this is sort of the last moment to be honored for your high school athleticism and excellence. It’s pretty special.
Q: What is the toughest transition going from a high school athlete to a college athlete?
A: You’re playing against better competition, and your teammates are all the best in their respective areas. The level of talent increases. You’re also on a different schedule. You have more freedom, more downtime, and it’s about how you manage your time and how you’re able to juggle your various responsibilities. The combination of those two things, for me, were certainly an adjustment, and I don’t think that changes 30 years later.
Q: Speaking of high school, do you still have any memories from your time at South Lakes High School?
A: Oh yeah. I was a sophomore and I went for like 36 points, but I scored the last 16 points of the game. We won the game on an ally-oop dunk at the buzzer. Roy Williams was an assistant at North Carolina at the time, and he was in the crowd. I saw him a couple years ago and I saw him this year in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, and, he might be embellishing, but he still says it was one of the greatest high school games he ever saw. So yeah, I have very fond memories from high school. I just had my jersey retired (last December). High school was a fun, fun time.
Q: You’re on the commission that, last month, brought up the idea of eliminating the ‘one-and-done’ rule in the NBA. What went into that?
A: I wear multiple hats. I’m Vice Chairman of the Atlanta Hawks, so I’m in the NBA and my largest personal investment is in the Hawks. But I’m also here to work on behalf of the college game. I think both sides (of the issue) have a line. I think it was a problem with players coming in (to college) and really having no intention of being student-athletes. From the NBA standpoint, I think they recognize that it might be time to take a look at this rule and see if it’s necessary. I think both sides are there and I do think it’ll happen in the future.
It’s a different time than when I came out of high school. Kids now are more prepared and more willing, and I think a lot of the atmosphere in the grassroots game is creating this environment where potentially there could be some problems, which were highlighted during the FBI investigation (last Fall). It’s not the end all, be all, but I think it’s part of the solution — having some of these players who have no business being in college, or interest being in college, letting them go on to the NBA.
Q: Last week, the supreme court paved the way for states to legalize sports gambling. How will this effect the NBA landscape?
A: I think it could be a revenue stream for the league and for teams. Hopefully, it will provide a source of entertainment. I don’t know exactly what it looks like, or how it will be controlled, but I think it’s inevitable. It’s happening. I think the NBA has talked about this — what it would look like, how they would be able to benefit from that. It’s a good experience for fans. It’s happening anyway, but now it’s just sort of all on the table. I don’t think it’ll be negative in any way, shape or form. As we go through this long 82-game season, it’ll just be something else that peaks the fans interest and keeps them engaged.
Q: Alright, prediction time. Who’s going to the NBA Finals, and who’s your 2018 champion?
A: I don’t know who’s getting out of the East. A series isn’t a series until a home team loses. Boston did what they were supposed to, Cleveland did what they were supposed to do. The key is, can Boston come back and recover? That remains to be seen. I did pick Boston initially, and I still think they win, but I think either one, Boston or Cleveland, they have no shot against Golden State.
Q: You’ve played against both LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Who gets the edge?
A: I’m not one who’s a big fan of comparing players from different eras and different styles of play with different rules. I played in the 90s and I played up until five years ago, so I saw the differences in the game. I’ve seen both players up close and personal, and both are great, but I’d probably give the nod to MJ. I think he was pretty amazing with what he was able to do. He was pretty special. LeBron is pretty special in his own right, too. It’s one of those barbershop questions. You can never be right or wrong.