Phoenix Suns sign Grant Hill
InsideHoops.com NewsWire | July 11, 2007
The Phoenix Suns today signed Grant Hill, a seven-time NBA All-Star with the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, to a free-agent contract. InsideHoops.com hears it's a two-year deal for low money.
The 13-year NBA veteran owns career averages of 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.44 steals and 36.9 minutes in 635 games (629 starts) and is one of only three active players to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in a career (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade).
“Grant is a great professional and fits right into our system,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “He’s a great addition and another piece to get us closer to winning an NBA championship. He was in good physical shape last season and we feel he still has a lot left.”
The 6-8, 225-pound forward ranks second among active players with 29 career triple-doubles, and is the only active player to record three consecutive triple-doubles from April 11-14, 1997 when current Suns Assistant Coach Alvin Gentry was head coach of the Pistons.
Most recently, Hill, 34, appeared in 65 games for the Magic in 2006-07, averaging 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 30.9 minutes, while ranking 20th in the NBA with a career-best .518 field goal percentage. Hill made his last All-Star appearance in 2005, when he averaged 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.45 steals and 34.9 minutes in 67 games with the Magic, his most games played since the 1999-2000 season.
Originally the third overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Pistons, Hill quickly emerged as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars and shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd. He became the first rookie ever to lead an NBA All-Star fan balloting in 1994-95 with 1,289,585 votes.
Hill was considered one of the league’s best all-around players before injuries hampered the latter half of his career. He has been named to an All-NBA Team five times, including First Team once (1996-97) and All-NBA Second Team four times (1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00).
The 2004-05 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner was also named to the 1996 United States Olympic Team, where he helped“Dream Team III” capture the gold medal in Atlanta. Hill played his first six NBA seasons with the Pistons before he was traded to the Magic in exchange for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace in a sign-and-trade deal on Aug. 3, 2000.
The former Duke alum helped the Blue Devils win back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1991 and 1992 and is the only child of Janet and Calvin Hill, who was a running back with three NFL teams. Hill is married to R&B singer Tamia, a four-time Grammy-nominated recording artist. The couple have a daughter Myla Grace and are soon expecting their second child.
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