Former Detroit Pistons player Grant Hill enters Basketball Hall of Fame

Grant Hill’s best years were spent at the Palace in Auburn Hill. On Friday he will enter the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Detroit Pistons took Grant Hill in the first round of the 1994 draft. The Duke Blue Devils superstar came to the team with the fourth overall pick. It was a pick that paid dividends early and often.

Hill won the NBA’s rookie of the year honor, though he shared it with Jason Kidd. Hill’s a 19.9 point, 6.4 rebound, 5 assist performance was stellar. He played in the NBA All-Star game in his sophomore season in the NBA. He repeated that feat in three of the next four seasons.

His time with the Pistons was filled with personal achievement. after the first six seasons of Hill’s career, he had a total of 9393 points, 3417 rebounds and 2720 assists. The only players to eclipse all three of those totals in their first six NBA seasons are Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and Lebron James.

The Pistons teams he played on couldn’t keep up with him in the playoffs, however. The Pistons either exited in round one or missed the playoffs entirely for his entire run in Detroit. The Pistons would not regain their championship form until a few years after Hill moved on. Hill did not win a playoff series until 2010 with the Phoenix Suns.

Hill was a point forward. He handled the ball despite his stature at 6’8″ and 225 lbs. For his run in Detroit, the entire offense flowed from him. He was one of the best players in the league. He was also a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Basketball team.

Hill never recaptured that level of continued achievement after leaving the Pistons. He did stints in Orlando, Phoenix and Los Angeles. He retired after the 2013 season. Hill finished his career as a seven-time NBA All-Star, and he was All-NBA five times. He will enter the Basketball Hall of Fame Friday.