The NBA Playoffs are in full swing with the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers set for a Game 7 on Monday night and in the midst of all that drama, one of the best scorers in the history of the league decided to retire, as Los Angeles Clippers forward Grant Hill announced he was ending his career.
According to ESPN.com, the 40-year-old forward decided to hang it up after 19 seasons in the NBA and announced his decision on TNT before the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers Game 6 on Saturday night. Hill finishes his career after signing a two year, $4 million contract with the team last year and now he finishes up after 19 seasons while playing with the Clippers, Magic and Suns at various times during that run. Hill played in 29 games during the season while dealing with injuries and that is one thing that has nagged Hill throughout his career.
The last time Hill will be recorded playing an NBA game was the Game 6 playoff loss for the Clippers against the Grizzlies 118-105 in the first round and he logged four points and four rebounds. Hill was able to overcome numerous injuries to have a long and productive NBA career and this season he averaged a career low 15 minutes and three points per game while coming off of the bench. Hill ends his career with 16.7 points per game with six rebounds and four assists while playing 1,026 games while averaging over 33 minutes per game.
Hill started his career in Detroit and spent six seasons with the team and averaged a career high 25.8 points per game during the 1999-2000 season while playing in 74 games. He was healthy through the beginning of his career while playing in at least 80 games three times, but his next stint with the Orlando Magic was an injury filled one during six seasons with the team. He played just 47 games from 2000 to 2004, including just 4 games during the 2000 season while missing the entire 03-04 season with injuries. Hill came into the NBA as a winner after taking home two national championships in college at Duke and he won a gold medal with team USA and also added the rookie of the year award in his first season.
After leaving the Magic, Hill had some very productive seasons with the Phoenix Suns, playing in at least 80 games three times during his five years with the team and he also played in one Western conference finals during that time. Grant Hill retires with a successful and productive career behind him and he had the stats to back it up, as he is one of only a handful of players to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his first six seasons in NBA history, with others being LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. During that time Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists, according to ESPN.com. The stats also say that Hill was one of just 17 players to have 17,000 points scored, 6,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists, joining some active players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.
