Former Piston Grant Hill Retires After 19 Year NBA Career [Video]

Grant Hill made the official announcement before game five of the Heat and Pacers series, that he is done with basketball after 19 years in the NBA.

Before Kobe, Lebron or Durant hit the scene, Grant Hill was the man set to take Jordan's place as king of the NBA.  Hill was picked third overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1994 draft and was the NBA Co-Rookie of the Year.  He was a seven time NBA All-Star and made the All-NBA Team five times in his career.

Grant Hill is a once in a lifetime type player, who's talent was only surpassed by his attitude and work ethic.  His career as an MVP style player was basically over when he played on an injured ankle during a Pistons playoff run.

Grant Hills early stats back up the thought that he could have been a legendary type player.  Hill is one of 17 players in NBA history with over 17,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.  In his first six seasons, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Oscar Robertson is the only other player in NBA history to average as many points, rebounds and assists in his first six seasons.  Only five others averaged 20 PPG, 5 APG and 5 RPG their first 6 seasons.

A Look At Grant Hills Career

The most amazing thing about Grant Hill's career is how he stayed in the NBA.  After countless surgeries to an ankle that will never be right, Hill was still guarding the other teams best player.  He only played a fraction of his career for the Pistons, but he will always be one of my favorite Piston players ever.  His attitude, work ethic and leadership embody everything that the good Piston teams have always been about.