Grant Hill Can Still Play
April 8, 2009 – 10:25 am by Jimmy Shapiro
He’s not the guy that averaged 26 points, 7 boards, and 5 dimes in his last season in Detroit, but Grant Hill can still help a team win. After six miserable seasons in Orlando where he averaged only 33 games a year, he’s been pretty healthy in Phoenix playing 70 games last season and 77 so far this season. While he obviously never lived up to his enormous contract in Orlando, I give him credit for not quitting and continuing to rehab in an effort to play the game he loves so dearly. The only person I can really think of that came back to be great after missing so much time to a devastating injury was Bernard King.
Grant Hill joined XTRA Sports 910 to talk about his health issues, his future, and the future of this Suns team.
On his health problems:
“Every once in a while you might see something on YouTube or an old highlight that sort of brings back memories and you think back and you’re like, “wow, I actually was pretty good!” What I remember is the struggles and the rehab and trying to overcome and the misfortune. I forget how good things, my health and how good I was as a player back in Detroit. One of the interesting things, this year, there have been moments when certain things happen and I’m like, “wow, I haven’t done that in 10 years.” It has been kind of neat, this year, to all of a sudden this year, do things that I hadn’t done in a long, long time.”
On his current health:
“I’m feeling good. My body is feeling really good. I’m really trusting my body. I’m trusting going up going up and trying to finish above the rim. Better yet, defensively, I’m going up and trying to block people’s dunks. That’s something that 3 or 4 years ago, I never would have tried. It feels good to reintroduce yourself to your past and things you’ve done in your past. I can’t do everything like I did in my 20s but every once in a while that comes out and it’s a lot of fun.”
On the struggling Suns:
“We’re not that far, we’re just not working right now. But do you blow it all up? That’s not for me to really decide that, but I don’t think we should. I think we should make a few changes here and there and see what we can do.”
On the possibility of coming back:
“I want to come back. I love the team. I imagine there will probably be some changes. I don’t know exactly what those changes are…I’m looking at it like I’ll be back. My daughter’s school has sent out registration for next year and we’ve already filled it out.”
Listen to Grant Hill on XTRA Sports 910 in Phoenix with Bickley & MJ
Tags: Grant Hill, NBA Playoffs, Phoenix Suns
