Home>News Center>Sports
             
     

    Grant Hill brings magic back to NBA
    (Sporting News)
    Updated: 2004-11-30 09:44


    Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill (33) drives around Atlanta Hawks forward Al Harrington (3) during the third quarter Friday, Nov. 26, 2004, in Atlanta. The Magic won 117-99. [AP]
    The day after the colossal mess into which his team landed in Detroit, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle paused to say something most in attendance tolerated impatiently. Indiana was preparing to face Orlando, and Carlisle said unprovoked, "It will be good to see Grant Hill. To me, he is an important athlete. He is a great guy, and to see him out there, it's great."

    Back at The Palace, Pistons president Joe Dumars took a break from the all-brawl, all-the-time circuit to say, "I'm happy for Grant. He's a great player and represents this league the way it should be represented."

    And in New York last week, hours after David Stern announced the harshest suspensions in NBA history, the league sent out an announcement that was so overshadowed it might as well have been sent out in Esperanto: Orlando's Grant Hill had been named the East's player of the week after averaging 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games.

    If you're looking to remind yourself why, exactly, you ever liked sports, catch up with Hill for a while. He was averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists entering the week and was the player most responsible for the quick climb of the rebuilt Magic. His shooting skill has returned, and his passing and ballhandling ability from the small forward spot make him a perfect complement to Steve Francis, a scoring point guard.


    Orlando Magic's Grant Hill dunks against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004, in Orlando, Fla. [AP]

    Want to feel good about pro basketball? Think about this: Hill could have retired, could have given up on doctors and wheelchairs and crutches, could have spent his days eating Cheetos and contemplating his navel, and he still would have collected every cent of the $93 million the Magic agreed to pay him in 2000. But he didn't.

    "We are doing a lot of talking about what is wrong with professional players, but he is an example of what is right about players," says Orlando coach Johnny Davis. "He could have walked away into the sunset, and nobody would have thought less of him."

    What now looks right once looked so wrong. Hill injured his ankle in the 2000 playoffs, after his best pro season. "A lot of people probably just forgot about me or got tired of wondering if I was going to come back," Hill admits. Lord knows, he has tried this comeback thing before. Three times, in fact. The first one lasted four games. The second one made it to 14 games. The third one was the most promising -- Hill lasted until January 16, 2003, before the ankle needed surgery again.

    All those comeback attempts involved new surgeries, so Hill is playing on a Franken-ankle. He had screws put in and taken out. He had a steel plate inserted. He had original bones removed and genetically engineered bonelike material inserted. He had his ankle broken so it could be reset. He had skin from his triceps grafted onto his foot.

    "I feel great," Hill says. "I have the ankle of an old man, but I feel I am in great condition."

    But he is cautious. He must make it through the season before he starts considering his long-term possibilities. If he's healthy, Hill is almost a sure bet to play for the East All-Star team in February, especially with two of the East's top forwards, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest, out of action. If Hill reinjures the ankle before then, he says, this will be it.

    Even if he doesn't make it, even if Hill's ankle swells to the size of a ski boot and his career ends, you've got to tip your hat to him for not giving up. And in the meantime, watch him play and enjoy it.



     
      Today's Top News     Top Sports News
     

    ASEAN tariff-cut pact steps toward free trade

     

       
     

    Three-way dialogue goes win-win

     

       
     

    "Income gap" tops senior officials' concerns

     

       
     

    Al Qaeda's Zawahri says will keep fighting US

     

       
     

    Death toll rises to 50 in Shaanxi mine blast

     

       
     

    Half Chinese not feel "close" with Japanese

     

       
      Grant Hill brings magic back to NBA
       
      Thierry, Ronny, Shev up for Player of the Year
       
      Arsenal's Vieira ruled out of Chelsea crunch
       
      Detroit cops: We now know chair tosser
       
      China wins two golds at World Cup short track speedskating
       
      Ronaldo leads Real in rout
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
    Advertisement
             
    中文字幕精品一区二区日本| 国产成人无码AV麻豆| 免费a级毛片无码a∨免费软件 | 一二三四在线观看免费中文在线观看| 精品少妇无码AV无码专区| 内射人妻少妇无码一本一道| 日韩亚洲变态另类中文| 成年无码av片在线| 亚洲日产无码中文字幕| 最好看更新中文字幕| 日韩亚洲不卡在线视频中文字幕在线观看| AV无码久久久久不卡蜜桃| 人妻精品久久久久中文字幕| 中文字幕亚洲欧美日韩在线不卡| 国产成人午夜无码电影在线观看 | 久久AV无码精品人妻糸列| 中文字幕一区二区三区5566| 亚洲国产综合精品中文第一| av无码播放一级毛片免费野外| 亚洲韩国精品无码一区二区三区| 精品久久久久久无码中文野结衣 | 中文字幕在线观看| 无码超乳爆乳中文字幕久久| 无码日韩人妻AV一区免费l | 亚洲精品无码日韩国产不卡?V| 黄A无码片内射无码视频 | 高h纯肉无码视频在线观看| 亚洲国产精品无码久久98| 久久无码AV中文出轨人妻| 久久亚洲中文字幕精品一区| 中文字幕在线观看亚洲日韩| 最近中文字幕高清中文字幕无 | 在线中文字幕视频| 最近2019中文字幕免费直播| 日本免费在线中文字幕| 中文字幕一区二区三区在线观看| 国产一区三区二区中文在线| 最好看的最新高清中文视频| 成人无码AV一区二区| 亚洲av无码一区二区三区在线播放 | 熟妇人妻中文字幕无码老熟妇|