A 6-8 forward with almost unlimited potential, Grant Hill entered the NBA as a rookie and has exceeded all expectations. He shared Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd in 1994-95, then led the Detroit Pistons in scoring, rebounding and assists in his second pro season. He was the leading vote-getter in the All-Star balloting in both seasons and an All-NBA First Team choice and winner of the IBM Award for all-around contributions to his team's success in 1996-97. The son of former Dallas Cowboys running back Calvin Hill, Grant Hill arrived in the NBA with a reputation not only as a big-time basketball player but also as a classy individual who would represent the next generation of superstars following a standout college career at Duke University. Thus far, he has done nothing to dispel the notion. As a freshman and a sophomore, he was an integral part of a team that won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1991 and 1992. The winner of the Henry IBA Award as the nation's best defender in his junior year, he scored a career high 18.0 points per game that season. He was a consensus First-Team All-American selection after his senior year. The Detroit Pistons selected Hill with the third overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. The combination of his spectacular play and his humble demeanor quickly endeared Hill to NBA fans, who voted him a starter in the 1995 All-Star Game. He went on to share NBA Rookie of the Year honors with the Sun's Jason Kidd after leading the Pistons in scoring, steals, and minutes, and placing second in assists and rebounds. Following his outstanding 1994-95 debut season, Hill was named to the 1996 Dream Team, which won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Hill's second pro season was even better than his first as he led the league with 10 triple-doubles, ranked among the NBA's top 20 in scoring, rebounding, assists and minutes played and helped the Pistons back into the NBA Playoffs. He continued to improve in 1996-97, leading the league with 13 triple-doubles, raising his scoring average to a career-high 21.4 ppg, earning All-NBA First Team honors and caprturing the IBM Award for all-around excellence.
