Grant Hill, 22, has fans around the country pulling for him and he hasn’t played his first full season yet. Fans cast a record 6 million ballots in this year’s All-Star vote and one in every five was for Detroit’s star forward, making him the first rookie ever to lead the voting. Some of his biggest fans, though, are his teammates. Joe Dumars, the last of the “Bad Boy” Pistons from the team that won NBA titles in ’89 and ’90, has taken a special interest in Grant. He hopes that together they can get the Pistons in the hunt for another title.
“Joe’s talking to Grant – about personnel, plays happening on the floor – and teaching him the game,” says another of Grant’s fans, Pistons coach Don Chaney. Whatever Joe’s telling him, it’s working: He and Grant lead the team in scoring, each averaging over 17 points per game.
“Joe knows this game so well,” Grant says. “When I get frustrated he tells me, ‘Relax, just play through and let things come.’ It’s real good encouragement and helps a lot.”
Guard Johnny Dawkins keeps an eye on Grant, too. They’re both from Duke and Johnny does whatever he can to help out a fellow Blue Devil. Johnny laughs, “You don’t need to tell him much, he responds so well. I just want him to be the best in the NBA!”
“That’s music to the ears of Grant’s dad and biggest fan, former Dallas running back Calvin Hill. (Grant’s mom, Janet, by the way, was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s dorm-mate at Wellesley College.) Calvin remembers how much he was helped by the teammate that looked out for him his rookie year, current New York Giants coach Dan Reeves. “Dan taught me how to be a pro,” Calvin says.
“I’m glad now that Grant has guys like Joe and Johnny to give him advice. I knew Johnny, coming from Duke, and it’s been a great joy to meet Joe and get to know him. Now, I just hope Grant listens to them. It’s like that commercial: ‘When they talk, people listen.’
” If that’s all Calvin’s worried about, he can sit back and relax when Grant is announced before the All-Star Game this Sunday in Phoenix. “I always want to listen to what they say,” Grant says.
Shooting stars
Scheduled starters for the NBA All-Star Game being played Sunday in Phoenix.
(Catch it on WMAQ-TV Ch. 5 at 5 p.m. CST.)
Grant Hill, Detroit
Scottie Pippen, Chicago
Shaquille O’Neal, Orlando
Anfernee Hardaway, Orlando
Reggie Miller, Indiana
Charles Barkley, Phoenix
Shawn Kemp, Seattle
Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
Latrell Sprewell, Golden State
Dan Majerle, Phoenix
