Is Grant Hill retiring? Hill no!

According to Brian Schmitz, staff writer for the Orlando Sentinel, oft injured Grant Hill “might hang” up his Adidas’ at the end of the season.

“I actually had asked Grant about playing next season when he volunteered the notion of hanging up his sneakers,” Schmitz writes in his Nov. 28 article entitled “After this season, Hill might hang ‘em up.” Regarding the retirement talk Hill said in Schmitz’s article, “I could do that. I don’t know. There’s something to be said about going out healthy, leaving on your own terms while still being able to play at a certain level.”

While there is something to be said for leaving on your own terms – Jim Brown did it, exiting stage left as the NFL’s all time leading rusher. Barry Sanders did it when he needed only one more injury free season to become the NFL’s all time leading rusher. Now, it’s just my opinion, but if Hill plays through an injury free season there is no way in hell he’ll retire.

Hill’s seven year contract with the Orlando Magic will expire at the end of the season. While its admirable that Hill attempted with every fiber in his body to fulfill the terms of his $93 million deal, it’s no way that Hill would fight through five years of injuries and six surgeries, including suffering through a staph infection that also claimed his life; play a productive injury free season – one which has promise of making and possibly excelling in the playoffs, just to say “I’m done.”


At the start of Tuesday’s (Nov. 28) games, the 11 and 4 Magic were atop of the Eastern Conference. Hill, ninth in the NBA in field goal percentage shooting 55 percent, is second on the team in scoring (16.5) and steals (1.23), and third in assist with 2.5. Success is contagious and breeds the desire for more success. Hill is a member of a team who growth potential is super. There’s probably no other club whose future is as bright.

With the ferocious Dwight Howard, arguably the future of the NBA from the five position, excellent point guard play from Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo, who are averaging approximately 25 points and seven assist per game collectively, and Darko Milicic (ranks fifth in the NBA with 32 blocks and seventh with blocks per game at 2.13), now beginning to find his way, Hill retiring doesn’t sound reasonable. Add on battle tested vets like Keyon Dooling, Hedo Turkoglu and Tony Battie, with the superstar presence and leadership of Hill and you have an organization that can potentially content for the Lawrence O’Brien trophy in a few years.

Roscoe Nance, NBA writer for USA Today, said that in his conversations with Hill, it was never revealed that the 34-year-old third pick of the 1995 draft had any plans on retiring. Although 34 and because of his injuries, Hill probably has the legs of 28-year-old. While it is possible that Hill might walk away at season’s end, for me, all this talk is just a hill of beans.