MAGIC: Grant Hill Chat Transcript

Grant Hill Chat Transcript

Grant Hill hopes to give the Magic the best one-two punch in the East.

What more can you say about the resume of Grant Hill? As a Blue Devil, the First Team All-American and ACC Player of the Year led Duke to back-to-back NCAA titles. He was the eighth player in school history to have his number retired.

In his first year in the league, Hill shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd. Hill played in the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, after becoming the first rookie ever to lead all players in fan voting. It was all good from there, Hill played in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team, was voted All-NBA First Team on one occasion and Second Team three more times. He is a five-time All-Star and has averaged 21.5 ppg during his career.

Hill's career has hit a recent snag as he missed all but eighteen games in the past two years for the Magic, who signed him before the 2000-01 season to form a dynamic duo with All-NBA forward, Tracy McGrady.

But to list Hill as just a great ballplayer is to diminish the man. He is one of the league's great ambassadors -- constantly engaged in volunteer and community service work. He is truly one of the NBA's "good guys."

By all accounts, Hill seems to be back and feeling strong. At the Magic's 2002 Training Camp, Hill is said to be showing the form that made him one of the league's premiere swingmen. He seems ready to assume the role he was brought to Florida to play, and along with T-Mac and Mike Miller, gives Orlando one of the NBA's most daunting lineups to defend.

Grant Hill talked about his comeback trail, the Magic's chances in the East and his relationship with Tracy McGrady as he chatted LIVE on orlandomagic.com and nba.com on Thursday afternoon.

VIE, winnipeg: what is your state physically and mentally right now. Also what is your goal for the season, we know it's to win, but personally what are you looking for out of yourself. P.S. I do miss the Grant Hill of previous and I hope that I will see you be what you were and still are.

Grant Hill: I think probably the obvious goal is to make it through the season. I feel great. I feel the best I've felt since I've been in the Magic uniform. I'm conifident in the ankle and my abilities. I know with any injury, there's a mental obstacle to get past. But all in all, I feel great.

Jamey (Wilmington, NC): Grant, First, best wishes on a great upcoming season and injury free!! Your Dad was a vital part of your life, what is the most important thing that he taught you? Thanks

Grant Hill: It's hard to single out one thing. My dad talked about treating people the way you'd want to be treated. Respect people. That's one thing I've always tried to do. There's so many great things he's taught me (along with my mother) it's hard to single out one thing.

Dennis Crisostomo: Hello Grant Hill.... I was wondering who'll be the batman and robin in the orlando magic.

Grant Hill: I have no idea. I think I'm excited to one, be back. And two, play with T-Mac. I think both of our goals is just to win. We just have to focus on how to win. As long as we don't have to wear the Batman and Robin tights. (Laughs.)

John Chapel Hill: How long have you played the piano? I will see you at the charity game this yr. John

Grant Hill: I took lessons when I was like 10 years old for two or three years. Then I stopped. And since my college days, I've dabbled. I'm not as serious (or as good) as people think I might be.

Ian: What do you think about the Stackhouse/MJ duo? Do you (and TMac) think that this is your biggest challenge in the east?

Grant Hill: I definitley think with that move, MJ's trying to go for it this year. If they use MJ off the bench, and with Dixon and Jeffries coming in off the bench, they'll have a good team. They have a good coach and a pretty good president/player. I'd have to say New Jersey is the team to beat. Until someone knocks them off, they're the favorites.

Lutrice Winters Chicago: Hi Grant, how has being a father put basketball in perspective?

Grant Hill: Being a father has given me some great balance. Where I was was in life when my daughter was born, you don't have time to focus on things like my injury. There was so much more excitement at home with the newborn and my wife. It helps you not to dwell on it. You don't have time. So it really helped me keep things in proper perspective.

Ft. Walton Beach, FL: GH, welcome back! What is Shaun Kemp going to bring to the team?

Grant Hill: I think for Shawn he's at a point in his career that he was able to choose where he wanted to go for the first time in his career. So he's in a situation where he's needed and he knows that. He's played hard and taken a leadership role. He's been great and we need him to be great for us to get where we need to go.

bigk(NYC): Besides you, who do you think will make the biggest splash on the team? Are there any young kids who are ready to contribute some quality back-up minutes?

Grant Hill: I think we lost some guys (Troy Hudson and Monte WIlliams) but I'm back and we've signed Jacque Vaughn. A guy from last year, Jeryl Sasser has shown that he deserves to play. He can defend and rebound and he's really improved his shooting. So I think he'll get a lot of minutes.

Doug (Orlando): Assuming you are healthy, Doc has said time and time again that if one 'big' steps up, the Magic will be a dangerous team. Judging by what you have seen, which 'big' do you think will step up and provide the Magic with the rebounding, defense and intensity the team so sorely needs?

Grant Hill: I think Kemp will help us tremendously. We know what Horace and Pat can do. I don't think you look at our team and look for a big Shaq inside. We may have to play center by committee, but I think we can do that successfully. But we're excited about Kemp.

Jonny Braun (Westmintster): What's up Grant? I wanted to konw who your idol was when you were a kid and how interested in basketball you were back then.

Grant Hill: My father was my idol as a child. I was probably more interested in football. And I grew up around that sport. But as I got taller, my interest shifted to basketball and I'm glad it did.

Steve: Who would you most like the magic to go after in either the free agent crop or the trade market this season?

Grant Hill: I think right now most of us are concentrating on what we have this season and not looking ahead to the trade deadline or the free agent market. Ultimately that stuff will all work out. Right now we need to focus on what we can do with what we have right now.

Matt Maresca (North Arlington, NJ): Grant, you will apparently be playing quite a bit of point forward this year. Do you feel comfortable with this role? And what do you think you can bring at the point that a regular point guard can't?

Grant Hill: I'll play a little bit there. In terms or our perimter, the only guys who have real positions are Jacque and Darrell. Guys like me and TMac and Mike and even Jeryl: we're ballplayers. We don't like or need to put a position on that. We just like having the versatility. I think you'll see a bunch of different lineups at different times.

Steve: Grant, Who in the NBA do you feel is the most talented? and also, if you could play with any NBA great, past or present, who would that be?

Grant Hill: I think Shaq is the best and most talented and has the most God-given ability. I would've liked to play with Magic or Bird. I think that would've been fun.

San Francisco: Grant, as a long time blue devil fan, I have been following you for some time. I am really looking forward to seeing you on the court again. With t-mac emerging as a dynamic scoring threat do you see yourself as more of a ball distributor in the upcoming year?

Grant Hill: I think for us to win TMac and I both need to score a lot. I think we have to take advantage of our playamaking abilities as well. We have to be able to do a lot of things on the court, and that means scoring as well.

Pavel Rubin: after playing for the former "Bad Boys", the Detroit Pistons...how does it feel to be a "Good Guy" now?

Grant Hill: I didn't play with the Bad Boys. That was before my time. I enjoyed my time in Detroit. Unfortunately things haven't started out well in Orlando, but I look forward to things really turning out well down here.

John(Orlando): When you guys play together, is there any chemistry yet?

Grant Hill: We haven't played together a lot. But this year in training camp -- we're ballplayers -- and when we're on the court we've meshed well. I think that'll be the least of our problems, how TMac and I get along. If there are any problems.

Matt Maresca (North Arlington, NJ): Grant, defense was possibly the weakest part of the Magic game last season. How do you think you will help that this year?

Grant Hill: Defense was tough for us. The coaches have made some changes to correct it. When I was healthy, I was the leading rebounder. But with some of our big guys and the change in strategy will help. I think there will be more emphasis on defense and that will fix the problem.

Nikola(Zagreb, Croatia): The Magic are ranked 14th in espn the magizines poll, how do you see them ranked?

Grant Hill: I don't get caught up in preseason rankings, but I like that we're not ranked high. I think last year we were ranked high and we maybe had too many expectations. Not just fans and media, but sometimes players get caught up in that as well. I think that we have a chance to be one of the great teams and I think we can suprise some people. A lot of people have fallen off the bandwagon.

Grant Hill: Thanks to all the fans for their great questions. Sorry I couldn't answer all of them. Thank you and be sure to root for the Magic.