Grant Hill

Two-time national champion at Duke — the complete college player who embodied Coach K's programme.

Grant Henry Hill was born in Dallas, Texas in 1972. He attended Duke University under coach Mike Krzyzewski and became the embodiment of the complete college basketball player — skilled, intelligent, athletic and an exemplary teammate. He won national championships in his freshman year (1991) and sophomore year (1992), playing alongside Christian Laettner in both championship runs. He was the ACC Player of the Year in 1994 and a consensus All-American. He averaged 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game across his four seasons. His ability to contribute at every level — scoring, rebounding, distributing, defending — and his consistent excellence in tournament situations established him as the model of the Coach K player. The inbound pass he threw to Christian Laettner for The Shot against Kentucky in 1992 was a moment of skill and court awareness that connected him permanently to the most famous play in tournament history. Detroit Pistons selected him third overall in the 1994 NBA Draft. His college career — two championships, four years of consistent excellence and the character traits that made him one of basketball's most admired figures — represents the Duke ideal at its highest expression.

Hill was known for his exceptional versatility, combining the size and athleticism to play multiple positions with outstanding basketball IQ and court vision. He possessed smooth ball-handling skills unusual for his 6'8" frame, allowing him to effectively run the point forward position. His ability to score from anywhere on the court, rebound effectively, and facilitate for teammates made him one of the most complete players of his era.

Hill helped establish Duke as a premier college basketball program during the early 1990s and became a model for the modern versatile forward position.

• National Championship 2x (1991, 1992)
• All-American
• ACC Player of Year (1994)
• NABC Player of Year