“Mike and Mike” in the Morning took on a new personality Monday morning as Suns forward Grant Hill played the role of co-host on the show. Substituting for Mike Golic on the ESPN Radio program, Hill discussed what it was like playing against the league’s best players, his favorite memories in basketball and his everyday life.

A two-time NCAA Tournament Champion at Duke University, Hill talked about coach Mike Krzyzewski who over the summer helped lead Team USA to Olympic gold in China. Hill acknowledges “Coach K” for helping him not only be a great person on the court, but off of it, as well.

Cleveland’s LeBron James was also a focal point of the morning talk show, a player whose maturity Hill said “might be more impressive than what he has done on the court.” When asked about defending James, Hill answered, “It’s tough. He is a guy that excels on both ends of the court.”

During the show, the All-Star forward received a call from current teammate Shaquille O’Neal who lists Hill as his favorite player and an overall class act. Hill and O’Neal are not only teammates, but neighbors in Orlando, living in a who’s-who community which also features names like Vince Carter, Ken Griffey Jr. and Tiger Woods.

Phoenix Suns F/G Grant Hill, a seven-time NBA All-Star, will co-host ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning (6-10 a.m. ET M-F) on Monday May 18.

The Detroit Pistons’ 1994 first-round Draft selection and NBA Rookie-of-the-Year will join Mike Greenberg in ESPN Radio’s Bristol, Conn. studios.

Hill, a member of the gold medal winning Dream Team III at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, is subbing for “Greeny’s” regular co-host Mike Golic, who is off.

By Stefan Swiat, Suns.com
Posted: May 1, 2009 When he signed with Phoenix in the summer of 2007, all the naysayers believed that Grant Hill was washed up. Riddled with injuries the six years he played in Orlando, no man alive would’ve thought that the Suns would be inheriting their most durable performer.

Arriving in the Valley as a 35-year-old-small forward, uncertainty circulated around a player that had previously thrived by using his physical gifts and athleticism. Would be still be productive despite the accumulation of injuries that had battered his body? Would he be able to hold up over the course of a season. The answers turned out to be a definitive “yes” to both of those questions. Hill suited up for 70 games in 2007-08, the most since he played in 74 for the Pistons during the 1999-2000 season. Even then, the majority of the games he missed were because due to a fluke appendectomy. But the former Duke Blue Devil outdid that mark this past season, suiting up and playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career. A man who knows a little something about health, Suns Head Athletic Trainer Aaron Nelson, told Hill before his 82nd contest, “Whether you’re 19 or you’re 36, to play in all 82 games is pretty amazing.” Nelson was absolutely right; it’s more unique than one thinks. In fact, Hill was the only Sun to accomplish that feat this season. What impressed Nelson and anyone else who spends time around the game is that players routinely battle the flu, viruses and injuries and Hill was able to avoid those pitfalls – all at 36 years-old. But what’s even more impressive is that Hill was able to avoid those pitfalls playing at his level of intensity.

Hill, who won the Majerle Hustle Award last season, is known for spending more time polishing the floor than a janitor. He constantly take life-threatening charges, is the first to dive for loose balls and drives to the basket with the ferocity seldom seen.

Playing with that sort of reckless abandon exposes Hill to the possibility of injury more than the average player, but Hill refuses to change his style. Read the rest of this entry »

By Bob Baum
Associated Press
Posted: April 15, 2009

PHOENIX (AP) — Grant Hill completed his most durable pro season by scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds Wednesday night to lead the Phoenix Suns past the depleted Golden State Warriors 117-113.

Hill, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his 15 NBA seasons, appeared in all 82 games for the first time in his career. His 27 points matched his season high. Leandro Barbosa added 18 points for the Suns, who failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Shaquille O’Neal scored 15 for Phoenix.

Anthony Morrow wrapped up his strong rookie season with 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, who had eight players in uniform and used only seven. C.J. Watson had 20 points and 12 assists. Kelenna Azubuike added 18 points for Golden State.

Hill was only 7-for-25 from the field but made 13-of-16 free throws.

After the 36-year-old forward made one of two from the line to make it 113-108 with 44.3 seconds to go, he stole the ball in Golden State’s frontcourt, then scored on a layup after a pass from Steve Nash to put Phoenix ahead 115-108 with 25.4 seconds to play. Read the rest of this entry »

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), in collaboration with the Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM) and sanofi pasteur (the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group), today announced the launch of Vaccines for Teens, a national multimedia campaign designed to educate teens and their parents about the importance of vaccination against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines for Teens tipped off today at an event at Cordova Primary School in Phoenix, Arizona with Grant Hill, a seven-time NBA All-Star and member of the Phoenix Suns, who will serve as a spokesperson for the campaign. Hill, who will appear in the nationally broadcast public service announcement (PSA), was on hand for a special screening of the initiative’s first PSA. The PSA will debut nationally during the Friday, February 27 broadcast of the Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic game on ESPN at 7:00 pm EST.

Along with the PSA featuring Hill, a version featuring Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie will also air nationally while Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton and NBA Legend and Hall of Famer George Gervin will appear in PSAs that will be distributed in Detroit and San Antonio areas respectively.

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By Stefan Swiat, Suns.com
Posted: Feb. 6, 2009 It was the one-year anniversary of the Suns’ acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal and the Suns celebrated it by capturing a 115-105 home victory over the Warriors. Grant Hill played inspired basketball, leading five Phoenix players in double figures and shooting 12-of-17 from the floor to finish with a season-high 27 points.

“We did a good job of moving the ball offensively, getting attempts at the basket and had a good mix of things,” Suns head Coach Terry Porter said. “I just thought defensively we did a much better job of taking the challenge really making those guys work for everything that they had at the offensive end.”

A game after a dispiriting performance against Golden State, Phoenix bounced back with vigor, racing out to a 15-2 lead in the first quarter. Despite Shaq being saddled to the bench with two quick fouls, the Suns reverted to their fast break-ways, running all over the small-ball-playing Warriors. The Suns received nine points apiece from Amar’e Stoudemire and Hill, posting 31 points in the opening period.

“I was upset with myself the last game in Golden State because I felt that I didn’t play hard,” Hill said. “I was kind of waiting for this game. I couldn’t sleep today.”

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