The New York Knicks lost the chance to sign two-time NCAA champion Grant Hill following the 1999-2000 season. In a resurfaced clip, Grant explained the unexpected reason why he ended up staying in Detroit.
Hill, 51, appeared on the “All The Smoke” podcast with retired NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in June 2022. The conversation included Hill reflecting on the Knicks trying to recruit him.
In 2000, Grant Hill invited Knicks representatives to Detroit for free agent negotiations. According to Hill, the franchise played a tape featuring celebrities like comedian Jerry Seinfeld and actor Leon Robinson to convince him to join the team.
“I always wanted to play in New York,” Hill told Barnes and Jackson. “So Leon … he’s on the video. He’s like, ‘Gee, you think the women are nice in Detroit, wait until you come to New York.'”
The Atlanta Hawks co-owner continued, “Tamia was like, ‘Oh, hell nah! Turn that tape off!’ Till this day, she’s like, ‘You’d think New York would’ve watched the tape.’ So New York didn’t happen.”
Hill previously spoke about how Leon’s pitch turned off Tamia to the idea of moving to the Big Apple. The New York Daily News quoted him telling the same story in a May 2010 article.
“Looking back, it was funny,” Hill said. “[Leon] told me that if I came to New York, I’ll have loads of women. My wife just looked at me. She wasn’t smiling.”
Ultimately, the Detroit Pistons re-signed Hill to a seven-year, $92.8 million contract before trading him to the Orlando Magic for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace.
Grant Hill only played 47 games for the Magic during his first three years in Orlando due to ankle injuries. He missed the entire 2003-04 season.
The 1995 NBA Co-Rookie of the Year played six seasons with the Magic before signing with the Phoenix Suns in 2007. His career also featured 29 games with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2012–2013 season.
Grant Hill married Canadian R&B singer Tamia in July 1999. The celebrity couple have two children, 22-year-old MMA fighter Myla Hill and 17-year-old collegiate soccer player Lael Rose Hill.
Grant Hill gives some credit to another R&B songstress for Tamia eventually becoming his spouse. Fellow Detroit Pistons All-Star Isiah Thomas’ jersey retirement ceremony in 1996 featured Grammy Award winner Anita Baker singing the national anthem.
During his appearance on “All The Smoke,” Hill recalled meeting Baker at a reception for the event celebrating Thomas. The Duke University graduate credited the “Rapture” album creator for planting seeds that inspired his relationship with Tamia.
Baker met Tamia at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards and suggested Grant Hill would be a good romantic match for the “Missing You” performer. Hill stated, “It’s a good story to say Anita hooked us up. It’s partially true.”
Hill finished his 18-season NBA tenure with 17,137 points, 6169 rebounds, and 4252 assists. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2018 class.
