Grant Hill and Jason Kidd Retiring from NBA
Basketball legends Grant Hill and Jason Kidd have both announced their retirement from the NBA.
Hill has played 18 seasons, with the Pistons, Magic, Suns, and Clippers.
But his heyday was with the Pistons, where he avergaed 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists during his first six seasons.
Hill’s career with the Magic, Suns and Clippers may not have produced the same highlights as his Piston days, but the 40-year-old’s perseverance through injury commanded the respect of his NBA peers. Hill never reached the NBA Finals, but helped the Suns reach the Western Conference Finals in 2010. The Suns had the eventual NBA champs even after the first four games, but ultimately fell in six games.
Off the court, Hill has been a model of stability. He’s been honored several times for his community service work and has been married to R&B singer Tamia since 1999.
His next stop could be the Hall of Fame but for now, it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more of Hill on future NBA broadcasts.
Meanwhile, another NBA great – Jason Kidd – has decided to hang it up after 19 seasons.
“I think it is the right time,” Kidd told ESPNNewYork.com. “When you think about 19 years, it has been a heckuva ride. Physically, I want to be able to participate in activities with my kids so it has taken a toll. It is time to move on and think about maybe coaching or doing some broadcasting.
“Jeff [Schwartz] and I and my family had been talking this past weekend,” Kidd added of his agent. “We talked a lot and we felt it was the right time to move on and so we notified the Knicks. They were kind of taken aback. We told them [earlier] that I wanted to come back and play. But this weekend was when we got a chance to relax [and really think about it]. It is the right thing to do.”
Kidd, 40, leaves the game as a sure-fire Hall of Fame point guard. The 10-time All-Star led the NBA in assists five times and finished second all-time in assists and steals behind John Stockton.
Two incredible players; both leaving behind very impressive legacies.
