Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American retired basketball player. Hill played for four teams in his professional career in the National Basketball Association (NBA); the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Hill’s parents are retired NFL Pro Bowl running back Calvin Hill and Janet Hill. He and his father were Rookies of the Year in their respective sports; Hill in the NBA in 1995, and his father in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys in 1969.
While playing college basketball at Duke, he was the 1994 ACC Player of the Year, a two-time NCAA All-American, and a two-time NCAA champion. As a professional he was the 1995 NBA co-Rookie of the Year, and was a seven-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and three-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.
Throughout his college career and early in his years with the Detroit Pistons, Hill was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the game, often leading his team in points, rebounds and assists. Touted as one of the best players in Duke history, many went as far as to say that he was one of the greatest collegiate basketball players in NCAA history. Â After his first six seasons with the Pistons, in which he averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, his next twelve seasons were mostly injury plagued, as he averaged just 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. On June 1, 2013, after 19 years in the league, Hill announced his retirement from the NBA. Hill and Tony Ressler officially purchased the Atlanta Hawks on June 24, 2015 for estimated estimated $730 million – $850 million.
Grant Hill founded a private equity firm (Penta Mezzanine Fund) and leads a real estate investment (Hill Ventures) in addition to his broadcast career.
Penta Mezzanine Fund:
Penta Mezzanine Fund is a private investment firm providing $2 to $15 million customized growth capital solutions to profitable, lower-middle-market companies nationwide. We look to invest our funds in established companies operated by experienced and proven management teams with a history of building enterprise value. Penta Mezzanine Fund was created by former industry executives and experienced investors who place a high value on their relationships with management teams.
HILL VENTURES:
Hill Ventures, Inc. is the marketing and management company Grant Hill established shortly after he entered the NBA in 1994 to provide oversight of his unique business activities and marketing relationships. Hill Ventures, Inc. is responsible for managing and maintaining Hill’s marketing and promotional activities, community investment and foundation initiatives, web site content and design, real estate portfolio, personal art collection tour, and other off-the-court activities and initiatives.
ATLANTA HAWKS NEW OWNERSHIP FORMATION:
It was Grant Hill that first made the call to Tony Ressler, floating the idea of purchasing the Atlanta Hawks. The two men, the former a retired seven-time NBA All-Star and the latter one of the nation’s most successful investors, met a few years prior to the call after exploring past business ventures, but this would be the start of a more lasting professional relationship.
Grant Hill extended the pursuit of one of his off the court interests by forming a production company and has co-produced two documentary films, “Starting at the Finish Line,” chronicling the life of influential and inspirational Duke Track coach and Professor Al Buehler, and “Duke 91 & 92: Back to Back” about the 1991 and 1992 back to back Duke national championship teams. Duke 91 & 92 aired on Turner Sports’ truTV in advance of Turner Sports’ and CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, which aired exclusively on TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV.
“‘I think there might be some interest. The process might be worth looking into,'” Ressler said Hill told him over the phone. “I asked him why, we spent some time on it and we jumped right in.”
The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the Hawks sale to the Ressler-led ownership group on Wednesday afternoon, turning the page on a tumultuous, albeit wildly successful, chapter in franchise history. It also completed lengthy personal journeys for both Ressler and Hill, who were formally introduced at a news conference on Thursday, to join an exclusive group of NBA executives.
“Regardless of where things were, and there may have been some tough years and some lean years, I think the momentum that Coach Bud and Steve have generated in this past year is really impressive. You talk about timing. For us, the timing is hugely essential for us moving forward,” said Hill, who founded a private equity firm (Penta Mezzanine Fund) and leads a real estate investment (Hill Ventures) in addition to his broadcast career. “I’ve always felt that there’s tremendous upside with this franchise, a tremendous opportunity to really resonate with the community and fan base here. I think that’s starting now.
“Our job is to continue supporting these guys as they continue to lead this team into the future.”
Hill’s connection to Atlanta stretches into his childhood. He is close family friends with the city’s former mayor Andrew Young. While starring for Duke basketball, Hill said he made the drive down to the old Omni Coliseum to watch Dominique Wilkins play. He’s worked in Atlanta as a part of his broadcasting career with Turner Broadcasting. It seems like a natural fit.
Ressler went out of his way to underline the importance of heading into this process with Hill, a veteran of the NBA landscape, in the fold.
“When you have a partner like Grant Hill … and we have a bunch of high-quality partners and investors in the team, but please appreciate you have a group of us that might play on Sundays, which by the way a bunch of us do, then you have someone that’s played for 20 years at an extraordinary level, understands basketball, understands the business of basketball and understands business,” Ressler said. “I’m going to argue that’s a pretty darn good partner.”
As the principal owner, Ressler, will serve as Chair of the Hawks’ Board of Directors with final say in all decisions. Grant Hill will serve as Vice Chair.
