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Apart from the jersey No. 33, Grant Hill and Larry Bird had a lot in common that some fans didn't realize back then. That's what some of the people who have witnessed Hill and Bird's skills and approaches to the game firsthand.
The similarities between Bird and Hill were striking
Even though Grant and Larry Legend had contrasting playing styles, the intangible aspects of their game had striking similarities. Like Bird back in the day, prime Hill was also viewed as a great leader, versatile player impacting both ends of the floor and a fierce competitor.
"If you want to have a comparison of his impact on our team and the fact that when the game is on the line, we want the ball in his hands either for himself or something for someone else, then I would say that that's a fair comparison," former Pistons head coach Doug Collins said.
Former Boston Celtics forward M.L. Carr won two NBA titles with Bird. He, too, acknowledged the parallels between Hill and his former Celtics teammate.
"They have the goal to make all the guys around him better," Carr said. "They look to him so he's getting other guys involved. Larry did the same thing. If Larry Bird wanted to score 35 points a game… Grant has the ability to do that but these guys are total team players. Those qualities stand out."
Even Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn, who was a play-by-play commentator for the Celtics and later covered the NCAA extensively, saw the similarities between Hill and Bird.
"Both of them are consummate competitors and that underlies an entire guy's career where they will go out and know that they have to continue to improve, expand that game as the defense's start to learn their moves and just play the game the best they know how all the time and that's the similarities between Hill and and Larry Bird," Heinsohn assessed.
G-Hill learned to admire Bird
As it turns out, Hill was never a Bird fan growing up. In fact, he admittedly hated Larry Legend and the Celtics as he always rooted for Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.
However, that eventually changed as Hill realized how great Bird really was as a player. He didn't try to be like Bird, but Grant developed a deeper appreciation and respect for what The Hick from French Lick accomplished in his career.
"As I got older and as I began to understand the game a lot more I really appreciate it," Hill said of Bird's game. "What he did and I've gotten all the tapes almost all the tapes of with Boston played the Pistons and I've been able to watch him and really it was just beautiful to watch and the way he plays, he wasn't the most athletic guy but he was so smart and knew how to maximize what he had."
Bird and Hill's careers played out differently
Hill's rise to NBA superstardom could also be likened to Bird taking the league by storm in his time. However, the way Hill's career played out was totally different from Larry Legend's.
Unlike Larry, Grant suffered multiple injuries that essentially altered his career and prevented him from achieving more after several dominant seasons with the Detroit Pistons. On the other hand, Bird went on to become the face of the Celtics and helped the storied franchise win three more NBA titles.
Today, nobody would believe that Bird and Hill were almost the same, but their careers had similar trajectories only at one point. Even their legacies couldn't be placed in the same category. Larry is known for being successful during his playing years, while G-Hill became famous for being one of the biggest "what ifs" in NBA history.
