Grant Hill has seen the NCAA men’s basketball tournament from almost every angle. In four years at Duke under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, Hill was a two-time National Champion. The seven-time NBA All-Star is currently co-owner and Vice Chair of the Board for the Atlanta Hawks, as well as a broadcaster on CBS’ lead announcing team alongside Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, and Tracy Wolfson.
Below is an excerpt from our sitdown with Hill.
What does the intensity and pressure of an NCAA tournament feel like?
If you go back to my playing days, it was very different — we were more in a bubble. The magnitude and coverage has increased over the last almost 30 years. Nowadays, it’s so much more overwhelming, and it’s gotta be challenging for these young men and women to really lock in. We didn’t have that kind of distraction, even though there was incredible pressure.
What’s something that people might not know about Coach K?
I think a lot of people know him. He’s a relationship coach. He’s a guy that takes the time to learn about his players and connect with them on a deeper level. Part of his genius is his people skills. He did it on the stage at USA Basketball with some of the great NBA players.
“The Shot” is one of the most legendary plays in college basketball history. Are there any overlooked or forgotten aspects from that game?
I still get nervous when I see that shot. One of the things — and it’s probably why I didn’t watch [the full game] — was that I feel like we got complacent. We were up double-figures with 10 minutes left and left the door open. We almost hurt our chances of making history.
How do you feel about Duke’s prospects of winning it all this year?
I’m a Dukie, everyone knows that. But I do think this year’s team has the ability and the talent. There’s no better coach in terms of getting a team prepped and ready for a long run and a championship. If they made it to the Final Four, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
Read the full Hill conversation here.
— Doug Greenberg
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