Grant Hill is a former NBA superstar, whose career was sadly derailed by a horrendous ankle injury. In his post-playing career, Hill has still been very active in and around the NBA.
Does Grant Hill work for the Atlanta Hawks? Grant Hill is the Vice-Chair of the Board of the Atlanta Hawks, having been a part of the group led by Tony Ressler that purchased the team in 2015.
Grant Hill is one of the most accomplished NBA and college players of all time. With Duke, Hill won back-to-back college titles in a team led by Christian Laettner, before becoming the leader of the team as they reached another NCAA final in 1994. Despite losing that game, Hill was drafted third overall.
He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and developed into a star. During his time in Detroit, Hill became a five-time All-Star, Co-Rookie Of The Year and All-NBA first team. These performances led to a huge contract with the Magic, but Hill was not the same player in Orlando due to a recurring ankle injury that was misdiagnosed.
Hill retired from the NBA in 2013 after a short stint with the Clippers. But Hill had been setting up his post-NBA career as soon as he entered the league. Hill began investing in real estate as soon as he was drafted, through his company Hill Ventures. It became incredibly successful and Hill was able to build a wealthy portfolio.
He put this portfolio to good use, firstly in 2014. Hill and American businessman Tony Ressler put in a $1.2 billion bid for the Los Angeles Clippers who had been put on the market by the NBA after Donald Sterling was banned from the NBA. Sadly for the pair, they could not compete with the $2 billion offer from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
But this did not dismay Hill and Ressler and they were quickly looking for more opportunities to become NBA owners. Thankfully for them, the group led by Bruce Levenson was looking to sell the Atlanta Hawks and the two groups agreed on a sale estimated to be around $850 million.
It is hardly surprising that this bid was less than the bid for the Clippers, as the economic advantages of Los Angeles massively outweigh Atlanta. The bid was successful and Grant Hill became an NBA co-owner. While his exact investment into the Hawks is unknown, Hill was
still treated like a partner by the group’s leader, Tony Ressler.
Part of that partnership was Hill becoming the vice-chair of the board for the Atlanta Hawks. It means that Hill helps to make some of the big decisions regarding the Hawks. Hill is the right-hand man of Ressler who is the principal owner and chair of the board of directors.
The board of directors of an NBA team do not have massive control over the day-to-day decision, delegating these decisions to different executives and coaches. The main thing the board will do is make the big decisions regarding the Hawks, as well as recruitment decisions.
As Hill does not make big decisions, he tends to ask slightly more as a spokesperson for the team, often being seen at Hawks games as well as doing lots of things with media around the Hawks. Being a former NBA superstar means that he is the perfect spokesperson for the team.
What is Grant Hill’s Job?
While Grant Hill is most commonly known as a former NBA superstar, he is certainly doing a lot more than that since retiring from the NBA. Grant Hill is now an entrepreneur and team owner, commentator and executive.
One of his most major roles is as vice-chair of the board of the Atlanta Hawks, having been part of the group that purchased the team in 2015. This is not the only way that Hill is still involved in the NBA.
Since his retirement, Grant Hill has become a commentator for a few different networks covering NBA and NCAA basketball. Having had incredible success in the NCAA, Hill became a game analyst for the NCAA final four and national championship game in 2015. He joined the legendary Jim Nantz to commentate throughout the tournament.
The 2015 tournament coverage went so well that Hill has covered the final four and the national championship game ever since. One of his highlights in this coverage is famously setting up Villanova’s buzzer-beater in the 2016 final.
Hill has also had roles in NBA coverage. Hill mainly does his NBA work for the TNT network, joining their coverage of the NBA playoffs not long after Hill retired. One of Hill’s most notable roles during his NBA coverage is NBA Inside Stuff.
For three years, Hill became one of the hosts of NBA Inside Stuff alongside Kristen Ledlow and the legendary Shaquille O’Neal. Sadly, the show ended in 2016 but this did not end his commentary career. Hill continues to work as an analyst for NBA TV as well as providing commentary for a selection of regular season and playoff games for TNT.
Hill would also consider himself a real estate investor, having begun investing in 1994 almost as soon as he was drafted. Hill continues to make smart moves through his company Hill Ventures. This all seems like more than enough to call a job, but recently Hill took another big role.
On the 1st of January 2021, the USA Basketball Board of Directors approved Grant Hill as the next managing director of the USA Men’s National Team. Hill also had a huge amount of success with the USA Men’s National Team, being part of the 1996 team that won the gold medal in Atlanta, Georgia.
Considering just how good Hill was with the USA, it is no surprise that Hill succeeded Jerry Colangelo in this role. Hill is fit for the role as he will be the one to make the big decisions for the USA Men’s basketball team. He is looking to bring another gold medal to the USA team, having won gold in the last four straight Olympics.