'One of the first words my daughter learned to say was 'ankle'' - Grant Hill on how the injuries affected his private life

When watching a YouTube highlight reel of the great Grant Hill, it's easy to see why fans and analysts rightfully claimed he could be the next Michael Jordan. The 6'8" athletic and highly skilled wing was the prototype of a modern bucket-getter but also a player who was impactful on both ends of the court. Unfortunately, instead of becoming a multi-time MVP and Champion, Hill became one of the greatest "What If?" stories in basketball history.

The Detroit Pistons selected "G-Money" with the third pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. Right out of the gate, Grant was firing on all cylinders, earning the Co-Rookie of the Year award alongside Jason Kidd and being selected to the All-Star team. From 1995-2000, the Duke product ranked among the top 10 in MVP voting and averaged upwards of 20 points per game.

Hill played through injury

In 2000, Hill was coming off his best season since entering the league and led the Pistons into the playoffs. However, everything came crashing down when Hill re-injured his ankle in the first-round series against the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, the athletic wing was never the same after that.

From 2000 through 2004, "Mr. Nice" had five ankle surgeries—an absurd number for anyone hoping to make any sort of comeback. During those four seasons, Hill suited up for just 57 games with his new team, the Orlando Magic. But beyond his basketball career, his personal life suffered too, as Grant explained in an interview with SLAM about how this injury affected his family.

"I've come to realize that my days as a sandal model are never to be," he said half-jokingly. "In the summertime, I just don't look good with the shorts, and the ankle socks. It's going to stick out. But I'm proud of it now, and it's the part of what I've been through. It's pretty sad, though—one of the first words my daughter learned to say was 'ankle.' That tells you how it's affected all of us."

Things got even worse

As if adding salt to the wound of an already difficult situation, Hill's condition significantly worsened after an invasive surgery meant to realign his ankle with his leg bone. Soon after, Grant struggled with a high fever, later identified as stemming from a potentially fatal infection. With yet another operation and a week of strong antibiotics, "G-Money" felt he was at the edge, losing the will to ever play the sport he had given so much for.

"I was so down, I just said, 'Forget it, I don't want to play anymore,'" Hill stated at the time. "I'm thinking, 'Man, why does it come to this?' That was the lowest point."

After all the ups and downs, the Duke product managed to stabilize his career, though he could never return to his pre-injury form, which was to be expected. Despite all the struggles, Hill can rightfully be called a Hall of Famer, as he was inducted in 2018.