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NBA Legend Says He Wants To Ski More Once He Becomes an Empty Nester

Originally posted on Powder | By Matt Lorelli | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 8:38 AM ET

A confusing sign greeted me as I walked to the baggage claim area at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Monday, July 7, 2025. "Autograph Seekers Please Stand Behind Rope, Celebrities Will Pass Through", it read.

Reno is a fun town, but this was quite unusual. Why were so many celebrities landing in Reno that it would warrant a sign such as this? A logo at the bottom of the sign caught me up to speed. "Oh, that's right. It's the American Century Championship this week. Duh," I thought silently to myself.

The American Century Championship is an annual celebrity golf tournament held in South Lake Tahoe, California. Seeing as Reno is the closest major airport, the majority of the celebrity-slash-former-athletes-turned-golfers fly in and out of the Biggest Little City in the World for the tournament.

I didn't spot any celebrities during my brief time in the airport, but I saw plenty of them on Tahoe's local television channels. The roster was a who's-who of mainstream celebrities and athletes that included: Charles Barkley, Jason Kelce, Miles Teller, Steph Curry, Josh Allen, and Aaron Rodgers.

The participants can earn money for winning the tournament, but their appearances serve another purpose—positive press and media attention. Among the hundreds of podcasts, radio, and television appearances, one from Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill stood out to us at POWDER.

Hill, who stood 6'8" tall and weighed 225 pounds during his playing days isn't an ideal build for a skier, but he discussed his like of the sport during the American Century Championship.

Hill told Nevada Sports Net that he first tried skiing at Vail, Colorado shortly after he retired from the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Tap or click the video below to watch the brief segment about Hill's skiing experience, the type of trails he won't ski, and his plan to ski more often in the future.

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"I was on the magic carpet and bunny slope for the entire week, but when we came back the following year, I graduated off the bunny slope, and now, nothing reckless, you know, just greens and blues," Hill told Nevada Sports Nets about how he got into skiing.

Hill goes on to mention that his family used to go skiing every year, but that the COVID pandemic, and his daughters' busy schedules, took them away from the mountains. "I love it," Hill says about skiing, but ski trips just couldn't work out for a time.

"But," Hill says with a smirk, "We will be empty nesters soon, and hopefully my wife and I will check out the slopes here in Lake Tahoe." One of the hosts then asks Hill if he's up for trying any Black Diamonds to which he quick shuts down. "No moguls, no Black Diamonds. No, just keep it simple. I want to cruise."

Grant Hill putts at the American Century Championship on July 10, 2025.Photo: David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments

Moguls and Black Diamonds constitute some of our favorite trails here at POWDER, but considering Grant Hill is a 6'8" former NBA Hall of Famer, we're willing to give him a pass. If he wants to cruise, we're down with cruising too.

Hill's discussion about skiing was brief, but it serves as anecdotal evidence of skiing's growing popularity. Last season was the second busiest in recorded history. That doesn't happen without more folks falling in love with the sport.

Grant, if you're reading this, have your people contact my people (my people are just me, you can just contact me directly...) if you'd like to ski in the Lake Tahoe area. I've always dreamed of leading a 6'8" NBA Hall of Famer down Mountain Run at Palisades Tahoe. Let's make it hapen.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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