On Jan. 16, 2003, Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill enthusiastically suited up for what would be his final matchup against Michael Jordan , who was playing for the Washington Wizards. Having undergone three ankle surgeries in three years, Hill knew MJ had a slight advantage over him but was determined to give the GOAT an epic duel.
Unfortunately, 12 minutes into the game, Hill felt excruciating pain. He badly wanted to prove to Jordan who he was for the last time, but his recurring injury outweighed his burning competitive fire.
"I wanted to go against Jordan. I knew that it was probably my last time playing against him. I knew going into the game it was fractured. I'd known that few games before that. But this time, I couldn't really move," Hill said on Beyond The Glory: Grant Hill .
Hill had to sit the whole year out
Hill was prompted to leave the game and never came back. Jordan went on to log a game-high 32 points to lift the Wizards to a blowout 108-93 victory over the Magic .
After the missed opportunity to battle Jordan, "Mr. Nice" received even more devastating news. His injury meant he had to sit out for the rest of the season and the following one. Despite being mentally competitive and prepared, Hill had to watch MJ enjoy the final season of his legendary career from the sidelines.
In the 2004-05 season, Hill managed to return healthier than ever. He earned his seventh All-Star selection and finished the year with 19.7 points per game.
Hill and Jordan are not done yet
Grant may have never had another opportunity to take on Jordan again since 2003, but their rivalry remained strong. In fact, Hill revealed that he and MJ even traded barbs at the NBA 75 ceremony in 2021.
Hill knew he couldn't talk trash with MJ about their NBA careers. However, "Mr. Nice," said he gave Jordan a couple of jabbers about how his Duke edged MJ's UNC in a game a few weeks before the NBA 75 ceremony.
"I saw [Michael Jordan] in Cleveland at the NBA 75 ceremony," Hill once revealed. "So I was talking all types of trash. I was in his face, and I was like, 'Oh man,' like, you know? I'm giving it to him, and he's like, 'Man, you weren't talking trash when we were good.' And I would say, 'Yes, I was. I was talking trash because when you guys were good, we were good, too.' And, so, we were going back and forth in the hallway."
For clarity, Hill never hated Jordan, and "His Airness" doesn't have a reason to hate "Mr. Nice." However, they both respect that neither of them would ever back down from each other on and off the court.
Related: "It was uncomfortable, I didn't feel like I was ready for that" - How Grant Hill dealt with the pressure of being MJ's successor
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