As a player with a solid longevity in the NBA, Grant Hill played against all kinds of players. This included a matchup between Prime Michael Jordan and Prime Kobe Bryant. As their main defensive matchup, Hill provided insight into defending them.
Grant Hill had an eventful NBA career after a college stint at Duke University. Most basketball fans considered him the next superstar, but injuries derailed his stardom. Despite that fall, he was still a multiple NBA All-Star.
The team trusted him to be an offensive star and defend his toughest matchup. This includes playing against champion-level players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Hill recovered and had a long career so he was able to play against both players during their prime.
As one of the players with that unique perspective, Hill made sure to talk about it.
As a player with a high basketball IQ, Hill had to learn how to play against these two superstars. These were two of the toughest games in NBA history.
Hill understood both challenges, but he rarely locked them in. They were too good to stop, but Hill was able to slow them down from time to time. Their greatness was too great for the defenders to lock down.
Hill is deep in the nuance of protecting these two superstars. It wasn’t a conversation about who took the final shot. That was their overall game rating. Jordan set the standard and Bryant followed in his footsteps to suit him well.
“I always felt that Jordan was more efficient. Jordan got what he wanted (with his shot).
“Jordan, who played against both, will get 30-35-40 with the rhythm and flow of the triangle attack.”
“Kobe does anything. He wasn’t going to trust the attack all the time. He could break it and go, he could do so, he had a green light.”
Jordan and Bryant are two of the best players in the game, even if their fans clash with each other. With their impressive resume, it is difficult to oppose either player. They deserve the praise they received over the years.
Hill is one of the players who fully appreciate both. He knew what it was like to play against greatness. The former Duke Blue Devil was also a great player of his own, so he knows how to become a star.
Most NBA players who played against both Jordan and Bryant would agree. They couldn’t deny that their matchups had the best possible defense. It was how talented both Jordan and Bryant were in their NBA careers.
They had similar playstyles, but they had different situations. Jordan was more effective and efficient in shotmaking, but Bryant tended to force the problem. It was a fun dynamic to think about, but both players remain great stars.