The full, frank story of a remarkable life's journey--to the pinnacle
of success as a basketball player, icon, and entrepreneur, to the depths
of personal trauma and back, to a place of flourishing and peace--made
possible above all by a family's love
Grant Hill always had game. His choice of college was a subject of
national interest, and his arrival at Duke University cemented the
program's arrival at the top. In his freshman year, he led the team to
its first NCAA championship, and three championship appearances in four
years. His Duke career produced some of the most iconic moments in
college basketball history, and Coach K proved to be a lifelong mentor.
Later, as one of the NBA's best players and a new face of the Detroit
Pistons franchise, Hill was the first person with the potential to give
Michael Jordan a run for his money, not just as a player but as a brand.
His $45 million rookie contract was almost the least of it. He turned
down Nike for Fila, and soon Method Man and Tupac Shakur were wearing
his shoes.
Hill writes candidly about all of it, including the transactional
impermanence of life in the league and the isolation caused by his
growing fame. His parents and friends helped ground him, and eventually
he met a gifted musician named Tamia. The love he found with her and the
arrival of their two beautiful daughters would be his rock as a brutal
and mysterious injury sidelined him, coinciding with his wife's own
serious health struggles.
With openness and insight, Hill relates his entire path, including
post-career highlights like his Hall of Fame induction, co-ownership of
the Atlanta Hawks, the directorship of the USA Basketball Men's National
Team, and even a yearly gig calling the Final Four. Hill's father,
Calvin, used to tell him that there were always a lot of reasons but
never any excuses, and Game is a distillation of a lifetime's effort
to understand the reasons--the good and the bad. At his hardest moments,
Hill sought out wisdom from others, stories of inspiration and
overcoming obstacles. Now, with Game, he has returned the favor.