Grant Hill on USA Basketball’s Olympic preparation: ‘Everybody wanted to be a part of this’

LAS VEGAS – Thirty-two years ago, Grant Hill was part of a select team of college standouts that stunningly beat Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and USA Basketball’s senior men’s national team in a scrimmage. That USA team was nicknamed Dream Team after routing the competition in the 1992 Barcelona Games and is widely considered the greatest basketball team of all time.

As USA Basketball’s managing director, Hill has put together his own elite collection of Americans for the 2024 Paris Games led by the NBA’s career leading scorer LeBron James, the NBA’s career 3-point leader Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and many more stars. So, knowing what it would take to beat the Dream Team, could the 2024 USA Basketball squad beat Jordan & Co.?

“Comparing eras is always difficult,” Hill told Andscape. “It would be an exciting game. I’m not going to answer that question. I’m not going to incriminate myself. I don’t know. We beat them in a scrimmage. It wasn’t a real game. It’s hard to say. I don’t know.

“At this point in time, I don’t know. But ask me at the end of the Olympics.”

On April 3, 2021, USA Basketball hired Hill as the 2021-24 managing director of the USA men’s national team. Hill succeeded Jerry Colangelo as managing director after the Tokyo Games. The 1996 Olympic gold medalist is a 19-season NBA veteran who is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and won two NCAA championships at Duke University. Hill played for five USA Basketball teams, won two gold medals and one bronze medal and compiled an overall record of 26-1. Hill’s first USA Basketball team as managing director, however, finished in fourth place in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

USA Basketball plays in its first exhibition game Wednesday night against a star-studded Canadian team at T-Mobile Center. But with a group primarily of veteran NBA stars led by James, USA Basketball is expected to win its fifth-straight gold medal.

Hill took part in the following Q&A with Andscape on Monday and talked about being the first African American to hold his position with USA Basketball, James, the key to success for gold, the challenges of putting the roster together, playing against the Dream Team and much more.

As the main person that put this Olympic team together, what is it like when you see the likes of LeBron, Steph Curry, Durant, Tatum, etc., arrive?

When I landed here Wednesday, it’s like, ‘OK, it’s real.’ And then as guys started arriving, Steph got in late Thursday night and then we saw Bam [Adebayo] in [Friday] morning and guys slowly coming in, we had a welcome sort of meeting. So, it was sort of the first time that we’re all together. Tatum got in Sunday night. To see everybody together, it was a bit surreal in a way. And then [head coach] Steve [Kerr] and I, we talked to the team and we addressed them, we welcomed them. We talked about what this is, and then we all kind of went in the other room and had dinner, just real informal.

Here we are. We’re ready to go. And I think there’s a nervousness. I’m not a coach, but I went through it as a player. But now, kind of on the other side as management, there’s a nervousness for that first meeting and there’s a nervousness for the first practice. And once you get through those two firsts, you fall into the routine of it. And there may be some nervousness for our first exhibition game. But getting to [last] Saturday night, it was like, ‘OK, I can exhale a little bit and get a little rest.’

Just seeing all these guys — all this talent in the same room and all these guys are on the same team and you’ve seen some of them together in All-Star games and pickup games — but to know you’re going in the trenches with these guys and looking at them, you’re like, ‘Wow.’ Half the guys are [going to be] in the Hall of Fame and then the other half are on their way. And so, there was a little bit of awe watching them interact with each other and I respect their excitement. I sensed it when we handed out jerseys before the playoffs, the one-on-one encounters. And they were really excited almost in some cases like kids to the surprise of formally and officially being selected. To see that same excitement when they got together was really cool.

What’s the main message you and Steve gave them?

The main thing is the FIBA game is different than the NBA game. And that’s something that we will just continue to emphasize the whole way. And there’s things that we’re doing from a film standpoint, from a drilling standpoint, to just reinforce and maybe change some of our habits that work in the NBA but need to be altered a bit with FIBA competition. We told some personal stories, but it was good and I was excited to see how receptive they were. All these guys, from the time they’ve been selected, they’ve been responsive, they’ve been professional, whether it’s texting, conversations, just getting ourselves ready for this moment. It’s been impressive — their desire, their engagement, their professionalism.

How easy and hard was it to put the roster together?

That’s a great question. The way you phrased it is appropriate. It was overwhelming, the excitement and the interest from our players here in the U.S. Everybody wanted to be a part of this, and that’s a really good thing. It speaks to what the experience is, what USA Basketball is, the Olympics. Maybe it’s Paris. But it also speaks to these guys making exorbitant amounts of money and these guys wanting to be a part of this. So, we had a pool of players to pull from, which I don’t know if we’ve had that large of a pool of guys expressing interest probably in quite some time, maybe not since 2012. And so, from that standpoint, it made it great.

What was tough was that you only had 12 spots. You wish you could have had a roster of 15. You could have had a roster of 20. Because there’s so many guys that are deserving — guys that had won championships and All-Stars and won gold medals for us, guys who’ve been a part of our program — and you want to honor those guys and you want guys who have experience. We have 10 guys on this team who have had FIBA experience. We have eight guys who’ve won gold medals, whether it’s Olympic gold medals or World Cup, a World Championship in Steph’s case. So, that institutional knowledge and understanding that FIBA is different, they know, they understand that. The challenge is, it’s like a puzzle, man. You got to put the pieces together that fit and that complement. And so, as a result, you are leaving guys off who are really good and guys that I’m a fan of. I’m a fan of a number of the guys that weren’t on the team.

But a coach once told me that a team is like a piano recital. You got piano movers, You got piano tuners, and you got piano players. And you need all three to put on a good show. You can’t have all piano players. And so that may fit this or may not, but you need roles and you need guys that fit. And so it wasn’t that I didn’t like guys, it was just I got to put together a team. So, that was hard. And that was also having to tell people, call people and let them know that they’re not on the team.

So, you actually called players and told them they didn’t make the team?

I did. And if I couldn’t reach certain people, I spoke to their agents. So, as we were going around handing out jerseys, it became apparent that certain people were about to leak it. So, now we’re scrambling. I felt like these guys deserve to hear it from me. Not everyone, but certain guys. And so, I called a number of guys and had to have that conversation. And it wasn’t easy, but I think they deserved that. They all were difficult. Everyone was very professional and understanding and respectful, so there was no issue.

The main thing, though, is the guys were thrilled [to get their jerseys] and for us to capture those moments and surprise them with the jerseys, that was a nice touch and it was great that we could execute it under the radar in this day and age, which we did for the most part.

Who was the most touched by getting the USA jersey?

Symbolically, the first person I went to speak to formally about the Olympics was Joel [Embiid]. And that was back in fall of ’22, actually a week before their opening night. And I knew that earlier that year he had obtained his French citizenship and we found out that summer he obtained his U.S. citizenship. So, I called up [Philadelphia 76ers general manager] Elton Brand in early October. I said, ‘Hey, man, I got to get an audience with Joel. Can you help facilitate that or come to practice, whatever?’ Shout-out to Elton. He basically connected me and said, he wants you to come to his house. So, I went to his house …

But I didn’t know if he’d give me 10 minutes, he’d give me 30 minutes. So, I sat with him and his assistant 90 minutes. It was an incredible conversation. He was thoughtful, engaging, asked great questions. I thought he knew a lot about the logistics and Lille. He had done his homework, didn’t commit to anything. But I was just impressed with who he is. I didn’t know him that well. I interviewed him once for Inside Stuff years ago. Really smart, really thoughtful. And I felt like he really wanted to play in a FIBA competition. And so, it was a sales job, but it was also just talking and answering questions. And so, we kept in contact via text. So, I felt like, now let me go to him first. He was the first guy I spoke to. He’s the first guy. And I’m not saying there was a pecking order or anything like that, but everyone else didn’t have a choice of what country to play for. He had a choice [of us, France and Cameroon] and he chose us and it was beautiful.

So camp is beginning and there was some noise about the French team and the managing director there putting some stuff out, almost like an ultimatum, if I remember correctly. I called Elton like, ‘Hey man, training camp, I want to come see Joel. Let me know if it’s OK.’ And this was Oct. 3 and my birthday is Oct. 5. And so, Elton is like, come tomorrow. I said, ‘I’ll come to Philly.’ He said, ‘Oh, we’re in Boulder, Colorado.’ And so, I fly out to Boulder and they’re doing training camp out there. There was a beat writer there in the hotel. So, I had to act like, ‘Yeah, I’m here doing the television, I work in media. I’m here doing a little TV interview.’ But we had a little conference room and we sat and talked and a continuation of the conversation from the year before.

And I answered questions and I told him, ‘Look, we’re not giving you an ultimatum. We have time. And so, I just want you to have peace of mind with whatever decision you make. Good to have options.’ And so, he said, ‘I’ll let you know when I’m ready.’ And I flew out and he called me the next morning and said, ‘Happy birthday, I’m playing with you guys.’ Wow. So, I told my wife, ‘You got to top that birthday present!’ But it was good, Joel, they all were excited.

I did Joel, it was tough logistics. We had three or four days. Steve Kerr did Steph. Spo [USA Basketball assistant coach Erik Spoelstra] did Bam. [USA Basketball assistant coach] Ty Lue did Kawhi [Leonard]. [men’s national team director] Sean Ford did LeBron and AD [Anthony Davis] because they were in New Orleans. And then I hopped around Philly, Minnesota, got Ant [Anthony Edwards] and then KD and Book [Devin Booker]. They were there, Boston and then Indy [for Tyrese Haliburton]. They were going to get Steph after his game. I was in Philly that night. I did Joel’s game and [Golden State Warriors senior vice president of communications] Raymond Ridder was going to call me on FaceTime when they were doing the whole thing. And so literally it’s like 2:30 in the morning, I’m sleeping, I’m in the hotel in Philly. Phone rings, I wake up, and Raymond’s like, and he gives me the steps. So, I don’t know what I said, but even over the phone on FaceTime, this guy [Curry] has done everything and he was fired up. They all were. So that was really, really special.

What did you learn from your USA team finishing fourth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and did anything pain you from it?

I learned a lot. You can interview others who’ve gone through it. You can watch a ton of tape, but unless you go through that experience, it’s hard to really understand what it’s all about. And there’s just an understanding of how different the game is, how it’s officiated, how hard it is, how long it can be, how everything’s accelerated; the habits need to change. That played a lot for me in shaping this roster. And I think there’s more diversity and styles of play in the international game than there are in the NBA. Not [many] teams over there play two bigs in the paint like they did 25 years ago. We don’t see that in this game. But then you see a team like Canada who goes small and they spread it out. And so, you get different styles. We have the ability to play different styles and hopefully play well. Joel is someone that we haven’t had in years. Dwight Howard was the last true center in ’08. But Dwight was great defensively and rebound. He wasn’t necessarily offensively what Joel is. Prior to that, you got to go back to ’96 with Shaq [O’Neal], Hakeem [Olajuwon] and David Robinson.

We had some versatility. We have flexibility. We can go big, we can go small. We have shooting and we have experience. Our guys last summer were great. They gave us everything. They were young and this was their first FIBA experience and I think they’ll be better for it if they get the opportunity down the road.

You’re the first African American to be the managing director of USA Basketball. Any thoughts on that?

One hundred percent, I think about that. I’m very aware of that and I understand there’s a responsibility that comes with that. And we have to succeed. We have to have success, and not just for USA Basketball, not just for whoever might succeed me one day and having someone else being inclusive in terms of who that person is. But I just think in all sports management positions it’s important for us to have success and do it the right way. And so, there’s a burden of responsibility, an opportunity, however you want to look at it.

But I’m very conscious of it and proud of that and I’m excited for that. And this was something that I wanted, I sought this out and I’m grateful that USA Basketball strives to be inclusive. And I think not just with the staff that’s based in Colorado Springs, but with the women’s team and with 3-on-3. We should reflect the country that we represent. And USA basketball 100 percent lives that and embraces that. I’m grateful for the opportunity and that just creates opportunities for the next person of color.

Do you feel more pressure for this to succeed than anything else you have done in basketball?

One hundred percent. As a player, it’s just a different pressure. As a player, there’s pressure but then when competition starts you get lost in the game and you’re just competing. There’s a bit of an arm’s length distance between being on the management side versus being a player or even being a coach, for that matter. But it’s not just because I’m a Black man. It’s also because we’re USA. There’s an expectation in any sport for us to do well, but particularly basketball. We’re at an interesting time in the game of basketball in terms of where it’s at on a global stage. And what I mean by that, you have 30% of the NBA is international players. A number of recent MVPs are international players.

We’ve had some teams in the last 20 years on the FIBA stage who are contenders. Argentina had a great run. Spain had a great team as well. France gave us everything we could handle in ’21. Now you have five teams that believe they can contend. And so, it’s an interesting, on one hand, growth of the game, the globalization of the game, the impact of David Stern and the Dream Team in ’92 and all the moves and things that have happened since then that have inspired multiple generations. The game is now where it’s at, and it’s beautiful and it’s great for business. USA Basketball makes it a little harder. We have champions, we have legends, we have competitors. Part of why they want to do this is they want that challenge and they want to show that we could be the best.

There is 100% pressure. You feel it. I still have that bad taste in my mouth from last summer. When you play in NBA as a player and you have a game and you have a bad night, you can’t wait for that next game. And you hope it’s a back-to-back so you quickly can get that bad taste out of your mouth. You got three days in between games, so I’m ready to play again. I’m ready to go through this. And it’s a similar feeling, just a little bit more.

Getting LeBron James to join the Olympic team, what does that mean at this stage of his career and his longevity?

It’s a credit to him. At this stage with all that he’s done, he wants to do this. When Joel committed. LeBron texted me, ‘Good job.’ He’s in. Not only is he in, he’s emotionally invested. I didn’t know LeBron that well. I’m a little old school. But I’ve gotten to know him and connect with him more so over this last year. I’ve just been impressed with his passion for the game, his passion for USA Basketball and his desires. You would think he’s Year 3, never won, hungry. All that he’s done, he is approaching this as if he’s accomplished nothing. And that’s in part what makes him so unique and certainly one of the best to ever do it.

What was it like to wear that jersey as you did as a member USA Basketball’s gold medal winning team in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics?

It’s big. I was young when I wore it and probably didn’t fully appreciate it. I was the youngest guy on the team in ’96 and I just assumed that I’d have more opportunities and that was taken from me for the injuries. But growing up watching the Olympics, watching Carl Lewis, watching Mary Lou Retton, watching Edwin Moses and the ’84 Olympic team … You can represent Duke or you can represent the [Detroit] Pistons. But when you’re representing your country, there’s a real honor and there’s a privilege.

And even with some of the challenges that we have at times with our country, it’s still an honor and a privilege and it’s big. There’s a pride that comes with that. There’s a pride wearing the USA basketball polo. And I’m not an overly patriotic person, but you feel that sense [of pride]. You feel that honor when you put it on.

You mother, Janet Hill, made her impact on this country serving as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Army, a liaison to the office of the Secretary of Defense, the White House, the Congress and other government agencies and was also appointed by President Obama as a member of the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She died in 2022 knowing you were in this position with USA Basketball. What did your connection to USA Basketball mean to her?

My mom would probably be here in Vegas right now. She would definitely be in Paris with us on the trip. When COVID just happened and we all instantly shut down, this is when I kind of concocted this idea. I had heard that Jerry Colangelo and [the 2020] Olympics were to be his last. And sometimes I am an idea-a-minute. I am always thinking of interesting things, opportunities, ideas. And I remember talking to her and saying, ‘What do you think about if I pursued this? You think I’m crazy for wanting this.’ And so, she was the one that encouraged me, ‘No, you got to do it. You have to do it.’ And so, a lot was going on and the league and [NBA] bubble. And so fast-forward to a year later, ’21, I was in the bubble in Indianapolis for the Final Four. And I was getting ready to do my first game [broadcast]. I was actually at West Lafayette outside of the arena where Purdue plays. I was on the phone with someone from the board at USA basketball and they basically told me I had been selected. And the first person I called was my mom. And then she got sick later that summer.

So, she knew. She was excited. And so, she would be proud. She was proud of everything I did. But she would’ve been there. She probably would’ve been sitting on the other side of [my wife] Tamia, or maybe I would’ve been sandwich in between the two of them at the games. But she loved sports, she loved competition. She loved to go to events. She even would go to All-Star game and post up in the lobby, come to the Final Four. And there is no greater event than this.

And of course, my dad as well, my parents have always been supportive and proud. And I think my dad, he’s not flying nowhere. He’s a homebody. So, they’ve been great. He’s been great. He has been asking, ‘How do the guys look?’ It’s great to always get that support from them.

What was it like being on the Select Team that practiced against the Dream Team in 1992 and beat them in a scrimmage?

It was a while ago, but it was a different time back then as a top player in high school, even college. It’s a chance you’ve met one of these elite pros. With the exception of Christian [Laettner] and Pat Ewing because I was around Georgetown, I had never met any of these guys. I don’t think any of our guys on the Select Team had either. I had Magic’s [Johnson] poster and Michael’s [Jordan] poster on my wall in my dorm. And then next thing you know, I’m going out here and I’m playing against him. It’s a different time now.

I’ve talked to Allan Houston, [Chris] Webber, Penny [Hardaway], when I see them. That may have been the best basketball experience of my life, looking at it through the lens of a 19-year-old. And I had just won two national championships and that summer I got a chance to do that. Man, I could have retired right then and there …

The first day I guarded Michael. I just remember that feeling. I guarded him many times afterwards. We found out three weeks before and the next thing you know, I’m like, I’m guarding Michael Jordan. And look around. it’s Magic. All my heroes are right here. We spent time with them. First time I ever golfed was with Scottie Pippen. We were in the room when they were gambling. Just being around them. It wasn’t just on the court. They took us under their wing. So, we got a chance to hang out with them. And it was one of those things where the scrimmage, the time with them, you can’t even describe how incredible it was. No one believed you. You can’t even put into words what that feeling was like for all of us. It was incredible.