It’s Not the Shoes: A History of Hoopers Injured in Celebrated Sneakers

Grant Hill – FILA GH Line

photo via Sole Collector

Grant Hill is one of the greatest talents the game has ever seen. A class act on and off the court, his well-rounded game and clean image made him one of the most marketable and popular players of the 1990s. How popular you ask? In his first two NBA seasons, he led the league in All-Star votes, becoming the first rookie to do so in his first year, only topping that accolade in his second season by beating out the recently un-retired Michael Jordan in votes. Yes, that’s Space Jam starring, ring winning, high-flying Michael Jordan we all know. Simply put, Grant Hill was new, likable and just that good.

Near the end of his sixth season, Hill would suffer an ankle injury right before the playoffs. He would play on the hurt ankle to help his team, but eventually re-injure it for what would be a nagging problem over the course of his following seasons in Orlando. Some skeptics, namely Charles Barkley, blamed the injury on Hill wearing FILA sneakers rather than Nikes. Just the same, Hill had racked up Rookie of the Year, All-NBA and All-Star honors in those same FILAs.

Hill would find the fountain of youth in Phoenix, playing in 81 games plus postseason and preseason action during the 2009-10 season. Oddly enough, he would do so in the Nike Hyperize – a shoe supposedly banned by one team’s training staff. So, in the case of shoes vs. injuries who really knows? Hard to put any blame on the shoes in Hill’s case, but more likely a credit to Hill and the successful, unorthodox methods of the Suns training staff.