Will Hill and Billups Receive Hall Passes?

DENVER -- Even though he is a small forward, Phoenix's Grant Hill found himself guarding Denver point guard Chauncey Billups late in Saturday's game at the Pepsi Center. The score was close so there was little time for banter.

But perhaps some day late in the next decade Hill and Billups will run into each other at Kinko's while touching up their resumes for the Hall of Fame. There might be plenty of time to talk about how they're both non-traditional candidates for the Hall.

Hill looked to have a sure-fire Hall pass when he came out of Duke in 1994 and starred for six seasons for Detroit. But Hill, after signing with Orlando in 2000, had numerous ankle problems that nearly wrecked his career. Between 2000-04, he played in just 47 of 264 possible games.

But Hill rebounded to be named to a seventh All-Star Game with the Magic in 2004-05. Since then, while no longer a star, he's been a very functional player.

While Hill, 37, probably isn't going to add much to his credentials for the Hall, Billups, 33, regularly is updating his resume. He's a good bet to make his fifth straight All-Star appearance in February, which would be staggering since he didn't make his first visit until his ninth season.

Anybody who thought early in Billups' career he would get a sniff of the Hall of Fame was sniffing glue. After being drafted in 1997, Billups was with six teams in his first six seasons. But he found a home in 2002 with Detroit, leading the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and being named Finals MVP. He's been one of the league's top point guards ever since.

"You kind of leave that to the media and the barber shops,'' Hill said of Hall of Fame debates. "It's a matter of opinion.''

Considering this article fits in with one of the above forums, let the debate begin.

"I don't know,'' Hill, who has a career scoring average of 18.3, said of his Hall chances. "Certainly my injuries took away maybe a good chance of it happening. You could argue against it and say that I wasn't healthy for a long period of time. But I did have six or seven years of health, with All-Star Games, and the college stuff.''

Yes, college counts for this hall. Hill was an All-American, and helped Duke to NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992 and a runner-up finish in 1994. That's why the opinion here is Hill has done enough to get to Springfield, Mass.

As for Billups, he has some more work to do. But Billups, whose game isn't based primarily on quickness and jumping, is showing no signs of slowing down. The opinion here is Billups, whose overall career conjures up some memories of Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, eventually will do enough to be inducted.

It must be mentioned Hill and Billups are two of the classiest guys to play in the NBA in recent years. That can't hurt whenever the secret Hall of Fame selectors get ready to make calls on them.

"Obviously, I would love to say yes,'' Billups, who has a career averages of 15.1 points and 5.6 assists, said about whether he considers himself a future Hall of Famer. "I would hope so. I don't think my averages or my numbers per se is like Hall of Fame because my first five years I didn't really play much. But I think that success I have had in my career after that start is Hall of Fame worthy. But I really can't honestly tell you that I'm definitely a Hall of Famer.

"I would love to confidently say, 'Yeah.' I can't confidently say that. I think that, if maybe I would get another championship, maybe 'Yeah, for sure' ... That would be the ultimate (to make the Hall).''

Interestingly, Billups and Hill differ on the desire to one day be enshrined.

"That was something to think about, something to shoot for (as a young player),'' said Hill, whose Suns ended up falling 105-99 Saturday at Denver. "I think just getting hurt and going through all the stuff I went through, it's not important. Certainly, if it would happen, it would be great. If it doesn't happen, I'm certainly more proud of getting back and playing than making the Hall of Fame. I don't mean to say anything negative about the Hall of Fame and minimize its importance, but opportunities are a little different after (a career) is almost taken from you.''

That was the case with Hill, who bolted to Orlando after a run in Detroit in which he was named Rookie of the Year, played in five All-Star games and was named to the All-NBA first team once and the second team four times. Ankle problems, which included a potentially fatal infection, nearly ended his career.

But Hill bounced back to average 19.7 points for Orlando in his comeback season of 2004-05. He had some more injury problems the next season. But Hill, believe it or not, has played in an iron-man-like 106 consecutive games for the Suns.

"He's been a guy who has just been fighting through the injuries,'' said Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry. "A lot of people would have given it up. ... I think he is (a Hall of Famer). At the peak of his career, he was as good as anybody.''

After pondering some more about the Hall of Fame, Hill starts to agree with his coach.

"I'll put my (first) six years up against anybody's ... Bill Walton (made the Hall of Fame). How many years did he play healthy?"
- Grant Hill "Sometimes I forget until maybe I watch a video or two (of his pre-injury days),'' said Hill, averaging 12.0 points this season, "I'm not going to sell myself or something like that, but I feel confident enough and not sounding arrogant that, if I hadn't have gotten hurt, I probably would (be a sure-fire Hall of Famer).

"I'll put my (first) six years up against anybody's ... Bill Walton (made the Hall of Fame). How many years did he play healthy? Who knows? I'll keep my fingers crossed.''

Hill brings up a good point. While Hill has played in 811 career NBA games, the often-injured Walton only managed to get into 468.

Walton, like Hill, won two NCAA titles, although Walton was one of the greatest college players ever. Walton did win two NBA titles and an MVP trophy, while Hill hasn't broken into either of those categories.

Still, Walton can give Hill some hope. And Billups, averaging 17.8 points and 5.8 assists on the season, can get some hope from intangibles that landed Dumars, also once a classy team-oriented Pistons guard, in the Hall.

Dumars had a career scoring average of 16.1 and got into six All-Star Games, a number Billups looks able to reach. Dumars also won a Finals MVP award. But unlike Billups, whose Pistons lost in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals when Billups was in position to pick up a second MVP trophy, Dumars was able to win a second ring.

Dumars was named once to the All-NBA second team and twice to the third team. Billups also has one second-team selection and two on the third team.

"Those kinds of things would certainly go into consideration,'' Billups said of Dumars, who as a Detroit executive signed him as a free agent in 2002, having landed in the Hall. "It makes my case better. But I got some things to do and I think I can still prove some things at this point. If I continue to do that, then maybe that will make my case stronger.''

It should be noted Gentry believes Billups is a no-brainer for the Hall. Feeling the same way is Billups' coach, George Karl, who pointed out a streak few players in history have been able to match.

"Chauncey's record of having made the conference finals the last seven years is incredible,'' Karl said of Billups' six straight appearances with Detroit followed by one last season with Denver.

Karl said he would "put Chauncey on top of Grant'' as a Hall candidate, although he does "love'' Hill. Still, it must be said it's hard for Karl, a North Carolina graduate, to be too objective about a Dookie.

As for Hill and Billups, each is pushing for the other to one day to get a Hall call.

"He has a lot of merit. Chauncey's a great player,'' Hill said.

"Nobody can't say (Hill) was one of the best players at one time,'' Billups said.

If the Basketball Hall of Fame doesn't beckon, certainly the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame will. Hill was the best player in Detroit for six straight years. Then, after a two-year break, Billups was the best player in Detroit for six straight years.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson.