Detroit Pistons: Best 5 draft picks in modern franchise history
By KC Whitten
5. Grant Hill
The Pistons selected Grant Hill with the third pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. Hill won two national championships in four seasons at Duke, and was one of the most highly sought-after players entering the draft.
Hill made his impact immediately in his first season with the Pistons. Averaging 19.9 points and 5.0 assists per game, Hill shared the 1994-95 NBA Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. He was also the first Pistons rookie since Isiah Thomas to score 1,000 points.
Hill led the Pistons to the playoffs in four of his six seasons in Detroit. However, the Pistons never advanced past the first round. Entering the 2000 offseason as an unrestricted free agent, Hill agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that sent him to Orlando for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace.
The trade ultimately worked out for Detroit. Hill was plagued by injuries throughout his tenure in Orlando, and Ben Wallace became a key contributor in the Pistons’ 2003-04 championship season.