Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson took to Twitter to express his admiration for Grant Hill, invoking the names of some of the best players to ever lace them up in comparison to the new Hall of Famer.

“If it wasn't for an injury while playing in the NBA, Grant Hill would have gone down as one of the best all-around NBA players the game has ever seen,” Johnson said in a tweet on Friday. “Before his injury, he was doing things that we've only seen from Michael, Kobe and LeBron.”

Hill was thought to be the likely heir to Michael Jordan after he had initially retired from the game ahead of the 1994-95 season, when Hill was drafted with the third overall pick by the Detroit Pistons.

Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
Nike Kobe FC Barcelona, Nike Air Force 1, Kobe Air Force 1, Nike Kobe Barcelona
Kobe Bryant x FC Barcelona x Nike Air Force 1 first lookDominik Zawartko ·
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) inbound the ball in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers make final Bronny James Summer League decisionJulian Ojeda ·
Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) drives to the basket against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Mouhamed Dioubate (10) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.
Egor Demin addresses Luka Doncic comparisons after Nets’ selectionJulian Ojeda ·
North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) reacts in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at UD Arena.
Lakers make multiple signings following NBA DraftDavid Yapkowitz ·
A; Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Dixon (43) drives to the basket against Connecticut Huskies forward Liam McNeeley (30) during the first half at Madison Square Garden.
Lakers land NCAA top scorer with interesting 1st move after NBA DraftDavid Yapkowitz ·
LA Lakers player Bronny James with the LA Lakers arena in the background. G League South Bay roster road trip
Potential Cooper Flagg-Bronny James faceoff gets a dateAbdullah Imran ·

The Duke standout broke barriers in college and in the NBA, becoming the first rookie athlete among all four major sports to lead an All-Star Game voting, edging big man sensation Shaquille O'Neal in the process.

“Grant Hill was an once in a lifetime type of player because he dominated college basketball winning back to back NCAA Championships with Duke,” added Magic Johnson in another tweet.

Grant Hill played in the NBA for 18 seasons, but only shined during his first six with Detroit, hampered by a myriad of injuries upon his move to the Orlando Magic at the turn of the century, never fully regaining his full strength as a dominant player after playing only 47 games during the next three seasons.

He will be recognized in the Naismith Hall of Fame today, along with other greats like Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Maurice Cheeks.