What would Duke’s legacy be if the Blue Devils never got the ball rolling with back-to-back championships in the early 90s? Well, we’d know if Hall of Famer Grant Hill had chosen to go a different route.
Appearing on the “Rich Eisen Show,” Hill detailed just how close he was to becoming a Michigan Wolverine.
[I] actually made a visit to the University of Michigan the week, the weekend after they won the Final Four. I was a junior in high school, and… when I made my visit to Duke later that year, at the beginning of my senior year, I was supposed to go up to Michigan, and that was the weekend that Michigan played Notre Dame [in football].
And so my dad wanted me to wait one more week before I made a decision, so he could go and be on the sidelines with Bo [Schembechler] at the Michigan game. And I think I broke his heart by saying no, I’m ready to commit to Duke right now.
Imagine a world where Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose played together in those baggy shorts and black socks… legendary.
Ultimately, that’s not what happened though. And it seemingly worked out for all parties involved.
Hill ended up choosing Coach K and the Blue Devils where he starred next to Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, winning two national championships and going to become the third pick in the 1994 NBA Draft.