What can Grant Hill do?

[Diesel]

We're talking about a winning environment in Atlanta.  I realize that Hill knows something about that.  However, the real winners in Atlanta are Bud and Koonin.  Is there any room for Grant Hill to embrace and be embraced by the City?  Even though he's a minor owner, he's still a recognizable face from the NBA.  He's on NBATV.  He's popular throughout the league.  If you were his advisor, what would you tell Grant Hill to do to make himself a part of the culture and the city?

[DrReality]

Give us more respect than Nique.

[Diesel]

Give us more respect than Nique.

 

???

I don't know what you mean.  Nique is well respected, the question is has he been used well?  Well, I shoiuldn't say well respected, the fans don't seem to respect Nique much, but I applaud Koonin for making Nique a statue as part of building a winning culture.   You have to celebrate your heroes... not berate them.  Magic was never berated by the Lakers.  Bird never by the Celtics and Isaiah never berated by the Pistons.  Aside from all the transients in the greatest city in the world, we have a lot of cynics also.  People who are so bitter over the past that they can't move forward.   The new ownership has a large job on their hands.  Which gets back to the original question... 

If we're building a winning culture, what can Grant Hill do to facilitate such a thing?

  Bud and Koonin may not be forever, but Hill is a temporarily permanent part of this franchise now.  I would hope that there are some plans ahead for him to endear himself to the city and the fans and not become a berated superstar.

[Guest]

Hill never played for the Hawks so there's that. He has no tie to the Hawks history like Nique.

All Hill has to be is not be the ASG. Quiet owners who keep the pocket books open would be best. Meddling in everyday bball ops etc. Is never a good thing.

[bird_dirt]

He can get the team a great deal on an AT&T family plan.

[macdaddy]

What he can do is obvious.  Sit courtside in a nice suit at every home game.   Old white guys sitting down there isn't interesting to anybody but Grant is a recognizable nba star that owns the team.   People like knowing the owners care.  It'll be like having a classy, well dressed Mark Cuban.  A franchise leader.   I think behind the scenes he'll be doing real work but as far as what he'll mean to the fans this is it.   

[capstone21]

Talk about us on NBA Inside Stuff :P

[Guest]

Talk about us on NBA Inside Stuff :P

With yummy Ledlow :-)

[lethalweapon3]

He'll represent the Hawks well at any multicultural civic outreach functions in the area, and help the org build new corporate and small-biz ties, via the Metro Atlanta Chamber across the street. 

 

Also, Grant hails from the DMV. If we need an ace-in-the-hole to help extol the virtues of Hawks basketball (and living in ATL) to any particular DMV-raised free agent stars in the near future, well...

 

~lw3

[Randy]

I've wondered a little if the Nique statue was really a goodbye present.  Is he still a part owner?  Or team exec?  Could be Hill takes over his role as the elder statesman of the franchise.

[pimp]

hmmm I'f he's still on NBATV , and those other shows, he has the chance to talk with a lot other teams players ,.
Maybe off -camera he can do some secret recruiting.  

[Gray Mule]

Publicity.  Will GH be able to promote the Hawks outside the 285 corridor?

 

Where I live in WNC, it's no trouble to see Braves clothing, especially caps.

We see some Falcon stuff too.  I have never saw a cap or shirt with the Hawks

on it in any stores in the area.

 

If they were available, not many would even bother to purchase them because

there is no promotion.

 

Grant Hill could be the spokes person who gets the promotion ball rolling.

[hazer]

GH gives Hawks an intelligent, likable, knowledgeable, articulate "face" of ownership for television, interviews, courtside, charity, so forth. Compare that to Gearon Jr. Huge improvement on that front...

[DrReality]

???

I don't know what you mean. Nique is well respected, the question is has he been used well? Well, I shoiuldn't say well respected, the fans don't seem to respect Nique much, but I applaud Koonin for making Nique a statue as part of building a winning culture. You have to celebrate your heroes... not berate them. Magic was never berated by the Lakers. Bird never by the Celtics and Isaiah never berated by the Pistons. Aside from all the transients in the greatest city in the world, we have a lot of cynics also. People who are so bitter over the past that they can't move forward. The new ownership has a large job on their hands. Which gets back to the original question...

If we're building a winning culture, what can Grant Hill do to facilitate such a thing?

Bud and Koonin may not be forever, but Hill is a temporarily permanent part of this franchise now. I would hope that there are some plans ahead for him to endear himself to the city and the fans and not become a berated superstar.

He was caught on video getting into a scuffle after a game and he publicly lambasted DF. Neither earned him respect. And adds for a title loan company. Come on man. Not classy

[Blazemore]

Publicity.  Will GH be able to promote the Hawks outside the 285 corridor?

 

Where I live in WNC, it's no trouble to see Braves clothing, especially caps.

We see some Falcon stuff too.  I have never saw a cap or shirt with the Hawks

on it in any stores in the area.

 

If they were available, not many would even bother to purchase them because

there is no promotion.

 

Grant Hill could be the spokes person who gets the promotion ball rolling.

 

Same where I live. There are honestly more Lakers and Lebron fans around here than Hawks fans.

 

Also on a random side-note when I was at the airport I saw a lot of Braves gear and some Falcons gear but no Hawks gear. To be fair, I certainly wasn't looking, I'm sure if I looked I could find some but I feel like you shouldn't have to, especially when we are coming off of a 60 win season.

 

I mean, I saw at Supersonics hat at the Seattle airport...

[atlhawks1]

???

I don't know what you mean.  Nique is well respected, the question is has he been used well?  Well, I shoiuldn't say well respected, the fans don't seem to respect Nique much, but I applaud Koonin for making Nique a statue as part of building a winning culture.   You have to celebrate your heroes... not berate them.  Magic was never berated by the Lakers.  Bird never by the Celtics and Isaiah never berated by the Pistons.  Aside from all the transients in the greatest city in the world, we have a lot of cynics also.  People who are so bitter over the past that they can't move forward.   The new ownership has a large job on their hands.  Which gets back to the original question... 

If we're building a winning culture, what can Grant Hill do to facilitate such a thing?

  Bud and Koonin may not be forever, but Hill is a temporarily permanent part of this franchise now.  I would hope that there are some plans ahead for him to endear himself to the city and the fans and not become a berated superstar.

 

Loosen up his collar and have fun...............

 

 

[Diesel]

What he can do is obvious.  Sit courtside in a nice suit at every home game.   Old white guys sitting down there isn't interesting to anybody but Grant is a recognizable nba star that owns the team.   People like knowing the owners care.  It'll be like having a classy, well dressed Mark Cuban.  A franchise leader.   I think behind the scenes he'll be doing real work but as far as what he'll mean to the fans this is it.   

 

So you mean, pull a Michael Jordan?

[Jody23]

I remember it being said that Grant aspires to be more of a business mogul like Magic instead of getting heavily involved with player personnel. I don't think he'll get involved with that unless he's asked to or press to. He does reportedly have a ton of respect from and good relatonships with current players. Fair or unfair, one advantage Hill has over Nique in the former player category (other than being an owner) is he's not associated with the franchise's past of mediocrity the same way Nique is.

[AHF]

So you mean, pull a Michael Jordan?

Jordan is heavily involved in running the team. He is not a competent GM. That is his biggest problem.

[Diesel]

I remember it being said that Grant aspires to be more of a business mogul like Magic instead of getting heavily involved with player personnel. I don't think he'll get involved with that unless he's asked to or press to. He does reportedly have a ton of respect from and good relatonships with current players. Fair or unfair, one advantage Hill has over Nique in the former player category (other than being an owner) is he's not associated with the franchise's past of mediocrity the same way Nique is.

 

 

As I look at how Nique was used in respect to players, I believe that the organization missed out on a great opportunity and a great opportunity to make his legend greater.   I know that had we sent Nique in and gave him some authority, it would have been easier to get a guy like Webber to come to Atlanta.  Webber makes no qualms about it that growing up he idolized Dominique.  So do a whole lot of guys who played in that generation.   When your idol comes to recruit you, you will listen to what he has to say.  For years, our franchise was voiceless because we quieted the Smokie Robinson that was available to sing..  So instead of a role of mentor, hall of famer, and liaison to the players, we made Nique into a side show.  He became the Al Bundy of Atlanta.