When Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady simultaneously were signed in August 2000 to matching seven-year, $93 million contracts, Orlando Magic officials quietly hoped that some of the elder Hill's maturity and experience would rub off on the then-21-year-old McGrady.
Now, a year later, some in the Magic organization are hoping that the McGrady's confidence and brash personality will have an impact on Hill's style of play.
McGrady's stardom exploded last season in Hill's absence, proving himself to be one of the game's brightest young players. From behind those droopy eyes, sleepy mannerisms and whisper-soft voice emerged the identity of a fearless leader who oozed both a confident air and a killer instinct.
Now that they are finally on the court together, the Magic are hoping that McGrady's go-for-the-jugular aggressiveness will spread to Hill's game.
Throughout his eight-year career, Hill has always been more Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan. Admittedly, he'd rather set up teammates and do other things such as rebound more so than he would take control offensively. He was often criticized while playing with the Detroit Pistons for being too passive and not looking to score more.
Heading into Orlando's game against Minnesota tonight, Hill's scoring average is off 3.5 points per game and his shooting percentage has fallen more than 5 percent. Some of that is because he is coming off an extended layoff following his two surgeries on his left ankle. But the Magic also feel he is deferring to McGrady too much. McGrady, for one, agrees.