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Are you going to be on the  Olympic team to Sydney this  year? Which opposing team do  you expect to meet in the final?

No, unfortunately not, because this year I've been troubled by injuries to  my ankles . . . actually I underwent  surgery in  April and my doctor advised me to take a long break.  But I'm sure I'll be all right by the time the season begins.

I think Yugoslavia and Lithuania would be the teams to be reckoned with this year in Sydney.

You and Tracy McGrady  from Toronto are joining the  Orlando Magic in the coming  season. Do you  know McGrady?   What do you  make of him? And  what about Andrew DeClercq  from Cleveland, who is also  joining  the Magic?

Well I know McGrady,  but I don't know him that well. But I was really impressed with him being so young - he is only 21. He is a very promising, very mature player at his age.

I think he  has the potential to become a great player and I'm  excited about playing with him.

DeClercq is a role player, a good role player. He plays hard;  he is like Carl Malone. He is a very good player and I'm excited about playing with him too.

What do you think of Doc  Rivers, head coach of Magic and  NBA Coach of the Year?

He did a lot of great coaching last year and receiving the Coach of the Year award  was quite an accomplishment.

I think he is a great teacher and I look forward to learning  from him.

He  was also an NBA player himself before he started coaching, like Larry Bird.

He used to play for the Atlanta Hawks, the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs . . . so he definitely has learned a great deal and has a lot of knowledge and wisdom to share with me.

Shaquille O'Neal took the Finals MVP last season. He used  to play with the Magic, what do  you think about him?

Shaq is a great player. He is a great guy, very funny and with a lot of enthusiasm.

I was actually very happy that he was given the championship because he definitely deserves it.  Being a big guy, he has taken a lot of criticisms for not winning. I'm happy for what he has achieved and I hope we can beat him next year, ha ha.

You took out a full page ad in the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News to thank the De troit fans and the players and  staff of the Pistons for their  years of support for you. In ret rospect, what are the most un forgettable things during your  six years with the Pistons?

The most unforgettable things . . . I would say were the relationships that were developed in Detroit with my teammates, friends of mine, with the organisation,  with fans . . . friendships that were developed with the people I met in Detroit; many became my close friends . . . and my wife - I met my wife in Detroit. A lot of good things  happened there.

I look forward to moving to Orlando and hope there'll be a lot of good things happening to me down there as well.

Have you ever thought of  switching to other types of  sport, such as baseball or foot ball, like what Michael Jordan  did several years ago?

No, I haven't. I enjoyed tennis; I enjoyed playing soccer when I was younger.

Ever since I was 14, I've stuck with basketball. I enjoy and I love basketball; that's why I spend a lot of time practising, improving my skills with any opportunity, no matter whether I'm at a court in Hong Kong or at a  court in Orlando, or at home, because  I love basketball.

In your opinion, what quali ties does it take to make a first- class basketball player?

You have to have some natural abilities, such as  good size, speed and so forth. Besides these, I think it is hard work.

It takes respect, respect for the game, respect for yourself and for your opponents.

And I think it takes commitment;  you have to be committed to being excellent; you have to understand and try to be professional.

This applies whether you are a basketball player, a journalist or a photographer; you have to be committed to excellence and you have to be professional all the time.

How would you compare  basketball fans in the US  and in  Asia?

There are a lot of similarities. Fans here know everything that is going on.

I think the one difference is that maybe because here in Hong Kong they don't get a chance to see NBA athletes as often as fans do in the States that  when an NBA athlete does come over,  they even get more excited.  But they're really knowledgeable about NBA games.

Which team will you take as  the major opponent in the com ing season?

I don't know . . . the NBA season is so unpredictable. It's hard to predict who's going to be good and who's is going to be bad.

But if I were to go by the results last year I would say, of course, the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana; they made it to the finals. And New York, Portland, San Antonio, Utah, Miami - they had done a good job last season.

What is your advice for our  young readers, especially those  who aspire to become profes sional basketball players?

I would advise them to work hard.  Basketball is a commitment; it is something that I've dedicated my life to.

When I was 14 years old, I  committed myself to basketball. I played everyday; I played all day.

So I would encourage them to  really work hard and try to get the proper instruction; get a good coach who can show you some fundamentals, do your best and try to become the best that you can become.

Can you suggest some ways  by which we can improve our  basketball standard?

I think it takes time.  We've been playing basketball in the US for a long long time.  The game  is relatively new to  countries  in Asia.

As young kids  . . . are exposed to basketball and start playing at an early age and have the opportunity to learn more about the game and get more experience,  you will see vast improvements.

Five-time NBA All-Star forward Grant Hill is a household name among  basketball fans.  After winning two NCAA championships, Hill joined the Detroit Pistons in 1994.  Named  Co-Rookie of the Year during the 1994-95 season, Hill was the first rookie  in NBA history to lead the league in All-Star votes.  In the following year, he  again led the league  with 1,358,004 votes. He  was picked for the American Dream Team and bagged a gold  for the United States  at the Atlanta Olympic Games.  As he enters  the next season with his new team, the Orlando Magic, he hopes to fulfil his  dream - winning the NBA championship.

Name: Grant Hill

Birthday: October 5, 1972

Birthplace: Dallas, United States

Occupation: Basketball player



Hill: Hard work name of the game