When Grant Hill got the green light from a Suns legend to wear No. 33: "There aren't many NBA players I can say I'd be happier to see playing with that number"
After joining the Phoenix Suns in the 2007 NBA offseason, Grant Hill naturally wanted to wear his usual number. However, he ran into a problem because then-GM Jerry Colangelo had retired the number 33 in honor of Alvan Adams, who wore it from 1975 to 1988.
Fortunately for Hill, Adams had a refreshing take on the situation. Without any need for persuasion, the franchise legend agreed to let the Suns "un-retire" his number, allowing "G-Money" to wear it after all.
"To me, it's not my number, it's Jerry Colangelo's…I think of 33 as belonging more to him, the fans and Suns history. The past is great, but the most important thing is this franchise winning a championship…if I can make a small contribution by making Hill's transition to Phoenix a smooth one, then I'm all for it," remarked Adams, per nba.com.
A jersey number shared in honor
Both Adams and Hill wore number 33 to honor players who inspired them. For Alvan, it was the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, known as Lew Alcindor during his college days.
"I figured he was the big guy for UCLA, and I was the big guy for our team, so that was the way I wanted to go," remembered the one-time All-Star.
For Grant, his choice was shaped by another NBA legend, Magic Johnson, who would eventually join Kareem on the "Showtime Lakers."
"I found out that he (Magic) wore 32 when he was in high school, so I wore 32. When I went to college, of course Christian Laettner had 32. But I also found out that Magic wore 33 when he was in college, so I ended up wearing 33," explained "G-Money" in 2006.
Extending a hand
Adams shared that he grew up a Dallas Cowboys fan in Oklahoma, which led to his admiration for Calvin Hill, the former NFL player and father of Grant. As fate would have it, the "Oklahoma Kid" later became a fan of "G-Money" as well, praising him for both his on-court skills and his community impact. Overall, Alvin, who holds multiple records with the Suns, remarked, "There aren't many NBA players I'd be happier to see wearing that number."
Those heartfelt words and this big gesture truly meant a lot to the talented 6'8" forward, who made this feeling known during a press conference at the time.
"I was prepared to find another number–maybe 35–but for Alvan Adams to extend that my way says a lot about him and I'm honored. I'll go out and try to honor him as well as myself with that number and try to help us win a championship," said the Kansas native.
Unfortunately for Hill, that goal didn't come to fruition during his five years in Arizona. However, the story highlights something more important: a former franchise great who, instead of isolating himself, genuinely reached out to someone who followed.
