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Grant Hill’s Response to Jalen Rose
By GRANT HILL

Associated Press

Grant Hill currently plays for the Phoenix Suns.“The Fab Five,” an ESPN film about the Michigan basketball careers of Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson from 1991 to 1993, was broadcast for the first time Sunday night. In the show, Rose, the show’s executive producer, stated that Duke recruited only black players he considered to be “Uncle Toms.” Grant Hill, a player on the Duke team that beat Michigan in the 1992 Final Four, reflected on Rose’s comments.

I am a fan, friend and longtime competitor of the Fab Five. I have competed against Jalen Rose and Chris Webber since the age of 13. At Michigan, the Fab Five represented a cultural phenomenon that impacted the country in a permanent and positive way. The very idea of the Fab Five elicited pride and promise in much the same way the Georgetown teams did in the mid-1980s when I was in high school and idolized them. Their journey from youthful icons to successful men today is a road map for so many young, black men (and women) who saw their journey through the powerful documentary, “The Fab Five.”

It was a sad and somewhat pathetic turn of events, therefore, to see friends narrating this interesting documentary about their moment in time and calling me a bitch and worse, calling all black players at Duke “Uncle Toms” and, to some degree, disparaging my parents for their education, work ethic and commitment to each other and to me. I should have guessed there was something regrettable in the documentary when I received a Twitter apology from Jalen before its premiere. I am aware Jalen has gone to some length to explain his remarks about my family in numerous interviews, so I believe he has some admiration for them.

In his garbled but sweeping comment that Duke recruits only “black players that were ‘Uncle Toms,’ ” Jalen seems to change the usual meaning of those very vitriolic words into his own meaning, i.e., blacks from two-parent, middle-class families. He leaves us all guessing exactly what he believes today.

I am beyond fortunate to have two parents who are still working well into their 60s. They received great educations and use them every day. My parents taught me a personal ethic I try to live by and pass on to my children.

I come from a strong legacy of black Americans. My namesake, Henry Hill, my father’s father, was a day laborer in Baltimore. He could not read or write until he was taught to do so by my grandmother. His first present to my dad was a set of encyclopedias, which I now have. He wanted his only child, my father, to have a good education, so he made numerous sacrifices to see that he got an education, including attending Yale.

This is part of our great tradition as black Americans. We aspire for the best or better for our children and work hard to make that happen for them. Jalen’s mother is part of our great black tradition and made the same sacrifices for him.

My teammates at Duke — all of them, black and white — were a band of brothers who came together to play at the highest level for the best coach in basketball. I know most of the black players who preceded and followed me at Duke. They all contribute to our tradition of excellence on the court.

It is insulting and ignorant to suggest that men like Johnny Dawkins (coach at Stanford), Tommy Amaker (coach at Harvard), Billy King (general manager of the Nets), Tony Lang (coach of the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins in Japan), Thomas Hill (small-business owner in Texas), Jeff Capel (former coach at Oklahoma and Virginia Commonwealth), Kenny Blakeney (assistant coach at Harvard), Jay Williams (ESPN analyst), Shane Battier (Memphis Grizzlies) and Chris Duhon (Orlando Magic) ever sold out their race.

To hint that those who grew up in a household with a mother and father are somehow less black than those who did not is beyond ridiculous. All of us are extremely proud of the current Duke team, especially Nolan Smith. He was raised by his mother, plays in memory of his late father and carries himself with the pride and confidence that they instilled in him.

The sacrifice, the effort, the education and the friendships I experienced in my four years are cherished. The many Duke graduates I have met around the world are also my “family,” and they are a special group of people. A good education is a privilege.

Just as Jalen has founded a charter school in Michigan, we are expected to use our education to help others, to improve life for those who need our assistance and to use the excellent education we have received to better the world.

A highlight of my time at Duke was getting to know the great John Hope Franklin, John B. Duke Professor of History and the leading scholar of the last century on the total history of African-Americans in this country. His insights and perspectives contributed significantly to my overall development and helped me understand myself, my forefathers and my place in the world.

Ad ingenium faciendum, toward the building of character, is a phrase I recently heard. To me, it is the essence of an educational experience. Struggling, succeeding, trying again and having fun within a nurturing but competitive environment built character in all of us, including every black graduate of Duke.

My mother always says, “You can live without Chaucer and you can live without calculus, but you cannot make it in the wide, wide world without common sense.” As we get older, we understand the importance of these words. Adulthood is nothing but a series of choices: you can say yes or no, but you cannot avoid saying one or the other. In the end, those who are successful are those who adjust and adapt to the decisions they have made and make the best of them.

I caution my fabulous five friends to avoid stereotyping me and others they do not know in much the same way so many people stereotyped them back then for their appearance and swagger. I wish for you the restoration of the bond that made you friends, brothers and icons.

I am proud of my family. I am proud of my Duke championships and all my Duke teammates. And, I am proud I never lost a game against the Fab Five.

Grant Henry Hill
Phoenix Suns
Duke ‘94

Interesting for sure. I see both sides and really cant disagree with either of them. Remember, Jalen was about 18 when he made those comments.

uh no...he made those remarks while the documentary was being filmed. Never once did he say that he regretted those comments during the documentary. Rose epitomized the "thug" life, along with his compatriots at Michigan. This is partially the reason why, while being renigades both on and off the court, they never won it all, and experienced legal and criminal issues after their tenure at Michigan.

Fellas, I would venture to say that most of the black community feels that way about Duke. Jalen explained himself and its not really news to those who have grown up in the ghetto or in a public school setting. Right or wrong, thats how Duke is seen. Jalen is not a Thug. He still may feel that way, but so do most people in the black community IMO. I could be wrong, but Id put money on it. This has nothing to do with them winning or losing and I dont know what criminal issues you are talking about. They may have had legal and criminal troubles, but Im just not aware of what they are.

So, get mad, but IMO, its unfounded. Right or wrong, Shane Battier isnt going to visit the ghetto and get much respect. Unfortunately, he will be called a sellout or an Uncle Tom. It will be due to the way he talks, who he hangs around, if he has a white wife, the fact that he went to Duke and even his dress. All unfortunate, but truths are different in different communities. Same could be said for many black players from Duke. Its an bad stereotype, but thats what the deal is.

Jalen Rose is not a thug though. He is telling you guys the truth as he sees it and like I said before, its only news to white people. Im not shocked to hear it at all. Im sure Grant Hill has heard that before. Im sure most black players from Duke have heard it.

Youre taking my post out of context. Its not ignorance at all. Duke does recruit a certain type of black player. I used Battier as an example, but you can put in almost any black player you wish, not all, but many.

As for the respect in the ghetto. What I am trying to get you to see is that the perception, unfortunately, is that he isnt black despite his skin tone. Im not saying its right, but it is what it is. Going to Duke to many, not all, but many is selling out or being an uncle tom. They do hate on Battier or some other black Duke player and I am sure he could care less, but that doesnt change the perception of them thinking he and others are uncle toms. Its not right, but thats what it is.

As for lying under oath, I guess that is bad, but Id hardly call that being a thug. What about the rest of them?

of course the brutha is gonna find a positive in Rose's remarks. What a load of ....

Call them what you want, but the perception of Duke is what it is. You dont have to like it or believe it, but its true. As for the athletic/intelligent arguement, most 18 year olds think that until they learn otherwise. Even Duke doesnt go out and win with a court full of true freshmen. So, just because they think that way doesnt make them weak. Most 18 year olds go through that process.

Many 18 year olds might think that way, but the strong learn from their failures/losses. The Michigan guys talked about going into that first regular season game against Duke and the perceptions they had about Hurley and the others. They lost a close game (OT I think), but I'm not sure it ever registered as to why they lost. They went on to lose to them two more times, but still to this day stick their chests out and call the Duke guys names. Being mistaken as an 18 year old is one thing, but having not learned anything 20 years later is odd.

I also think its telling that Webber was known for not showing up late in games during his NBA days. I think that timeout game changed him forever.

I am stunned I tell ya...absolutely stunned that brutha would say such a thing...

So what is your definition of an "Uncle Tom"? Examples would be greatly appreciated.

Well good, then we can agree that Jalen was waaaaay mistaken and that no Duke basketball player has ever been an "Uncle Tom". I'm glad to see you agree with everyone here.

I dont know the players that went to Duke, so I cant say if he was mistaken or not. That being said, I dont know the history of Duke University to say this or that about them in regards to racism. I know about their lacrosse team using racial slurs at black people walking down the street, but I havent heard anything else to make me think they are racist institution. But, at least you know what an uncle tom is now.