Horace Grant

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Grant was born on July 4, 1965, in Augusta, Georgia. He and his twin brother, Harvey, grew up in Hancock County, Georgia, and attended school in Sparta, Georgia. He attended Clemson University, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha. With the Tigers, he became the first player in ACC history to lead the league in scoring (21.0 average), rebounding (9.6) and field goal shooting (70.8 percent). In 1987, Grant helped lead Clemson to the NCAA Tournament and was named ACC Player of the Year, becoming the first Clemson player to receive that honor. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA draft. Grant helped Chicago win three consecutive NBA championships (1991, 1992, and 1993). Grant, who was diagnosed with myopia and wore eyeglasses, began wearing goggles fitted with prescription lenses on the court starting with the 1990–91 season. The goggles soon became a trademark for Grant. Although he eventually received LASIK surgery to correct his sight, he continued to wear the goggles on the court after he had heard from parents that he had become an inspirational figure to children who wore eyeglasses. Grant played in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, posting four points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes. He left the Bulls as a free agent and joined the Orlando Magic. On May 5, 1995, Grant made the final basket in Boston Garden history in Orlando's series-clinching victory over the Boston Celtics. Grant helped the Magic reach the 1995 NBA Finals, where they were swept in four games by the Houston Rockets. He was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics along with 2000 and 2001 second round picks for Dale Ellis, Don MacLean, Billy Owens, and rookie Corey Maggette just before start of the 1999–2000 season. After one year with the Sonics, Grant was involved in a three-way trade to the defending champion Lakers, reuniting him with Shaquille O'Neal and former Bulls coach Phil Jackson. He helped them win another championship in the 2000–01 season. In the offseason, Grant decided to leave Los Angeles and sign back with the Orlando Magic. Grant was ultimately cut by the Magic in December 2002 after then-coach Doc Rivers said Grant had tried to undermine the coach and was a 'cancer' on the team. Grant chose to retire after getting cut by the Magic. However, he decided to return for another run with the Lakers for the 2003–04 season as a backup to Karl

In Their Own Story

The 1991 NBA Finals featured a defining moment for Grant's legacy in Chicago. As the Bulls chased their first title against the Los Angeles Lakers, Grant's defensive intensity was critical. However, his most famous clutch play came during the 1993 Finals against the Phoenix Suns. With the series on the line and seconds ticking away, Grant secured the championship by blocking Kevin Johnson at the buzzer, a play that cemented the three-peat. Throughout these runs, he was recognized for his physicality and ability to guard multiple positions. After leaving Chicago as a free agent in 1994, Grant joined the Orlando Magic alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. On May 5, 1995, he made history by sinking the final basket ever played at Boston Garden during a series-clinching victory over the Celtics. He guided the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals, though they were swept by Houston. His career continued with stints in Seattle and Los Angeles, where he reunited with O'Neal and Phil Jackson to win his fourth championship in 2001. After a brief return to Orlando ended acrimoniously in December 2002 when Coach Doc Rivers labeled him a "cancer," Grant briefly returned to the Lakers for the 2003–04 season before retiring permanently.

Reader's Guide

Horace Grant was a power forward/center known for his defensive play, selected four times for the NBA All-Defensive Team. He was the Bulls' main rebounder and third scoring option after Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He wore trademark goggles due to myopia and later continued wearing them to inspire children who wore glasses. He recorded career-best averages in scoring (15.1), rebounding (11.0), and assists (3.4) during the 1993–94 season.

Did You Know?

• Horace Grant is the twin brother of former NBA player Harvey Grant.
• Grant was the first Clemson player to be named ACC Player of the Year.
• He began wearing goggles on the court starting with the 1990–91 season.
• Grant was best friends with former teammate Scottie Pippen for many years.
• Three of Grant's nephews—Jerai, Jerian, and Jerami Grant—are also basketball players.