Horace Grant

Four-time NBA champion and iconic goggles-wearing forward.

Horace Junior Grant Sr. (born July 4, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who is a special advisor to Michael Reinsdorf, the president and chief operating officer of the Chicago Bulls. He played college basketball for the Clemson Tigers before playing professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he became a four-time champion, winning three championships with the Chicago Bulls and one championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Horace is the twin brother of former NBA player Harvey Grant. Horace made an NBA All-Star Game in 1994.

Quick Facts

Team: Chicago Bulls
Position: Special advisor
League: NBA
Born: 4 July 1965
Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
High school: Hancock Central (Sparta, Georgia)
College: Clemson (1983–1987)
Draft round: 1

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. Grant was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA draft. He helped Chicago win three consecutive NBA championships (1991, 1992, and 1993), securing the third with a last-second block on Kevin Johnson. 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.

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 in which Glen Rice of the Los Angeles Lakers was sent to New York, Patrick Ewing of the Knicks was sent to Seattle, and Grant 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.

Reader's Guide

Horace Grant is a former NBA power forward/center known for his defensive play, rebounding, and trademark goggles. He was a key member of the Chicago Bulls' first three-peat and later won a fourth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was selected four times for the NBA All-Defensive Team and made one All-Star appearance in 1994.