TNT may be losing the rights to the NBA starting next season, but they will not be losing Grant Hill along with that.
TNT announced Thursday that Hill has agreed to a long-term extension to remain with the network, despite the loss of NBA rights. Hill will instead take on the role of lead college basketball analyst, with the network gaining the rights to Big 12 and Big East games.
The agreement will also see Hill remain part of the No. 1 broadcast team calling NCAA Tournament games for CBS and TNT alongside Ian Eagle and Bill Raftery.
Most of TNT’s top broadcasters have other NBA work lined up with the league’s rights headed elsewhere, but Hill is an exception. Part of that is because he already does regular college basketball work in addition to his NBA duties. Hill probably would not want to give up his coveted gig of calling top college games, including the Final Four. This agreement will allow him to continue doing that.
Still, Hill would have had interest elsewhere had he sought to continue working NBA games. He was one of the names ESPN was rumored to be looking at as a replacement for Doc Rivers last year.
Hill launched his broadcasting career after retiring from his Hall of Fame playing career in 2013. He has been part of CBS’ college basketball coverage since 2015 while also doing work for TNT and NBATV. He has also served as managing director of Team USA men’s basketball.
