New York, May 14, 2026, 16:08 EDT
- Grant Hill admits he’s “a little bitter” about having to split the 1995 NBA Rookie of the Year honor with Jason Kidd.
- That comment rekindled debate over one of the NBA’s unusual split decisions for an award; Glenn Robinson was a contender in that rookie field, too.
- The Mavericks’ turnaround, Hill’s statistical edge, and Kidd’s case for playmaking all keep the familiar debate alive.
Grant Hill has stirred up a debate that’s lingered for nearly thirty years, saying he was “robbed” back in 1995, when the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honor ended up split between him and Jason Kidd—instead of Hill taking it solo.
Hill shared his perspective on “Cousins with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady,” the weekly podcast hosted by the Hall of Fame duo. According to the episode listing, there’s a segment called “Co-Winning ROY With J Kidd,” and the Grant Hill episode was updated within the last day. Rookie of the Year, of course, goes each season to the NBA’s standout newcomer. Apple Podcasts
The timing gives fresh relevance to an old vote. These days, awards chatter races across player-hosted podcasts and social media reels, and Hill’s point stuck partly because the 1994-95 outcome is still a rarity: a shared NBA honor. On NBA.com’s official winners list, 1994-95 shows both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill as co-winners. Other ties include Dave Cowens and Geoff Petrie in 1970-71, plus Elton Brand and Steve Francis for 1999-00.
“I got robbed. J-Kidd knows that,” Hill told ClutchPoints. He eased up a bit, jokingly calling Kidd “my guy.” Hill pointed out that Kidd was selected one spot before him in the 1994 draft—yet both ended up splitting the award. ClutchPoints
Hill’s numbers jump off the page: 19.9 points, 6.4 boards, 5 dimes a night during his rookie year in Detroit, across 70 games. Kidd, running the point for Dallas, logged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists over 79.
The vote ended up deadlocked at the top: Hill and Kidd each picked up 43 votes, according to a Sporting News archive. Glenn Robinson, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, trailed with 15. Others who picked up votes included Eddie Jones, Brian Grant, and Juwan Howard.
Hill builds his case on box score stats — that familiar snapshot of a game or season — plus what he brought to the Pistons right out of the gate. NBA.com called him an “instant NBA success” after Detroit grabbed him at No. 3 in the 1994 draft. The site also reminds us: Hill was named co-Rookie of the Year with Kidd in 1995. NBA
Kidd’s case, though, never hinged on just points. Back then, The Sporting News made it clear—impact was the story, not the box score. Dallas had the rest of the roster in place; what they lacked was someone to orchestrate. That’s where Kidd shifted things, and reopening this debate brings out the old risk: Hill had bigger stats, but voters cared just as much about how Kidd transformed the Mavericks’ dynamic.
Hill kept things on the personal side, steering clear of any hostility. He pointed out that he and Kidd were teammates at a Nike camp back in high school, tossing in a joke: the future point guard wasn’t passing him the ball then, either. According to Hill, this running complaint stretches from their high school days, through draft night, and right up to the award vote.
Carter, hosting alongside McGrady, isn’t new to Rookie of the Year conversations. NBA.com puts him down as the 1998-99 winner with Toronto, just a year before Brand and Francis ended up splitting the prize. So, three separate ties to that award at the podcast table: Hill as co-winner, Carter as solo winner, Kidd as the missing punchline.
Hill wrapped it up with a blunt suggestion: just check the stats. The award stays as is, and the tie remains. Still, for a player who made his name in the NBA by doing everything—scoring, rebounding, passing, defending—that old outcome clearly lingers on his mind, enough for him to mention it.
