NCAA Photos by way of Getty Images
Grant Hill and Scotty Thurman went at it on Twitter over Hill’s commentary in the course of the Razorbacks’ Sweet 16 win within the 2022 NCAA Tournament final Thursday.
In an interview with KNWA-TV final Saturday, Thurman — whose Arkansas staff beat Hill’s Duke staff within the 1994 NCAA nationwide championship recreation, when Thurman hit a clutch 3-pointer with 51.7 seconds left — mentioned he believed Hill’s commentary in the course of the Razorbacks’ video games in opposition to Gonzaga and Duke signaled that he was nonetheless “bitter” over the game-winning shot.
In the preliminary interview the reporter mentioned, “I just thought it was funny that someone put out there that, ‘I think he’s still a little bit bitter about the shot.’ Did you like that? What was your reaction to that?”
Thurman mentioned, “I did like it,” including that he was laughing over notion.
“I’ve been getting several text messages about it. I thought it was kind of funny,” Thurman mentioned. “But he did sound like he was a little irritated with Arkansas and the way that we were playing. I just felt like maybe he was getting flashbacks from his time when he played against us.”
Our very personal @MimsCourtney sat down with @RustonRifle because the Razorbacks face the Duke Blue Devils tonight, and Grant Hill should be salty about that 1994 matchup. Watch the complete story tonight at 6 on @KNWAFOX24@KARK4News#NWANews#WPSpic.twitter.com/k4Kld2wn0U
— Pig Trail Nation (@PigTrailNation) March 26, 2022
Hill caught wind of Thurman’s feedback and responded Tuesday in a tweet.
“@RustonRifle Bitter? That’s funny!!” Hill wrote, based on Yahoo Sports. “Yes, you never get over a loss, especially in a NCAA championship game (UCLA?).. But to think I’d take that out on this current team is hilarious.. There were some questionable calls in that Gonzaga game, and I have a job to give my opinion..”
UCLA defeated Thurman’s Arkansas staff within the 1995 NCAA nationwide championship recreation.
Hill was on the decision alongside Jim Nantz and Bill Raftery for Arkansas’ Sweet 16 upset of Gonzaga and their subsequent loss to Duke within the Elite Eight.
Thurman hit again, per Yahoo, tweeting, “We all have opinions and I expressed mine in the interview. I agree that there were some questionable calls in that game BUT I felt like you wanted each one in question to go Gonzaga’s way! @realgranthill33.”
In a separate tweet Tuesday, Thurman mentioned Hill is a “great analyst!”
Thurman performed at Arkansas from 1992-95 after which abroad from 1995 to 2006. He presently serves as head coach of the boys basketball staff at Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Hill performed at Duke from 1990-94. He went on to have a profitable NBA profession from 1994-2013 — incomes seven All-Star nods and an All-NBA first staff choice throughout stints with the Pistons, Magic, Suns and Clippers.
Hill then riled off a collection of three tweets, which seem to have been deleted.
“I want every player to experience what we were fortunate to experience, many many years ago. The unique thing about my job is the opportunity to meet the players and coaches from every team. Coach Muss and his guys were great with us when we met them before the Sweet 16,” Hill tweeted, based on Yahoo Sports.
“I could care less about who wins. Actually, I want them all to win.. When Villanova beat Carolina in the Finals, my heart went out to those guys in the Tar Heels locker room. The next year when UNC won, I was genuinely happy for them. I went and congratulated the Carolina family after the game.. We dissect, explain and offer our opinion on what we see in the game, understanding that everyone might not be in full agreement..”
Thurman merely replied, “Understood!”
When a fan tweeted that they’d prefer to see an “impromptu interview” between the 2, Thurman mentioned he had a “tremendous and heathy conversation” with Hill on Tuesday.
“Much respect to @realgranthill33!!” Thurman replied to the fan. “Folks, let’s not let this platform confuse us! We are all REAL people!! Easy to press buttons but conversation (healthy) STILL rules the Nation!!”
On Wednesday, Hill replied to the change, tweeting, “The passion that fans have for their respective schools is what makes college basketball the absolute best.. But make no mistake, I have nothing but respect & admiration for the LEGEND @RustonRifle.. He had 1 of the most iconic moments in the history of the NCAA Finals.. #respect.”
Hill is about to broadcast the 2022 Final Four and nationwide championship video games on TBS with Jim Nantz and Bill Raftery.
