When people think of great Hornets' guards, guys like Baron Davis, David Wesley, and Darrell Armstrong come to mind. Stretch back a little further and you'll remember Eddie Jones, the late Bobby Phills(RIP), Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry. But rarely do folks remember the first great Hornets shooting guard, Kendall Gill. Gill was a high school phenom coming out of the Chicago area, often drawing comparisons with then-Bulls star Michael Jordan. Staying close to home, he went to the University of Illinois, where he played three solid seasons for the Illini. Kendall was one of the top draft prospects in a year when Syracuse's Derrick Coleman, LSU's Chris Jackson and Oregon's Gary Payton were drawing most of the headlines, and it was no surprise when Gill was plucked by the Charlotte Hornets with the 5th pick in the draft. At the time, the Hornets only had two seasons under their belts, and had gone from bad(20 wins) to worse(19 wins). They had also gone through a couple of coaches. Their first two first round rookies, both lottery picks, were solid but hardly spectacular. "King" Rex Chapman was an undersized 2 guard with amazing hops and dead eye aim from the outside. JR Reid, the previous year's fifth pick, had been a star at North Carolina but was just another big body in the pros, and his first couple years were his best couple years. So Kendall came onto a team sorely in need of scoring and defense, with a lot of hope resting on his shoulders. He didn't disappoint. Both Chapman and Reid had been all-Rookie second team members. Kendall became the first Hornets' rookie to make the all-Rookie first team, but not the last(their next two draft picks, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, both made the rookie first team). Kendall displayed his amazingly well-rounded game with averages of 11 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.2 rpg, and 1.27 spg despite only playing 23.7 mpg(less than half the game) and starting only 36 of the 82 games he played in. He also proved that he could be the scorer the team needed, with a .450 fg % and .835 ft %. The following season Gill was even better, leading the Hornets in scoring with 20.5 ppg on .467 % shooting, and proved to be an excellent outside force to rookie of the year Larry Johnson's inside presence. Kendall continued to play all-around ball with averages of 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.95 spg and almost 37 mpg while starting all 79 of the games he played in. In the offseason, the Hornets felt that they had acquired the final piece of the puzzle. Gill had been teamed with the solid but tiny Muggsy Bogues in the backcourt the previous season, and had Larry Johnson as a complementary scorer. With the second pick in the draft, the Hornets selected Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning. Mourning went on the average a 20-10 in points and rebounds(as did Johnson) while averaging a Hornets' rookie-record in ppg and bpg. He was the legitimate center the Hornets had lacked for four years, and, with Gill and Johnson, made up the best young trio in the game, period. Of course, with the full development of Johnson's and Mourning's games, someone had to take the hit, and Kendall did so without argument. His averages fell down to about 17 ppg, 5 rpg and 4 apg, but his drop in numbers equaled a gain in wins for the team, and the Hornets qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Sadly, after the dream season for the young team, management faltered. Not wanting to pay Gill an increase on his rookie contract which had expired, they dealt him to Seattle for the aging Eddie Johnson and undersized Dana Barros. That seemed to be the end of Gill's tenure with the Hornets, but wasn't. He spent two seasons with the Sonics, providing a much needed cog in a lineup that sported Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Detleffe Shrempf. In the meantime, the Hornets traded Barros to the Philadelphia 76ers for Hersey Hawkins. After the 94-95 season, which had seen the Hornets make their second playoff appearance but lose to the re-Aired Bulls, the Hornets saw the need for an athletic shooting guard to potentially match up with Jordan in the future. In the same summer in which they dealt Alonzo Mourning for Glen Rice, the Hornets reacquired Gill for Hawkins. Kendall Gill's last stint in a Bugs uniform had him playing an entirely new role, something which he was used to doing. His first season he was a spark off the bench, his second he was the high-scoring star, and his third saw him as an all-around complimentary player to the Hornets' star frontline. This fourth season in purple and teal had him back in the starting lineup, but as a playmaking shooting guard. His scoring average was down to just under 13 ppg, and he rebounded harder than ever with 5.3 rpg. But the most revealing stat was his career high in assists, with 6.3 apg, which is still over 2 apg higher than any other season in his career. But again the Hornets thought they could do without the versatile guard, and in midseason dished him to New Jersey for all-star point guard Kenny Anderson. Gill re-established himself as a star in New Jersey, and saw it develope from a lotto-bound loser to a playoff-caliber team with young talent like Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn and Kenyon Martin. The Hornets, on the other hand, found themselves with a gap at the 2 spot which took quite a while to fill. They used longtime 6th man Dell Curry first, then brought in free-agent guard Bobby Phills, then traded for all-star Eddie Jones, and then improvised by sliding over former point guard David Wesley. Gill is arguably better than all of them, with only Jones comparing statistically.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">When people think of great Hornets' guards, guys like Baron Davis, David Wesley, and Darrell Armstrong come to mind. Stretch back a little further and you'll remember Eddie Jones, the late Bobby Phills(RIP), Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry. But rarely do folks remember the first great Hornets shooting guard, Kendall Gill. Gill was a high school phenom coming out of the Chicago area, often drawing comparisons with then-Bulls star Michael Jordan. Staying close to home, he went to the University of Illinois, where he played three solid seasons for the Illini. Kendall was one of the top draft prospects in a year when Syracuse's Derrick Coleman, LSU's Chris Jackson and Oregon's Gary Payton were drawing most of the headlines, and it was no surprise when Gill was plucked by the Charlotte Hornets with the 5th pick in the draft. At the time, the Hornets only had two seasons under their belts, and had gone from bad(20 wins) to worse(19 wins). They had also gone through a couple of coaches. Their first two first round rookies, both lottery picks, were solid but hardly spectacular. "King" Rex Chapman was an undersized 2 guard with amazing hops and dead eye aim from the outside. JR Reid, the previous year's fifth pick, had been a star at North Carolina but was just another big body in the pros, and his first couple years were his best couple years. So Kendall came onto a team sorely in need of scoring and defense, with a lot of hope resting on his shoulders. He didn't disappoint. Both Chapman and Reid had been all-Rookie second team members. Kendall became the first Hornets' rookie to make the all-Rookie first team, but not the last(their next two draft picks, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, both made the rookie first team). Kendall displayed his amazingly well-rounded game with averages of 11 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.2 rpg, and 1.27 spg despite only playing 23.7 mpg(less than half the game) and starting only 36 of the 82 games he played in. He also proved that he could be the scorer the team needed, with a .450 fg % and .835 ft %. The following season Gill was even better, leading the Hornets in scoring with 20.5 ppg on .467 % shooting, and proved to be an excellent outside force to rookie of the year Larry Johnson's inside presence. Kendall continued to play all-around ball with averages of 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.95 spg and almost 37 mpg while starting all 79 of the games he played in. In the offseason, the Hornets felt that they had acquired the final piece of the puzzle. Gill had been teamed with the solid but tiny Muggsy Bogues in the backcourt the previous season, and had Larry Johnson as a complementary scorer. With the second pick in the draft, the Hornets selected Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning. Mourning went on the average a 20-10 in points and rebounds(as did Johnson) while averaging a Hornets' rookie-record in ppg and bpg. He was the legitimate center the Hornets had lacked for four years, and, with Gill and Johnson, made up the best young trio in the game, period. Of course, with the full development of Johnson's and Mourning's games, someone had to take the hit, and Kendall did so without argument. His averages fell down to about 17 ppg, 5 rpg and 4 apg, but his drop in numbers equaled a gain in wins for the team, and the Hornets qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Sadly, after the dream season for the young team, management faltered. Not wanting to pay Gill an increase on his rookie contract which had expired, they dealt him to Seattle for the aging Eddie Johnson and undersized Dana Barros. That seemed to be the end of Gill's tenure with the Hornets, but wasn't. He spent two seasons with the Sonics, providing a much needed cog in a lineup that sported Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Detleffe Shrempf. In the meantime, the Hornets traded Barros to the Philadelphia 76ers for Hersey Hawkins. After the 94-95 season, which had seen the Hornets make their second playoff appearance but lose to the re-Aired Bulls, the Hornets saw the need for an athletic shooting guard to potentially match up with Jordan in the future. In the same summer in which they dealt Alonzo Mourning for Glen Rice, the Hornets reacquired Gill for Hawkins. Kendall Gill's last stint in a Bugs uniform had him playing an entirely new role, something which he was used to doing. His first season he was a spark off the bench, his second he was the high-scoring star, and his third saw him as an all-around complimentary player to the Hornets' star frontline. This fourth season in purple and teal had him back in the starting lineup, but as a playmaking shooting guard. His scoring average was down to just under 13 ppg, and he rebounded harder than ever with 5.3 rpg. But the most revealing stat was his career high in assists, with 6.3 apg, which is still over 2 apg higher than any other season in his career. But again the Hornets thought they could do without the versatile guard, and in midseason dished him to New Jersey for all-star point guard Kenny Anderson. Gill re-established himself as a star in New Jersey, and saw it develope from a lotto-bound loser to a playoff-caliber team with young talent like Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn and Kenyon Martin. The Hornets, on the other hand, found themselves with a gap at the 2 spot which took quite a while to fill. They used longtime 6th man Dell Curry first, then brought in free-agent guard Bobby Phills, then traded for all-star Eddie Jones, and then improvised by sliding over former point guard David Wesley. Gill is arguably better than all of them, with only Jones comparing statistically.</div> Kendall was great. He had an awesome all-around game and could kill you with the D or kill ya with the O & drive on ya. Not as much an outside threat but the cat had game. They traded him for Kenny,but we all know Kenny has never even approached the level he was at GT. If he had it would have been a great trade,but IMO the Hornets got burned. Kendall still got game for Chi-town..alas,he'll always be one of the forgotten ones because he spoke with his game.
It's nice to see some people actually know and remember Bobby Phils. I never really noticed Gill till Minnesota and Chicago. He sounds like he was really useful, very fundamental, he simply provided for his team, no flash there. So many people were ruined and unnoticed, look at Kittles, he use to have such flair, now he just shoots j's. Terrible, sometimes careers are so difficult and tragic. Edit: Eddie Jones, he was such a great shooter and had such great speed, he doesn't seem to have good hands anymore, he was one of the best stealers in the league. I don't know about Gill, if you could tell me more about him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">It's nice to see some people actually know and remember Bobby Phils. </div> I hafta know about Phills, since I lived in Charlotte when he died, the accident taking place not fifteen minutes from where I lived. It was all over the news here for quite some time. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know about Gill, if you could tell me more about him.</div> Well, besides what I wrote before, I can give you some comparisons. Think Vince Carter, that type of athleticism, that type of inside game, but with not as good an outside shot but better defense. That's Kendall Gill for you. He could be a great scorer, and he often showcases that even now, in his mid 30's, with Chicago. He's bounced around quite a while, and I didn't cover all the stops in the article, and he's played almost a completely different role each place he went too. In his rookie season, he played a similar role to that which he had his last couple years in New Jersey as well as in Miami, a bench/role player who produces when in the game. His second year in Charlotte, he was the big scorer, which he did in his early years in New Jersey. His third year in Charlotte was similar to what he's done in Minnesota and Chicago, as another scorer in the starting lineup who hits open shots and can create for himself. The main reason why Gill isn't as much a star to you as guys like Mitch Richmond, Sprewell, etc, from the mid 90's, is because he never caught on in just one city. He bounced around too much, and wasn't as much of a winner as he would have liked. His third year in Charlotte marked his farthest advance in the postseason, when he saw the second round. He saw two first round appearances in Seattle, one in New Jersey, and one in Minnesota, but it was basically because he kept getting thrust into rebuilding scenarios. If he had stayed in Charlotte for most of his career, he surely would have been an all-star several times.
Wow he certainly sounded like a hard worker, one of those unsung heroes who simply played unrecognized for the sake of his team. I regret any shortcomings he's been across, he's still got time though, maybe he can still make it like Spree.
