Grant Hill recalls Christian Laettner bullying his Duke teammates: “He could fight, and he always wanted to fight”

Christian Laettner was a standout collegiate player at Duke University, known for his solid and clutch plays as well as his leadership, all of which contributed to the team’s success.

The 6’11” big man from Buffalo, New York, played four years with the Blue Devils and practically won everything. He helped Duke win back-to-back NCAA titles in his final two years in 1991 and 1992 and was named national college player of the year as a senior.

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Along the way, Laettner made sure that his teammates displayed the same competitive fire he had, leading with an intense style that at times bordered on being abrasive.

Fighting with the guys

Among those who witnessed Laettner’s passionate leadership style was his Duke teammate Grant Hill, who recalled how Christian would always be in their faces, challenging their commitment and willingness to compete.

Hill, who won his two national titles with Laettner, recalled the experience in Jack McCallum’s 1992 book “Dream Team,” describing how their starting center would use his imposing stature to “bully” them.

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“Christian was bigger than everybody and he could fight, and he always wanted to fight. He’d pick a fight with guys just to see if that guy had heart,” Hill said.

Hill went on to share that Laettner’s favorite target was point guard Bobby Hurley, who legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski immediately entrusted to run things and gave the starting job to as soon as he hit campus.

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Delivered from his end

Following a respectable freshman year in 1988, Laettner just took off and became a legend in Durham. By his senior year, there was simply no better than him in impacting the game as he went on to average 21.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 57.5 percent from the field and 55.7 percent from three.

In the 1992 NCAA Tournament, Laettner authored one of the most memorable moments in college basketball…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/grant-hill-recalls-christian-laettner-192000400.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-11 19:20:00

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