Retired Players I Loved To Watch #6 (It's so easy to misspell his name as "Brain")

Brian Grant

There was nothing fancy about his game. No frills. No fireworks. No bells or whistles. But that's exactly what I liked about him.

All of those tired, old sports cliches -- tough, gritty, blue-collared -- really did apply to him. And it was never lip service; Grant was always the hardest-working player on the court.

He had physical limitations, being a little undersized at 6'9" and lacking any explosion or exceptional athleticism (especially after his knees started to go), but he was able to score his 10 or so points and grab his 10 or so rebounds purely on hustle and desire. All of his double-doubles weren't so much a result of him being especially talented, but because he pushed himself harder than everyone else around him. Vaguely intangible concepts like "heart" and "passion" and "drive" can only get you so far in professional sports, but Grant managed to maximize those characteristics and build an impressive career on the virtue of strong work ethic.

Also, he didn't mind getting hit. He actually welcomed (maybe even as far as enjoyed) physical contact. He wasn't intimidated by bigger, stronger players. And that's why he was such a great rebounder and low-post defender -- he wasn't afraid of getting popped in the mouth. During games, he'd always have a bloodied nose or a black eye or a fat lip. You have to respect that.

Brian Grant's career statistics