In 1997, Fila signed Grant Hill to an $80 million, seven-year shoe deal; a decade later, its U.S. sales had collapsed to $61 million from $687 million

Grant Hill was one of basketball’s most marketable young stars when Fila made a major investment in his future during the 1990s. The Italian sportswear company had already established itself among the leading athletic footwear brands, and its partnership with the Detroit Pistons forward became one of its biggest endorsement commitments.

Hill’s relationship with Fila began after he entered the NBA in 1994 following a standout college career at Duke. His signature basketball shoes quickly attracted attention, helping the company strengthen its position in the competitive basketball market. The partnership became so successful that Fila eventually secured Hill with an $80 million, seven-year endorsement agreement in 1997.

The deal made Hill one of the highest-paid basketball endorsers at the time. It also arrived during a strong period for the company, which recorded a global sales peak of $1.4 billion that year. However, the commercial momentum would not last.

Hill suffered a serious ankle injury during the 2000 playoffs, and his subsequent move to the Orlando Magic brought further physical setbacks. He appeared in just four games during the 2000-01 season and missed most of the following two campaigns. His extended absence removed a major basketball figure from Fila’s marketing plans.

The company’s broader business difficulties also became increasingly apparent. By 2007, Fila’s U.S. division generated just $61 million in sales, down from $687 million a decade earlier. The figures, detailed in Forbes’ 2008 report on Fila’s financial struggles and attempted comeback, illustrated how dramatically the brand’s American business had declined.

The report also highlighted how Hill’s injury sidelined him in 2000, around the time Fila’s customers began shifting their attention from sneakers to boots.

Despite the difficult period, Hill’s relationship with the company eventually found a new chapter. After retiring from professional basketball and earning induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, he signed a lifetime endorsement agreement with Fila.

The partnership that began with an ambitious $80 million commitment ultimately outlasted Hill’s playing career, giving the brand a familiar basketball name to support its heritage and retro footwear business.