Grant Hill had his calendar set for June 1999. Sure, the Detroit Pistons star would have loved to play in the NBA Finals that month, but the event he had written in permanent ink occurs after the season: the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

"It was my Number 1 priority for the summer of 1999," Hill says. "I couldn't wait."

Hill was vice chairman of the 10th Summer Games, that ran from June 26-July 4, 1999, in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C., Triangle. The Summer Games are held every four years by Special Olympics, the international sporting organization for people with mental retardation. More than 7,000 athletes from 150 countries competed in 19 events in what Special Olympics called "the biggest sporting event on the planet in 1999."

Hill, 26, is no stranger to Special Olympics. He first served as a high school volunteer in Reston, Va. "As a senior I took a leadership class, and we had to do some community service," Hill says. "We got involved with the Northern Virginia Special Olympics, helping out with events at a local high school. It was great to see the enjoyment the athletes got from competing. Special Olympics have been a central part of my life ever since."

He continued his involvement while at Duke University, appearing at local competitions. And he hooked up with the Michigan chapter after becoming a Piston in 1994. Hill's history with Special Olympics and ties to the state of North Carolina made him a natural for the World Games role.

"Grant has a sincere interest in our movement," says Dr. Timothy Shriver, president and CEO of Special Olympics International. "He understands what Special Olympics is all about. We are sport but also something far more than sport-really, a celebration of heroism."

As vice chairman, Hill spread the word about the 1999 World Games and encouraged volunteerism. But even more important, he wants to educate the public about the capabilities of people with developmental disabilities. As an example, Hill points to his friend, Billy Quick, a Special Olympics marathon runner.

"I was a sprinter in middle school and wanted to try something different," says Quick, 25, a carpenter in High Point, N.C. "In high school I started running cross-country. After high school I ran 10Ks and built up my self-esteem. Then I tried a half marathon and thought, This is cool."

In 1995 Quick finished seventh in the World Games' first full marathon. In 1997 he completed the New York Marathon despite 90% humidity and last year qualified for Boston. "Billy is amazing," Hill says. "He and the other Special Olympics athletes are an inspiration to me. They put my life and accomplishments into perspective.

"These athletes have some handicaps mentally and physically, but watching them compete and gain confidence and self-esteem is a gratifying feeling. It's the same feeling I had as a 17-year-old volunteer."