George Hill

At 37 years old, George Hill has this physical status:

George Jesse Hill Jr. (born May 4, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association. (NBA)

He earned many accolades, including Summit League Player of the Year and was an honorable mention All-American during his junior year while playing for Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI).

In the 2008 NBA draft, he was drafted 26th overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

Early life

Hill, who was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, compared players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, who were aspired to play in the NBA for one day; when asked about his aspiration to become a first-round pick in the 2008 NBA draft, Hill said, "It's my childhood dream." Hill, who was only a boy at Broad Ripple High School, excelled as one of the state's top high school players, earning him his reputation as one of the "Magnificent Seven" (with Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jr., Rodney Carney, Eric Gordon, and Courtney Lee). "This little dude comes in hitting all kinds of 3s, and I was like, 'Who is this dude?' "I knew he'd be something when I saw this little skinny kid playing the ball and shooting like that." Hill was playing against everybody in the Magnificent Seven except Gordon, who was recovering from a broken wrist during their meetup. During his junior year in high school, he clashed with Oden and Conley, and he remembers playing pickup games against 10-year-old Gordon when he was 13.

Hill averaged a state-leading 36.2 points per game in his senior season, the fifth-highest single-season average in Indiana High School Athletic Association history.

Personal life

Samantha Hill's mother gave birth to Zayden Jaxon Hill, the couple's first child, on January 16, 2016. Samantha gave birth to Zoe Jessie Hill, their second child, on January 4, 2018. They were married on August 13, 2018. Hill earned his diploma from the School of Liberal Arts in May 12, 2018. He was one of two student speakers to address the new graduates.

Hill owns an 850-acre ranch in Texas Hill Country, a 35-minute drive north of his offseason home in San Antonio. He uses 16 ranch employees to tend to the large herbivores he houses on his ranch. Hundreds of species of animals live on the ranch, including fallow deer, sables, kangaroos, wildebeests, donkeys, elk, antelope, scimitar oryx, red lechwes, red stags, kudus, ostriches, and zebras.

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College career

Despite scholarship offers from several large conference schools, including Temple and Indiana, he decided to enroll in IUPUI, vowing to remain with his ailing great-grandfather, Gilbert Edison. Hill's great-grandfather died shortly after deciding to attend IUPUI, but he never got to see Hill play basketball at the college level. Hill refused to pursue other offers and remain at IUPUI, following his great-grandfather's advice to always be a man of his word.

In his sophomore year, he led the IUPUI Jaguars to a tie for the first time in the league.

Hill returned to action in the third year at IUPUI after being forced to become a redshirt in his third year as a student. Oral Roberts University is the next stop on the NCAA Tournament, where the Jaguars defeated them in their first season and then lost to eventual champion Oral Roberts University, ultimately losing to eventual champion Oral Roberts University and thus losing out on a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The Jaguars were 61–30 during his three seasons at IUPUI, not counting Hill's injury-shortened 2006–07 season.

Despite having only one year of eligibility, Hill, who wishes to "test the waters," has declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA draft. With 1,619 points, he became the fifth all-time leading scorer in the IUPUI and became the second IUPUI player to declare early after Carlos Knox in 1997 (he later withdrew his name).

Professional career

Hill had regularly attracted NBA scouts to his college games, but most mock drafts were not predicted because he was unannounced.

Hill spent time with multiple NBA franchises over the next months. Hill attracted interest and became a projected second-round pick after an impressive run at the Orlando pre-draft rookie camp. The San Antonio Spurs stunned many by picking Hill with their 26th pick in the first round on draft night; many hoped the Spurs to select Mario Chalmers of Kansas. Hill was the first player to be drafted from IUPUI in the second round of The Summit League in history. The Spurs signed Hill to a standard rookie deal that guaranteed the first two years and included a team option for the next two years on September 23, 2008.

Hill scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in his first summer league game as a Spur, while the Spurs held O. J. Mayo to 5-of-17 shooting en route to a victory for the Spurs. Hill had trouble with his shooting during the summer season, scoring only 2 of 25 shots (8.0%) and one of six three-pointers (16.7%). Hill appeared in just one of the Spurs' summer league games; he had 8.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 31.7 minutes per game.

Hill led his team by 12.9 points over four games, but his shooting continued to falter, with only scoring 26.4 percent of his three-point field goals. Hill led all scorers with 21 points in the first of the four games, leading the Spurs to a 82-57 victory over the Utah Jazz. In a win over the NBDL Ambassadors, he had a quiet offensive appearance, 6 points, before scoring 18 points in a loss to the Gerald Green-led Mavericks. Hill suffered with his shooting (1–7) in the last game of the Revue, but the team still managed to make key plays with the game on the line. Hill made two quick free throws with 6.9 seconds remaining and then forced a turnover on the defensive end to defeat the previously undefeated Atlanta Hawks.

Hill made his NBA debut against the Dallas Mavericks on November 4 in the third game of the season in 2008. Due to a strained left thumb, he was unable to participate in the previous two games. Hill had 11 points, 1 steal, and 1 assist in 15 minutes of play. Hill started as the primary reserve at point guard, but after Tony Parker sustained an injury early in the season, he was promoted to starter. Hill was given fewer minutes after Parker and Manu Ginóbili's return to action. He finished his rookie season with 5.7 points per game, 2.1 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game. Hill made his playoff debut in game 2 of the Spurs' first-round series against the Mavs, but he only lasted 5 minutes.

Hill spent the majority of his offseason with his point-guarding abilities, led by player development coach Chad Forcier, and his jump shots with Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland. Following former Spur Bruce Bowen's counsel, he concentrated on honing his corner three-point shot. Hill had converted 8,000 threes by the time the training camp opened.

As soon as the 2009–10 season began, his hard work during the off-season yielded major dividends. Hill's minutes increased from 16.5 to 29 in a game. In 43 games, the bulk of them occurred while Tony Parker was recovering from injuries. Hill's scoring average increased his field goal percentage by 7.5 percent, and his 3-point shooting by 7.9 percentage points. Hill scored 30 points, 5 steals, and 7 assists in a home game win over the Houston Rockets on April 1, setting a record high of 30 points, 5 grabs, and 7 assists. Hill finished second in second place with Kevin Durant and Marc Gasol for the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Both three players received a total of 101 points.

Hill's first-round playoff match against the Mavs was a breakout match. He was ineffective in Game 1, scoring 0 points in 17 minutes after returning from an ankle injury. In Games 2 and 3, he shook off his tentativeté in the upcoming games, scoring 7 and 17 points. Then Hill led the Spurs to a Game 4 victory on a night when the Spurs' Big Three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili shot a combined 9-of-34 from the field. Hill had a career high 29 points in the playoffs, shooting 11-16 from the field and 5-6 from 3-point range. Hill averaged 22.3 points in the series, assisting the Spurs in winning the series in six games.

Hill held his career high of 30 points in a 119–114 loss to the Houston Rockets on March 28, 2011.

Hill was traded to the Indiana Pacers in a trade that gave the rights to the 15th overall pick, Dvis Bertns, and 2005 draftee Erazem Lorbek to the Spurs in exchange for Hill.

Hill came as a back-up for Darren Collison in the shortened season. Hill left the game against the New Jersey Nets on January 31, 2012 after suffering an ankle injury. It was just a tiny chip chip break, according to the Pacers. He missed 12 games due to the injury and returned against the Charlotte Bobcats on February 22. Hill will get off for the injured Collison on April 9, 2012, according to Pacers coach Frank Vogel. Despite Collison's return from injury, Hill remained a starter for the remainder of the season. Hill finished the season with a.442 field goal percentage.

In all five games, the Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with double-digits in the first round of playoff series against the Orlando Magic. Hill, who is facing the Miami Heat in the Conference Semifinals, had a game of record 20 points and 5 assists. The Heat won the next three games, progressing to the Conference Finals and eventually becoming NBA champions.

Hill re-signed with the Pacers on July 13, 2012, earning the Pacers a five-year, $40 million deal.

Hill made a game-winning floater against the Toronto Raptors and a game-winning layup against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2012–13 season. Hill and the Pacers qualified in the Eastern Conference Finals but lost in 7 games to the defending champion Miami Heat.

Hill played his best basketball game of his career on February 7, 2014, when he scored a career-high 37 points, as well as a game-tying three-pointer to force the game to overtime.

Hill returned to action on December 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans after missing the first 28 games of the season due to a left knee injury. In the 96-84 victory, he had 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in just over 21 minutes of action off the bench.

Hill scored 15 points, ten rebounds, and 12 assists in a 93–86 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 27, 2015. In an 89-93 loss to the Boston Celtics, he scored a season-high 30 points on March 14.

Hill had nine points and nine assists, as well as 11 rebounds in the Pacers' 102-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 19, 2016.

Hill was traded to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade involving the Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks on July 7, 2016. In a 113-104 loss, he made his Jazz debut against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 25 in the Jazz's season opener, scoring 19 points and six assists. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, October 31-to-Sunday, November 6. Hill led the Jazz to a 3–1 week behind averages of 20.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. With a 108–83 victory over the Denver Nuggets on November 23, he scored 22 points in his return from an eight-game absence. After missing 13 games with a sprained toe, he returned to action against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 29. In a 109-100 victory over the Pacers on January 21, 2017, he scored a season-high 30 points. In a 112–97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on March 3, 2017, he set a new season record with 34 points.

Hill signed a three-year contract with the Sacramento Kings worth $57 million. The contract was fully guaranteed for its first two seasons, with just $1 million secured for the 2019–20 season.

Hill was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that also involved the Kings and the Utah Jazz on February 8, 2018. Despite the Cavs' fourth straight Finals appearance, they were defeated by the defending champion Golden State Warriors in four games.

Hill was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a five-player, three-team contract that also included the Washington Wizards on December 7, 2018. Hill and the Bucks reached the Eastern Conference Finals (the franchise's first since 2000-01), but the eventual champion Toronto Raptors defeated them in 6 games. Hill signed a three-year, $29 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks to keep the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 season. Hill won by 129-112 over his former team, the Cavaliers, on October 28, 2019, scoring 19 points and 8 rebounds. He led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in his first full season with the Bucks in 2019-20. Hill was instrumental in orchestrating a wildcat strike of players during the 2020 NBA bubble in reaction to Jacob Blake's assassination and other instances of police brutality. Despite being ranked in the Eastern Conference at 52-11, the Bucks were eliminated in the NBA Bubble during the Conference Semifinals by the 5th seeded Miami Heat in 5 games.

Hill was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a four-team contract that also involved the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets on November 24, 2020. Hill fractured his right thumb in what would be his last game for the Thunder on January 24, 2021, and eventually underwent surgery.

Hill was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on March 25, 2021. The 76ers had waived him on August 3rd.

Hill returned to the Milwaukee Bucks on a two-year, $8 million deal on August 6, 2021. Hill suffered with an abdominal strain in a game against the Detroit Pistons on April 8, 2022, and was suspended indefinitely. Hill returned to Milwaukee's rotation on May 7, scoring 11 minutes in a 103-101 victory over the Boston Celtics in the second round.

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