George Hill

George Hill's Biography

George Hill, whose full name is George Jesse Hill, Jr., is an American professional basketball player recognized in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on May 4, 1986, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Hill has played for a plethora of teams throughout his career. Some of these teams include the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Hill started his path to the NBA by playing high school basketball at Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, where he was named the Indiana first-team All-State while playing for the Broad Ripple Rockets in his senior year. Post graduating in 2004, he spent a college season playing for the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

From the quiet avenues of Indianapolis to the buzzing basketball courts of the NBA, George Hill’s journey is filled with hard work, determination, and perseverance. His college career was notably exceptional, with that he became an immediate star at IUPUI, setting a new record for the most scored points in a single season with the Jaguars by a freshman at 426 points. As a sophomore in 2005-06, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. His success continued into his junior year where he averaged 21.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. These impressive performances earned him selection in the All-Summit First team in both 2006 and 2008.

After Junior year, Hill declared for the 2008 NBA Draft where he was selected as the 26th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs, making Hill the first player to be drafted from IUPUI and the Summit League in the NBA’s history. He performed well during his rookie season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

With the Spurs, he spent three seasons where he exhibited impressive play and provided critical depth to the team’s guard positions. In the 2009-10 season, he had an average of 12.4 points per game and shot 47.8% from the field. However, in a twist of fate, Hill was traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2011.

Hill’s stint with the Pacers further proved his skill and talent, becoming a crucial player for the team. During the 2012-13 season, he averaged 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists and helped the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals. He remained with the Pacers until 2016, and his remarkable contributions to the team are still remembered by fans today.

Nevertheless, the Pacers traded him to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal during the summer of 2016. Despite battling injuries, he still managed to have one of his best seasons in his career, averaging 16.9 points and shot a career-high 40.3% from the 3-point line.

Hill was then traded to the Sacramento Kings for the 2017-2018 season, then later again to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the same season. His short stint with the Cavaliers, however, brought him to the 2018 NBA Finals where they played against the Golden State Warriors.

The year 2018 saw Hill being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he evolved as a key player off the bench for the Bucks and was crucial in their deep playoff runs in both the 2019 and 2020 season. Milwaukee later traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020, where he played for a brief period before returning to the Milwaukee Bucks in August 2021.

Beyond his NBA career, George Hill has made a significant impact in community service. He won the NBA Cares Community Assist Award in February 2019 in recognition of his charitable efforts in Milwaukee and his ongoing support for youths in his hometown of Indianapolis.

George Hill’s career has been marked by versatility and durability, both essential traits in the NBA. Moreover, his commitment to giving back to the community makes him more than just an athlete. He is symbolic of the struggle, hard work, and the success that can follow. Despite bouncing around teams recently, Hill’s contributions to the game of basketball and dedication to improving himself will continue to define his career.