With the 26th Pick the San Antonio Spurs select George Hill

An Interview with George Hill (IUPUI)

George Hill is a 6'2" junior guard for the IUPUI Jaguars of the Summit League. Hill is currently averaging 21.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in 36.8 minutes of play. He has scored 30 or more points in a game six times this season and ranks in the Top 20 in scoring. Hill's Jaguars are currently ranked second in the Summit League with a 15-3 record; they are 24-6 overall.


Aaron Fischman: What do many people not know about your basketball team and IUPUI in general?

George Hill: That we are like brothers, we are more than just teammates. We all got each other's backs no matter what.

AF: What has made the difference in IUPUI's improvement from a season ago?

GH: We are more determined, we have a chip on our shoulders for the previous season, and we are familiar with each other more. So, more confident.

AF: How does it feel to lead the squad in points, rebounds, assists and steals?

GH: That's always great, but I couldn't do any of that without my teammates' help. I just try to lead and it's paying off so far.

AF: You also lead the team in minutes, averaging nearly 37 minutes per game. What does it mean to you for Coach Hunter to have such great trust in you?

GH: It means a lot. We have great communication and confidence in each other and that's all you need from a coach: a relationship, a bond. I feel that we have that.

AF: Describe the type of conditioning it takes to play so many minutes (45 min. on 2/23) on a regular basis.

GH: I can thank soccer for that. But believe me, your body gets damaged. But you have to push on cause if you want to reach your goals, that's nothing. That's just like the first mile in a marathon.

AF: On February 23, IUPUI squeaked by IPFW in overtime. You scored 30 points and grabbed 11 boards. Your efficiency numbers were just as impressive. You only had 2 turnovers and one personal foul in 45 minutes on the court. How did it feel to help lead the team to such a crucial victory? Also, talk about the strong performances from teammates Gary Patterson and Austin Montgomery.

GH: I mean, it wasn't me that won the game. It was a great team effort. It took all twelve of us to pull that game off. It just so [happened] that I ended up with stats like that. But Austin and Gary [have] been a great help to this team and being [leaders] on and off the court.

AF: This season you have shot very well from the charity stripe (82.8%) and also from the three-point line (45.8%). How much time do you devote to practicing your free throws? What does it mean to you to shoot a higher percentage from three-point range than most players shoot from anywhere on the court?

GH: I think it takes a lot of your time cause you always want to be able to have a jump shot. And I think this summer paid off. I mean, I was in the gym for hours every day, working on all sorts of things. And coaches always say you get better when no one is watching. I really found that to be true this summer.

AF: You have scored in double digits in every single game. Tell us how you've been able to be so successful, game in and game out.

GH: Like I said, I'm thankful to have great teammates who count on me night in and night out. Without them I couldn't do it. I just really take into every game as not being in double figures, but to do whatever it takes to win the game. Some games you might only see me have 11 points. So I try not to get caught up in my personal stats. I just like to WIN.

AF: Oral Roberts currently leads the Summit Conference with only one conference loss, which came against IUPUI. What was the strategy against Oral Roberts and how were you guys able to execute that strategy? How did it feel to hand Oral Roberts their first conference loss?

GH: It's always good to beat your rival. But we really didn't have a strategy, we just played our game. Coach Hunter doesn't like to change things often, so we keep everything the same and go out and just play ball.

AF: What are your individual and team goals for this season?

GH: To get to the NCAA [tournament]. That's all. I really don't have individual goals because it's always about the team. I don't get caught up in the "I" because you tend to lose focus of the TEAM concept.

AF: What are your long-term goals (basketball and otherwise)?

GH: Well, it's like any kid's dream, to play in the NBA. But if that doesn't work, maybe overseas. And after that: own my own sports facility.