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I like Hill a lot but how can we explain he lost his rebounding skills ? I haven't the stats per 36 mn but this is what surprise me when I see him play maybe I'm with a wrong idea tough.
Popovich's favorite could have tough choice in near future
Arash Markazi
SI.com
George Hill has almost doubled his scoring average from 5.7 points per game last year, to 10.7 this season.
Greg Nelson/SI
Asking a coach to name his favorite player is almost like asking a parent to name their favorite child. Even if they have one, they likely won't say it out of respect for the rest of their kids. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, however, has no problem singling out one player on a roster led by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, as his favorite.
George Hill.
On more than one occasion this season, Popovich, who doesn't normally warm up to young players, has singled out Hill, the second-year backup point guard out of IUPUI, as his favorite player on the team.
"I just like him, personally, better than the other players," Popovich said jokingly Sunday night. "I don't really like the other ones as much as I like being around him. That's why I say he's my favorite player, because he is."
As much as he loves Hill's work ethic, selflessness and versatility, Popovich seemed slightly stunned when a reporter actually wanted to do a story on the unsung player who has almost doubled his scoring average from 5.7 points per game last year, to 10.7 this season.
"Are you related to him? He's not that good," Popovich teased. "A skinny little kid, you know, second year in the league, it's not like he's LeBron or something. I told you he's my favorite player, I like him on both ends of the floor, I play him at three positions -- what else can I say? He laughs at my jokes. He's a good kid. Timmy doesn't laugh at them anymore so I had to find someone new."
Hill has done more than just laugh at Popovich's jokes to win over his confidence and rank fourth on the team in scoring and third in minutes per game. Not only has he refined his game, routinely hitting open jump shots in transition (shots he passed up on last season), but has become a tenacious defender and someone the Spurs lean on to disrupt the opposition's best scorer.
Against the Bucks, for example, Hill, who is 6-foot-2 but has a 6-foot-9 wingspan, was given the task of shutting down Brandon Jennings, who had recently gone off for 55 points against Golden State and 29 against Charlotte. Hill forced 6-for-21 shooting and only 12 points from Jennings, while finishing with 14 points and two blocks himself.
"When you have someone like that come off the bench who can play multiple positions and be a very good defender, it's huge," said Duncan. "We've asked him not only to play the point guard position, but also be a stopper for us against certain individuals. He's really played a huge role for us."
After the Bucks game, and following most games at home, Hill went straight from the court to the weight room, continuing a ritual that began his rookie season. In his first year, Hill was required to hit the gym after games since San Antonio's strength and conditioning coach, Mike Brungardt, made those who played less than 15 minutes a game put in extra conditioning work. And even though Hill averages close to 25 minutes a game this season, he still makes his usual trip to the weight room.
"I want to be great; I don't just want to be good," said Hill, who turned down scholarship offers from Florida and Indiana to play at IUPUI and be close to his dying great grandfather. "I want to get better each year, and I think that goes with watching Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker and how they've been so successful. They're in the gym all the time, and that goes through everybody on our whole team. Even if I play a lot I always want to be better at something and be the greatest."
With Parker and Ginobili out with injuries, Hill started four games at the start of the season, playing both guard and small forward. Though his versatility came out of necessity, Hill said he still enjoys the flexibility it has given him now that everyone is healthy. Such was the case Sunday in a 115-90 rout of the Clippers in L.A., Hill finished with 11 points, his third straight game scoring in double figures and 11th of the season
"He's just keeps getting better," said Spurs guard Roger Mason. "He's a talented kid and I think knowing what Pop wants from him day in and day out, he's evolving into the point guard that he knows he can be. He's very mature and he listens. A lot of young guys, when they come into the league, for whatever reason, they think they know more than they do. George has a humble approach and he's willing to listen to older guys, especially Pop. And whatever Pop asks of him, he does."
When Hill, the only player from IUPUI to play in the NBA, was selected by the Spurs with the 26th overall pick in the 2008 draft, most fans and league executives questioned the Spurs' thinking. With Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts on the board, the Spurs went with a player who wasn't projected to go until the mid- to late-second round.
But the Spurs track record should have warned the skeptics. In the past 10 years, the Spurs have picked Ginobili, Parker, Luis Scola, Leandro Barbosa, Beno Udrih, Hill and DeJuan Blair. And none of them were selected higher than 26.
"We're just looking for a good player," said Popovich. "The work starts now, so when you're in that position [late in the first or in the second round], you have some options of guys other people might have missed and who you think will fit into your program. We've had some pretty good success with that."
While Hill, 23, has shown he would likely flourish as a regular starter, he's content to back up Parker, 27, and fill in for Ginobili, giving the Spurs an added dimension on both ends of the court. There may be a time in the near future, however, when Hill must decide if he's happy simply being Popovich's favorite backup on a championship contender, or if he's willing to take a chance and become a starter somewhere else.
"If the time comes when I can be [a starter], yes, I'll be willing to take the opportunity," Hill said. "But at the same time, I just want to win and be a part of an organization like this, wherever it takes me it takes me. I don't want to say, 'Yeah, I want to start over Tony Parker,' because that's not the deal, I just want to be a great NBA player and have a long, 15-plus-year career and be one of those players who will be remembered as a great player during his time."
I like Hill a lot but how can we explain he lost his rebounding skills ? I haven't the stats per 36 mn but this is what surprise me when I see him play maybe I'm with a wrong idea tough.
Hill has high expectations for himself, good.. him and Blair will be the future.
We have much better rebounding bigs this year. There's less rebounding necessary by the guard positions. That would be my guess anyway.
I assume Pop has put a lot of emphasis on his guards getting back for transition defense.
And Splitter (fingers crossed)
When that time comes...I think George seems like a smart kid who would rather win than be a starter for a lottery team.
fckn love george hill hes been sooo solid this season
Holy did he just raise the bar for himself.
Spurs can't let this guy get away
You call that smart?
...and if the Spurs can somehow land a young, talented, athletic, SF (a la Rudy Gay), they truly will have a core for the future.
By the way, Gay is auditioning for a new contract somewhere, as the Grizz could very well let him walk this summer.
Well its either be a role player on a championship team for a couple years to come and make decent money...or make some crazy money on a team and watch your whole career go to for a lottery team...You call that smart?
If the Spurs can pull that off, I will be pretty damn confident in this team for years to come...
If he wants to start we could possibly start him at the 2 and then switching off with Tony. I have to admit though he makes a great 6th man and if we let Manu go or he goes somewhere else this summer then we would need someone off the bench who could come right in and score right away.
Doc Rivers was also about to draft Hill.
The thing I like about Hill is when he screws up on a play, he often makes up for it by getting a steal/defensive stop on the resulting play caused by his screwup.
I was really impressed with Hill in preseason and in the begining of the season. But now, not so much.
How many teams could Hill start for in the NBA?
He can be a starter here alongside Tony at sg...
There aren't really many teams he would start for right now..I can only think of 5 teams where he would start at the 1 or 2 off the top of my head..
He's still potential right now, with some flashes of a guy that could be a top-tier role player in the future..he still has A LOT of work to do when it comes to passing, and that's the main thing he should work on..his future in this league is much better as a PG IMO..
Take that, Meyotch!
He's getting 24 minutes in a crowded guard/swing rotation. Next year, Fin will be gone, and likely Mason, too. If he's not set on starting, but content with solid minutes, he could be happy here.
he could start at the 2 right now
yep i agree with all of you guys, what player has pop ever called his favorite? no one! will the spurs ever let that go? heck no! and especially if hes as humble as he is. he could def start right now at the two. i think we should wait one more year though. It really is a big decision to start him on our team at the two, because he will be learning the 2 position instead of our future pg plans. i would love to have him as a 1 or 2 player. Tiago/blair/hill/ is a good start to a new team guys! what if nando de colo steps up? or who knows who were going to get this coming year! or if things go bad once timmy leaves, and tony is not happy here we can trade him for a really good player! just keep the options open.
I wouldn't blame him if he goes with the highest bidder, if it comes to that. Hopefully Spurs make him an attractive contract extension.
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