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I'm guessing that some of the greats never had a rookie wall to contend with. Did Duncan experience a rookie slump? MJ? Kareem?
Spurs' Hill senses 'rookie wall' on horizon
Jeff McDonald
There is an obstacle laid out for every NBA rookie, a mountain to climb, a test of strength and endurance that can sideswipe even the most promising of inaugural seasons.
It is the dreaded “rookie wall,” and Spurs point guard George Hill knows it's out there waiting for him.
When Hill steps on the AT&T Center court Sunday against Orlando, it will mark his 34th NBA game, equaling the number he played in a full season as a college junior last year at IUPUI in Indianapolis.
“You always hear about rookies hitting that wall, because they're used to playing a certain amount of games in college,” said Hill, who the Spurs made the 26th overall pick in the June draft. “They surpass that, and then they hit that brick wall where their body can't go any longer.”
Hill hasn't hit that point yet. As a reserve, he's averaging only 19 minutes a game, nearly half the 36.8 a night he logged last season at IUPUI.
Still, Hill knows the wall is coming, and he's braced for impact.
“I don't think I want to look forward to hitting that wall,” Hill said.
So far, Hill has put together an uncommonly good rookie season, especially for a player taken in the lower portion of the first round.
Used mostly as a backup to All-Star Tony Parker, Hill is averaging 7.8 points, and has shown flashes of the defensive prowess that so intrigued the Spurs during pre-draft workouts.
He was instrumental in helping the Spurs survive nine games while Parker was injured in November, starting six of them and scoring at least 19 points four times. Hill's offensive numbers have fluctuated with his playing time since Parker returned, but all in all, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has gotten more than he expected out of a rookie still learning to play point guard.
“We expected him to play pretty good defense and rebound at that position,” Popovich said. “But offensively, he's had some nights that have been pretty darn impressive.”
To accelerate Hill's learning curve, Popovich has given him more and more responsibility lately. Hill started the fourth quarter in each of the past two games, with the outcome still in doubt.
At one point in Thursday night's victory over the Clippers, Popovich even ceded the head coach's chair to Hill, and let the rookie run a timeout.
Afterward, Hill said it was the highlight of his season.
“I'm going to tell everyone back home I got to run a timeout,” Hill said, beaming.
The Spurs would like to believe they will continue to get steady progress out of Hill. But “steady progress” tends to go with “NBA rookie” the way “gastric restraint” goes with the term “compe ive eater.”
For Hill, there is that wall looming in the distance, which can tend to make even the most talented rookies go south around the All-Star break. The challenge is not just a physical one.
“Mentally is where it's toughest for rookies,” said Roger Mason Jr., the Spurs' fifth-year guard. “Physically, they can handle 82 games. Mentally, the wear and tear can affect you.”
If anybody on the Spurs roster could possibly relate to what it's like to be George Hill, it's Parker.
Parker was a 19-year-old prodigy when he joined the Spurs in 2001. There were days that season he wished he had never left France.
“You have great games, and then the next game, you don't even know what's going on,” Parker said. “You have ups and downs. I went through that my rookie season.”
Surveying Hill's season as a body of work, Parker gives his protégé high marks just for making a contribution.
“I don't think anybody in this building thought he'd play this well when we drafted him,” Parker said.
The expectations have increased exponentially for Hill since then. The Spurs are now counting on Hill to be a key part of their rotation, both down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.
By then, Hill hopes he was scaled his wall to climb.
“I want to do anything I can to help this team win,” Hill said. “I'll just keep adjusting as I go.”
I'm guessing that some of the greats never had a rookie wall to contend with. Did Duncan experience a rookie slump? MJ? Kareem?
Don't worry, his arms are long enough to get over the "wall".
what a great guy.
Duncan spent all 4 years at Wake, so he was already 'mentaly tough' when he came into the league.
Wes Unseld...Rookie of The Year AND MVP!
George...you're doing great!
pop did. he said hill would help out immediatly. i hope he stays a spur for a long time. great find spurs. now we just need tiago to see what he can bring.
i hope the wall hes talking about hitting is 10-14 years from now.
there are just some guys who came into the league ready that once they entered the NBA, they hit the ground running and never stopped.
Poise. That alone sells itself. And Hill has plenty of it. I bet Pop knew exactly what he was getting in Hill. Poise alone, can carry a man without saying a word or making a move. Thats a fact.
I agree!!
Theres a part of me that doesn't like the at ude of "I'm gonna hit a wall" it screams Beno to me.
I understand what he means, but IMO, he just needs to put his head down and bust through it. Again, IMO, he hit that wall in a majority of the end of December.
Hes not copping out, hes just being humbled to the fact that it is going to be a tough adjustment, physically hes going to be fine.. but hes gotta be mentally strong enough to be aggressive every nite
By the lack of a mention of his name, I take it ST thinks McD did a good job this time.
I also noted this, good catch!By the lack of a mention of his name, I take it ST thinks McD did a good job this time.
Wall?
Don't you actually have to play significant minutes to even potentially hit a wall?
How do you hit a wall playing twenty minutes a game as a backup?
you've got to admit, this one doesn't scream of plagiarism.By the lack of a mention of his name, I take it ST thinks McD did a good job this time.
I got to sit in on a special "one on one" with George Hill over at Power 106.7 yesterday evening, just before he had to pick up a teammate to attend the Tux&Tennis.
There was no "wall" there.
George was so down to earth and answered everyone's questions really well. I got him to sign a Spurs basketball for me and he posed with us for pics.
I made sure to tell him I was grateful that he came to us at a time when we really needed someone like him with a ready-to-go game.
Once I process everything, I'll post a thread with pics and details of what went on.
Nice to hear the first-hand experience. Hill seems like a great guy and he's a great fit for this team. Looking forward to more of the story.
I don't know if I'll ever get the opportunity to be "that close" to any Spur again, he handled his Q&A session just 3 feet away from me, the room was small, you would think he would feel like he was under a microscope but nah, he was comfortable and seemed enthusiastic about having the opportunity to talk about himself and letting everyone know stuff about some of his early experiences with the city, the Spurs, and who he mostly looks up to on the team.
He'll do good, Pops will see too it.
It screams reporter asking him about the "rookie wall" and him humbly responding.
Probobly right I'm more than likely wrong.
He got to run a timeout?
I really like Hill and all, but I'm gonna come out and say I think Pop is not being hard enough on him. Pop had one foot half buried in Parker's ass for his first three seasons. He needs to regulate Hill and break him down to pieces, so he can rebuild him up to a stronger more determined player.
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