Malcolm Hill (born October 26, 1995) is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player for the
Birmingham Squadron
The Birmingham Squadron are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Birmingham, Alabama, and are affiliated with the New Orleans Pelicans. The team plays their home games at Legacy Arena. The team began play in 201 ...
of the
NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA De ...
. He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illinois Fighting Illini () are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.
The University operates a number of athletic faci ...
.
High school career
Following his junior season in which he averaged 23.8 points and shot 44% from three-point range, Hill verbally committed to Illinois and former head coach
Bruce Weber on September 12, 2011.
Prior to verbally committing, Hill listed
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
,
Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
,
Providence,
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
,
Xavier, and
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
as the other schools he had considered.
During his senior season, Hill broke his previous single season scoring mark he set during his junior season increasing his scoring total from 666 points to 708 total points. He averaged 25.3 points, 6.1 rebounds 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks during his final year at Belleville, and also finished in third place for
Mr. Illinois Basketball voting, finishing behind
Simeon
Simeon () is a given name, from the Hebrew (Biblical ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian ''Šimʿôn''), usually transliterated as Shimon. In Greek it is written Συμεών, hence the Latinized spelling Symeon.
Meaning
The name is derived from Simeon, so ...
's
Jabari Parker
Jabari Ali Parker (born March 15, 1995) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the second overall pick in th ...
and
Whitney Young
Whitney Moore Young Jr. (July 31, 1921 – March 11, 1971) was an American civil rights leader. Trained as a social worker, he spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the United States and turning the National Urban ...
's
Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Obika Okafor (pronounced ; born December 15, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League. He played his freshman season of college basketball for the 2014–15 ...
.
After head coach
John Groce
John Gordon Groce (; born September 7, 1971) is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach for the Akron Zips men's basketball team. Prior to coaching for Akron, he was the head coach at Illinois and Ohio.
Coaching career
P ...
was hired on March 29, 2012, Hill reaffirmed his verbal commitment to Illinois, and officially signed his
National Letter of Intent on November 14, 2012.
College career
Hill made his first start, along with fellow freshman
Kendrick Nunn, for the Fighting Illini on February 9, 2014, against
Penn State, scoring 11 points and helping the team end an 8-game losing streak.
On January 7, 2015, Hill scored a career-high 28 points as a sophomore to lead the Fighting Illini to a win at home against 11th-ranked
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
when Illinois' leading scorer
Rayvonte Rice was sidelined with a broken hand.
As a junior, Hill was named one of ten finalists for the 2016
Jerry West Award
The Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate shooting guard. The award is named after former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, ...
which is awarded by the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the best collegiate shooting guard in the United States. In a double-overtime loss to
Penn State at the end of the
2015–16 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
The 2015–16 Big Ten men's basketball season began with practices in October 2015, followed by the start of the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in late December and concluded in March, 2016.
...
, Hill set another career high scoring 39 points. Hill's 39 points were the most since
Brandon Paul scored 43 points against
Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
in 2012 and the seventh most points scored by an Illini player in program history. Following his junior season, Hill became the only Illinois basketball player to record 600 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season. On November 13, 2016, Hill bested that career mark with 40 points in a 79–64 victory over Northern Kentucky. Following his senior season, Hill was invited to participate in the
Portsmouth Invitational Tournament
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, (PIT), is the oldest amateur basketball tournament in the United States and the only postseason camp restricted to college basketball seniors. The Portsmouth Invitational is the first of two NBA pre-Draft ( ...
, which is held annually in
Portsmouth, Virginia to showcase college basketball's best seniors.
Professional career
Star Hotshots (2017)
After going undrafted in the
2017 NBA draft
The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players.
...
, Hill joined the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
for the
2017 NBA Summer League
The 2017 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
Eight teams participated in the wee ...
and in July, he signed with the
Star Hotshots
The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, or simply known as the Magnolia Hotshots, are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team is owned by San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc., a subsidiary of San Migu ...
of the
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...
as their import for the
2017 PBA Governors' Cup
The 2017 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors' Cup, also known as the 2017 Oppo-PBA Governors' Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the third and last conference of the 2016–17 PBA season. The tournament started on July 19 and ended o ...
, where he averaged 26 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Telekom Baskets Bonn (2017–2018)
In September 2017, Hill signed with
Telekom Baskets Bonn
Telekom Baskets Bonn, also known as Baskets Bonn, is a German professional basketball club that is based in Bonn, Germany. The club plays in the Basketball Bundesliga, which is German basketball league system, the highest level pro basketball le ...
of the German
Basketball Bundesliga.
MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg (2018–2019)
After his first season in Germany, Hill joined the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
for the
2018 NBA Summer League and in October, 2018, he signed with
MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
Riesen Ludwigsburg ( en, Giants Ludwigsburg), for sponsorship reasons MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, is a professional basketball club that is based in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The club currently plays in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the first tier of ...
for the
2018–19 Basketball Bundesliga
The 2018–19 Basketball Bundesliga, known as the easyCredit BBL for sponsorship reasons, was the 53rd season of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the top-tier level of professional club basketball in Germany.
Bayern Munich defended their title b ...
season.
BC Astana (2019–2020)
On August 16, 2019, Hill signed with
BC Astana
Astana Basketball Club ( kk, Astana Basketbol Kluby), commonly referred to as BC Astana, is a Kazakh professional basketball club that is based in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Founded in 2011, it has competed in the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship a ...
of the
Kazakhstan Championship, where he averaged 20.2 points, 4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
Hill joined House of 'Paign, a team composed primarily of Illinois alumni in
The Basketball Tournament 2020
The Basketball Tournament 2020 was the seventh edition of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a 5-on-5, single elimination basketball tournament. The tournament, involving 24 teams, started on July 4 and continued through the championship game on Jul ...
. He scored 14 points and had four rebounds in a 76–53 win over War Tampa in the first round.
Hapoel Jerusalem (2020–2021)
On August 17, 2020, Hill signed with
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Jerusalem is a sport organization in Jerusalem as a local branch of the Hapoel movement. The branch was established in the 1920s and represents the city in more sports than any other sport organization in Jerusalem. Today, the club's leadi ...
of the
Israeli Basketball Premier League and the
Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League (BCL) is an annual professional basketball competition for European clubs, organised by FIBA. It is the top-level competition organised by FIBA Europe, therefore the champion participates in the FIBA Intercont ...
.
Birmingham Squadron (2021)
On October 9, 2021, Hill signed with the
New Orleans Pelicans. However, he was waived on October 12. On October 25, he signed with the
Birmingham Squadron
The Birmingham Squadron are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Birmingham, Alabama, and are affiliated with the New Orleans Pelicans. The team plays their home games at Legacy Arena. The team began play in 201 ...
as an
affiliate player. In 14 games, he averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.6 minutes per game.
Atlanta Hawks (2021–2022)
On December 22, 2021, Hill signed a 10-day contract with the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
.
In his 3 appearances, he averaged 5.7 points, 2 rebounds and 0.3 assist in 15.3 minutes per game.
Chicago Bulls (2022–2023)
On January 14, 2022, Hill signed a 10-day contract with the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
.
On January 19, he signed a
two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
with the team.
On September 7, 2022, Hill re-signed with the Bulls on a new two-way contract. On February 21, 2023, he was waived by the Bulls.
Return to Birmingham (2023–present)
On February 24, 2023, Hill was re-acquired by the
Birmingham Squadron
The Birmingham Squadron are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Birmingham, Alabama, and are affiliated with the New Orleans Pelicans. The team plays their home games at Legacy Arena. The team began play in 201 ...
.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
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Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, 3 , , 0 , , 15.3 , , .625 , , .600 , , 1.000 , , 2.0 , , .3 , , 1.3 , , .3 , , 5.7
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Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, 16 , , 0 , , 10.4 , , .432 , , .323 , , .700 , , 1.8 , , .4 , , .2 , , .1 , , 3.4
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Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, 24 , , 0 , , 9.2 , , .464 , , .359 , , .786 , , 1.6 , , .3 , , .3 , , .1 , , 3.2
College
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2013–14
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Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, 35 , , 12 , , 14.1 , , 38.3 , , 34.1 , , 77.0 , , 2.4 , , 0.7 , , 0.3 , , 0.1 , , 4.4
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2014–15
, style="text-align:left;",
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, 33 , , 32 , , 30.6 , , 44.3 , , 38.9 , , 78.1 , , 4.8 , , 1.3 , , 0.8 , , 0.2 , , 14.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2015–16
, style="text-align:left;",
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, 34 , , 34 , , 35.1 , , 43.6 , , 31.4, , 82.1 , , 6.6 , , 3.3 , , 1.2 , , 0.4 , , 18.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2016–17
, style="text-align:left;",
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, 35 , , 35 , , 33.3 , , 43.4 , , 35.5, , 78.4 , , 5.1 , , 2.9 , , 1.2 , , 0.4 , , 17.2
International career
In June 2015, Hill was among the 22 players who earned an invitation to the training camp for the
2015 U.S. Pan American Men's Basketball team at the
United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers (OPTCs) are two campuses created by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Sprin ...
in
Colorado Springs, Colorado. Competition took place July 21–25 in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada. However, Hill was not selected for the final roster.
Personal life
Born in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, Hill moved with his family to a nearby
Metro East
Metro East is a region in southern Illinois that contains eastern and northern suburbs and exurbs of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It encompasses five Southern Illinois counties (and parts of three others) in the St. Louis Metropolitan Stati ...
suburb
Belleville, Illinois when he was four years old. Up until fifth grade, Hill also played soccer and baseball, but chose to focus on basketball. Hill's father, Malcolm, played
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...
basketball for
UMSL Tritons
The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) Tritons are the athletic programs represent the University of Missouri–St. Louis. They compete in NCAA Division II and are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Sports
University of Miss ...
during the early 1990s.
During the summer of 2012, Hill was diagnosed with
Thoracic outlet syndrome, and underwent surgery to repair the blood clot in his upper right arm. Hill took several months to recover from the operation and made a full recovery.
Notes
External links
Illinois Fighting Illini bioESPN profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Malcolm
1995 births
Living people
21st-century African-American sportspeople
African-American basketball players
American expatriate basketball people in Germany
American expatriate basketball people in Israel
American expatriate basketball people in Kazakhstan
American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines
American men's basketball players
Atlanta Hawks players
Basketball players from Illinois
BC Astana players
Birmingham Squadron players
Chicago Bulls players
Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. players
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players
Magnolia Hotshots players
People from St. Clair County, Illinois
Philippine Basketball Association imports
Riesen Ludwigsburg players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Sportspeople from Greater St. Louis
Telekom Baskets Bonn players
Undrafted National Basketball Association players