Herbert Hill

Herbert Hill had a pretty good game here, showing he can contribute in other ways when he isn’t getting as many touches in the post as he consistently saw at Providence. All Hill’s shots were of his standard variety, an array of hook shots and turnaround jumpers from about the five feet range. He still hasn’t showed much in terms of a mid-range jumper, so his entire offensive game pretty much lies in that five to eight feet range.

Hill did a good job on the defensive end today, showing off his timing, length, and athleticism in blocking some shots from the weakside, also getting a few blocks in a man-to-man situation against Ryvon Covile. Hill also pulled in a lot of rebounds, but he relies a bit too much on his physical tools in that area, lacking in fundamentals like boxing out his man, something he’ll need to really improve on at the next level.

Hill’s stock probably hasn’t changed much here in Orlando, as he was already viewed as mostly a project player outside of his arsenal of moves from the mid-post area. Hill will need to work on his defensive and rebounding fundamentals, develop a more consistent mid-range shot, and add some more strength in the weight room before he can make a significant impact for an NBA team. But given how he improved so drastically in his final season at Providence in terms of production, he’s probably capable of making many of those improvements.

Herbert Hill didn’t have a very good performance here, showing off a lot of his weaknesses at a magnified level, struggling in terms of his man-to-man defense and really struggling providing a presence on the boards, not getting good position or boxing out well against the higher level of competition here at the camp. Hill relied on his athleticism and length a lot in getting rebounds at Providence, and it’s now showing how he won’t be able to consistently rely on those things at the next level, needing to improve his fundamental base as well. His lack of width hurts him, and he could probably use a bit more in terms of lower and upper body strength, which an NBA training program will help him achieve.

Defensively, Hill really struggled when he was matched up in man-to-man situations in the post, not getting into proper stance and not lowering his center of gravity to maintain position, just looking like he doesn’t have much fundamental development in that aspect of the game. For all those negatives, Hill still does a good job contesting on shots at time with his length, and made a nice block he wasn’t credited for against Anthony Tolliver on a post-up attempt.

Hill looked solid on the offensive end when he got the ball, working on the low and mid block, though this wasn’t a game with a lot of post-up attempts, a style of play which doesn’t favor his game, which revolves around his excellent footwork and touch around the basket. Hill scored on a stepback jumper on the baseline where he turned into his man and quickly got separation by bouncing back off, scoring the shot with ease. He scored again on a backdown into the post where he went up for a turnaround jumper over his man going across the lane, his favorite move, coming off two right-handed dribbles. His only other field goal came on another pull-up jumper from five feet going across the lane. Hill made some nice passes out of the post as well, something he’s shown flashes of at Providence, and he has the potential to develop into a nice passer in time.

Hill has a lot of great qualities to build around, but he’s a good ways away from reaching his potential, needing to put on weight and be under the tutelage of a coach who puts a strong emphasis on fundamentals and defense, two things he’s really lacking outside of the painted area on the offensive end. Hill did make excellent strides in his senior breakout season, though, and his offensive motor is strong, so there’s reasons to be encouraged that he can make the necessary improvements in the other areas of his game in the right setting. He wasn’t showing consistent hustle in getting up and down the court and playing defense in this game, so he should look to do more of that tomorrow, but his stock doesn’t seem to be changing much here, still sitting in the early-to-mid second round as a project big man.

After a “quiet” breakout senior season in the Big East, Hill is hoping that his Orlando performance will make the scouts realize what they missed during the year. This afternoon’s performance didn’t stand out in a very mundane overall contest, but the lanky big man still had his moments. He started the game hot, converting on a pair of nice post moves against Ali Traore. He hit a turnaround jumper and then swished a hook, both of which displayed the soft touch he was becoming known for by the time his career at Providence came to a close.

The rest of the way would be a mixed bag. He used his length and athleticism to come up with a couple of blocks, but didn’t convert those post moves the way he did early on. Hill continued to show great awareness on when to look for his shot, but also struggled with individual post defense and a general lack of physical toughness. Hill is very skilled and loves to operate with his back to the basket, but would be well-served to learn how to take contact a bit better. He came up with a key steal late in the game, but also had a handful of shots blocked down the stretch. All in all, this performance really shouldn’t have changed anyone’s impression of Herbert Hill as a prospect. We think he has more to offer, and will show it later in the camp.

Hill looked like a natural in the post-drills that Grover ran him through on both days, showing a smooth jump-hook shot, text-book footwork, fantastic touch around the basket, and the wherewithal to find the net regardless of where he was around the paint. He’s a very impressive guy to watch in this kind of setting, as his fundamentals are clearly excellent. Hill’s shooting is still a bit of a question mark, as his mechanics are unorthodox—featuring a high, but inconsistent release point, although pretty nice touch. He was a bit streaky in the drills we saw.

In the five on five, Hill looked great on offense and just average on defense. He hit a couple of face-up jumpers from 15-16 feet out, but was at his best with his back to the basket in the post going into his phenomenal turnaround jumper. He’s got a real old-school game, with great hands, timing and footwork and a superb feel for pivoting and scoring in the post.

Defensively, Hill blocked some shots (again showing great timing), but struggled a bit in terms of his lateral quickness. He gave up way too much space to Shaun Pruitt in the post, and didn’t do a very good job rotating over when guards slashed their way into the paint. Providence played a lot of zone in college, so it was a little bit tough to evaluate this part of his game on tape, and there is clearly now an adjustment period for him. He would obviously benefit from bringing his intensity level up a notch in terms of the energy he shows, since NBA teams will want to see how he projects as a guy they bring off the bench in short spurts rather than the centerpiece role he played in college. Hill will be playing at the NBA pre-draft camp this upcoming week, so there is a lot he can show there to mitigate these kinds of concerns. He needs to be a beast there.

Since our last progress report on Hill over one month ago, we’ve had the chance to watch a lot more tape on the late-blooming senior, and Hill hasn’t failed to impress against the best competition the Big East has to offer. Hill has scored in double figures in every game of conference play, including a 20 point performance when matched up with Pittsburgh’s Aaron Gray, and now this 29 point outburst against Syracuse and 6’11 shot blocker Darryl Watkins.

In our last report, much praise was given to Hill’s face-up game from within 15 feet, but in analyzing his game more, it’s clear that he is more of a back-to-the-basket player, and will only use a face-up dribble or two to get closer when he doesn’t have initial position, then seamlessly turning to go into a back-to-the-basket post-up. Once in position, Hill will quickly go to either his jump hook or turnaround jumper, both of which he is nearly automatic with from within five feet. Hill’s touch is outstanding on both his hook shot and turnaround jumper, and despite him not getting much playing time until his senior year, his footwork is surprisingly polished and he makes smart, quick decisions when he gets the ball fed to him in the post.

Hill’s decision-making and quick moves were on full display against Syracuse’s collapsing zone, which proved to be just a small obstacle for him. The zone was pressuring him from all sides both before and after he received entry passes, but he went to quick work when he got the ball, and shot a remarkable 13-for-16 from the field, hitting a variety of hook shots, turnaround jumpers, and easy lay-ups around the rim. Much credit should also be given to the guards on his team who did an excellent job feeding him the ball through Syracuse’s pesky zone.

Hill’s offensive game could use some expanded moves in the future, as he can’t do much outside of 15 feet, and is really only consistently effective from inside 10. His mid-range shot has solid form, but he rarely uses it and it hasn’t been quite refined yet, as evidenced by his sub-par 60% free throw percentage. Aside from being very reliable with his back to the basket in the post, Hill does a good job attacking the offensive boards, though he relies a bit too much on his physical tools at this level, not enough on establishing inside position. He also doesn’t always follow through on his pursuits of the ball, sometimes just getting a hand on the ball rather than securing it by pulling it in.

Defensively, Hill has excellent shot-blocking ability, which was evidenced in this game where he blocked eight and altered a few more. Hill’s weakside awareness is strong, and he has good timing on his blocks, though his man-to-man defense in the post could use some work. While very fundamentally sound in the post on offense, Hill has a long way’s to go in fundamentals in guarding the post on defense, as he doesn’t have much of any. Hill doesn’t really get his weight down to get leverage on his man, which leads to him being backed down nearly at will. His lack of strength, specifically in the lower body, is also concerning on the defensive end, though with some professional weight training that could be remedied. Given the vast progress Hill has made in his four years at Providence, specifically in the polishing of his offensive game while not getting much playing time his first two seasons, there’s a good chance his defensive game could see similar improvement if he has the dedication and the proper coaching. Hill’s drive and focus on the defensive end also don’t seem quite up to speed with his offense, so more dedication on his part could also help.

At this point Hill projects as a fringe first-round pick, and there’s much to be impressed with from him as a prospect. The polish on his offensive game in spite of his lack of playing time over the years is a testament to the work he must put in practicing, and the great progress he’s made with his game this season is a testament to his steep learning curve. Couple these things with his physical gifts, and acknowledge that there is still a lot of untapped potential in him, and Hill could turn out to be a very effective player in the NBA playing the power forward and center positions. With his shot-blocking, rebounding, outstanding touch, and two legitimate go-to moves in the post, he already has a lot to offer an NBA team. If he can improve his mid-range shot and add some weight to his decently sized frame, Hill has the chance to be an effective starter at either the 4 or the 5 in the NBA. Hill would be best off if he was drafted by a team with a coach who puts a strong emphasis on fundamental defense, as that area of his game is in need of the most work, and coaching should be essential to his development there.

Draft Prospect of the Year: Herbert Hill, 6-10, Senior, PF/C, Providence

A player that averaged only 9 points a game on a mediocre team as a junior, Hill proved to be one of the most improved players in college basketball during the 2006-2007 campaign. He still has work to do on his draft stock in the pre-draft camps and private workouts, but just the fact that he’s even in the conversation as a potential late 1st round pick is a testament to his outstanding work ethic.

You may not yet be familiar with the name Herbert Hill, but it’s one you should get accustomed to, as you’re certain to start hearing more of it in the months ahead. Hill, a senior at Providence, never averaged more than 18.4 minutes per game until this year, but he’s suddenly exploded onto the college basketball scene, and is quietly making a legitimate run at Big East Player of the Year honors. Hill thus far is averaging 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and is shooting a remarkable 70% from the floor.

Hill stands 6’10, weighs 240 pounds, and has a pretty solid frame to boot. He doesn’t have the broadest shoulders, but certainly has enough to get by in the NBA, and he has room to add some more weight as well. Hill has decent size right now, and he doesn’t show any noticeable problems getting overpowered, but with some more upper body strength he could elevate his already formidable game. Hill also has pretty good length and athleticism for his size, and he uses these qualities to his advantage in his game, especially rebounding the basketball.

Hill’s offensive game is surprisingly refined for someone who hasn’t logged many minutes over the course of his college career, and with his physical tools, it’s perplexing how his game didn’t start to shine earlier. Hill gets his points in a variety of ways on the offensive end, though he seems to be at his best putting the ball on the floor from mid-range with his face-up game. For his position, Hill’s first step is pretty quick, and he has enough ball-handling ability to take a few dribbles en route to the basket, sometimes showing the ability to change directions or pull off a spin move in the process. He reacts very well when a defender is in his way, altering his path so not to plow into them, and adjusting his shot when it’s contested by the opposition. He also has a solid understanding of how to use jukes and fakes to his advantage, combining all these skills together to form a very fluid game when he gets in motion. In this game he showed the ability to finish with lay-ups or hook shots, and does a good job of taking what the defense gives him.

Hill also showed off a very solid mid-range shot, which has good form, a high release point, and a pretty quick release. With his height, length, and shooting motion, he should have absolutely no problems getting this off at the next level. He’s only shooting 59% from the free-throw line thus far this season, so his shot is obviously not perfected yet, but all the tools are there, and with work, it should come around.

Hill has a great touch around the rim, and this, coupled with his rebounding ability, leads to a lot of putback attempts, most of which he converts with ease. In this game he drew contact pretty well, not letting it affect any of his shots or tip-in attempts. As for rebounding the ball, Hill uses his relentless motor and physical gifts to try and track down pretty much every rebound, and he also displays good timing on his jumps, a good second bounce when needed, and excellent hands to pull the rebounds in. With his length and leaping ability, he can often go over the opposition to pull down a board.

Offensively, Hill likes to stay within fifteen feet of the basket where he’s at his best, as he’s always in a position to shoot the mid-range shot or use his face-up game to get to the basket. He shows some flashes of solid court vision and passing ability from the high post, and once he improves this aspect of his game, he will be an excellent triple-threat option out of the high-post. Hill already seems very poised, plays within himself, and seems to have a solid understanding of his strengths and limitations as a player. He also seems to have a strong sense of court awareness and offensive spacing, and recognizes what the defense is giving to him, and proceeds to take advantage of it.

Defensively, Hill shows the same consistent motor he does on offense, and he’s very active in contesting shots that enter the lane. Providence plays a lot of zone defense, so it’s tough to get a read on his man-to-man skills, but when forced to step out on the perimeter in this game, he looked like he had at least above average lateral quickness for a power forward, along with a solid understanding of how to play fundamental man-to-man defense, getting his center of gravity down and sliding his feet.

It’s likely not going to remain this way for long, but as of now, Hill is quite possibly the biggest sleeper in all of college hoops, and he should certainly be in discussions about the first round in this upcoming draft. Hill’s been consistently putting up numbers all season long, and in the four games since conference play began, he’s scored 20+ points three times and has three double-doubles, along with a game where he netted seven blocks. If he continues to perform the way he has been, with his combination of physical abilities and developed skills, the first round is not out of the picture for him.