The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard George Hill. Per club policy terms of the agreement were not announced.
The native of Indianapolis, Indiana was drafted by San Antonio with the 26th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
The 6-2 Hill played this summer with the Spurs entries in the Vegas Summer League and the Rocky Mountain Revue. He appeared in three games – all starts – in the Vegas Summer League and averaged 8.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 31.8 minutes. Hill posted 17 points and 8 rebounds on 7/14 against Memphis. In four games at the Rocky Mountain Revue, he averaged a team-high 12.8 points with 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.00 steals in 30.8 minutes. Hill scored 21 points and added 4 rebounds and 3 assists against Utah on 7/18.
Hill spent the past four years at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Last season he was named the Summit League Player of the Year, earned First Team All-Conference honors and was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press. Hill led the Summit League and ranked 16th nationally in scoring with 21.5 points per game while shooting .545 from the field (195-245) and .450 (49-109) from three-point range. He posted nine double-doubles and averaged 6.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.78 steals in 32 games. Hill scored in double figures in all 32 games, finishing with 20 or more points 16 times, and topped the 30-point mark in seven contests. He appeared in just five games as a junior before missing the rest of the season with a broken foot. As a sophomore Hill earned First Team All-Conference honors, averaging a team-high 18.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He was named to the league All-Newcomer Team as a freshman. For his career Hill appeared in 95 games for the Jaguars, averaging 17.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.63 steals.
The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: Did you happen to see the photo of Jay-Z and LeBron James in last Friday’s Daily News? The Nets minority owner and the NBA’s second best player were together attending a fundraiser in Manhattan (and no, it wasn’t to help finance the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn.) These two guys are spotted together so often that Beyonce is starting to ask questions. At what point will the Cleveland Cavaliers start accusing the Nets of tampering?
The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: Nick Fazekas, a 2003 Ralston Valley High School graduate, said Tuesday he will sign a nonguaranteed contract with the Nuggets before the start of next week’s training camp. The 6-foot-11 forward said he had “lots” of camp offers but believes he can make the Nuggets, who recently lost big men Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera. “I’m confident I can,” said Fazekas, who will sign for the $711,517 minimum after averaging 4.1 points in 26 games last season as a rookie with Dallas and the Clippers. “I don’t want it to sound like I’m talking with an ego, but I feel I’m good enough to play in the NBA.” If Fazekas, who worked out at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday for a second straight day after having recent workouts with Cleveland, Dallas, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, doesn’t bring local flavor to the Nuggets, forward Michael Ruffin could. Ruffin, who also has been working out at the Pepsi Center, expects to attend training camp with Denver or Chicago.
The Dallas Morning News (David Moore) reports: Jason Kidd is in the final year of a contract that pays him $21.3 million. The end of last season does not allow his agent, Jeff Schwartz, to negotiate from a position of strength. The Mavericks’ front office believes former coach Avery Johnson was wrong about Kidd, hence the title former coach. They think Kidd has something left to give. But is owner Mark Cuban confident enough in that assessment to sign the future Hall of Fame guard to an extension? No. The first 3 ½ months of this season are crucial. If Kidd plays well and the team clicks under new coach Rick Carlisle, fears about moving into the future with an AARP point guard will subside.
The New Jersey Nets have named Gregg Polinsky the team’s director of player personnel, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. Polinsky had been the team’s director of scouting for the past three seasons.