Cleo Hill (April 24, 1938 – August 10, 2015) was an American professional basketball player who was selected by the St. Louis Hawks in the first round (8th overall) of the 1961 NBA draft. A 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) guard from Newark, New Jersey and the Winston-Salem State University, Hill played in the National Basketball Association for one season with the Hawks, in 1961–62, averaging 5.5 points in 58 games. Hill was only the fifth African-American from an historically Black college and university to be taken in the first round of an NBA draft.
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 24, 1938 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | August 10, 2015 (aged 77) Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | South Side (Newark, New Jersey) |
| College | Winston-Salem State (1957–1961) |
| NBA draft | 1961: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Selected by the St. Louis Hawks | |
| Playing career | 1961–1968 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 24, 12 |
| Career history | |
| 1961–1962 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1962–1963 | Washington Tapers |
| 1963–1965 | Trenton Colonials |
| 1965–1967 | New Haven Elms |
| 1967–1968 | Scranton Miners |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 320 (5.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 178 (3.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 114 (2.0 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame | |
In 2008, Hill was profiled in a segment on the ESPN documentary Black Magic, which told the story of African Americans and basketball. The segment asserted that early in that 1961–62 season, St. Louis Hawks coach Paul Seymour was told by team management to severely diminish Hill's offensive role so that stars Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan, and Clyde Lovellette (who were all white) would receive more shot attempts. Seymour refused and was fired, and Hill's scoring averaged dropped from 10.8 points per game to 5.5 points per game. Hill never played in the NBA after that season.[1]
Hill had denied that his race was a factor in his NBA struggles, saying, "It wasn't racial. It was points." He went on to become a successful head coach at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey.[1] A resident of Orange, New Jersey, Hill died at his home there on August 10, 2015.[2][3]
Legacy
editThe March 18, 2022 game at Wofford at The Basketball Classic was designated the Cleo Hill Game.[4] Due to scheduling issues the game was not played.
Hill Sr. is the father of current University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball head coach, Cleo Hill Jr.
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
editSource[5]
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961–62 | St. Louis | 58 | 18.1 | .346 | .774 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 5.5 |
References
edit- ^ a b Brad Parks. "Rebound from Racism[usurped]". blackathlete.net. March 9, 2008. Retrieved on March 30, 2009.
- ^ Dell, John (August 10, 2015). "WSSU basketball legend Cleo Hill dies". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ Resolution In Memoriam of Cleo Hill, Essex County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders. Accessed December 4, 2017. "WHEREAS, Cleo Hill of Orange, New Jersey, passed from this life on Monday, August 10, 2015, at the age of 77;and WHEREAS, Cleo Hill was born and reared in Newark, New Jersey. He attended Eighteenth Avenue Elementary School, Cleveland Junior High School, and South Side (Shabazz) High School"
- ^ "Cleo Hill Game" (PDF). The Basketball Classic. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ "Cleo Hill NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
External links
edit- NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
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