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Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

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  • #1

    Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

    I know a lot of people here are skeptical of the pick (to say the least) but it really does seem like Solo fits every aspect of the Pacers' image. Obviously these quotes from Miller are going to be biased to an extent but he says quite a few things that aren't fluff.

    Interesting read nevertheless.

    University of Arizona head coach Sean Miller was ecstatic to see Solomon Hill, a four-year player, selected by the Indiana Pacers at No. 23 in Thursday’s NBA Draft. With another Arizona player, Grant Jerrett, taken later in the draft, the school has now had 36 players drafted since 1988, which ties Duke and Kentucky for the most in the nation during that span.

    Miller was extremely high on his former player, as one would expect. But in our conversation, it didn’t seemed forced. He talked Hill’s character above anything, and how his work ethic made the entire team better.

    Although he was on a rare vacation in Maui before the college recruiting period opened, Coach Miller took a few minutes to talk with Pacers.com about Hill. Read the conversation below:

    On Solomon being drafted in the first round:

    “It’s a goal of many and few get to do it. … He’s wise beyond his years. He’s very mature and someone that really earned this opportunity.”

    On what type of player the Pacers are getting:

    “Solomon’s strength is his versatility. He understands the game, both offensively and defensively. He plays to win. He’s a very good passer. He’s developed into an excellent shooter and I think his shooter will do nothing but get better. He’s got a great shot and I think if you look at his improvement at Arizona, he’s come a long way. Again, I think that’s something that is a real, real part of his future in the NBA.

    “The same thing defensively. He knows where to be and how to do it. He competes. He’s a great competitor. He’s very intelligent. I think when you’re on a really good team and part of a winning organization, a lot of the characteristics that Solomon has they will really appreciate it.”

    On Hill being a three-position defender:[/b]

    “He evolved over his career. … Two years ago, we had a few setbacks, injuries, etc. and we played Solomon a lot at the ‘4’. He’s undersized and doing it, he used that to his advantage on offense but defensively guarded bigger, physical players across the boards at the highest level. This past year, he predominantly played the ‘3’ and he guarded the other team’s best player many games. Again, he really has a great mind. You can put him in different spots and as he’s in different spots, he really helps his team.”

    On being a team-first guy:

    “In four years, he missed one practice. One. It happened in the last month. He was beaten up a little bit going into the NCAA Tournament and we talked it over and he decided to sit out. He missed one practice in four years. He was our best practice player from near the end of his freshman year – all the way from the beginning of his sophomore year to the last game he played at Arizona, he was the best practice player each week. We have this thing where we give a gold jersey to a player on our team that statistically, in all live action — 4-on-4, 5-on-5, including drills — the winner of that wears a gold jersey and he doesn’t have to run sprints and do those things when his team loses in practice. Solomon probably held the gold jersey for the last three years 90 percent of the time. Again, it’s a credit to his motor, to his will, to his competitive fire. He’s on a quest to win. He doesn’t take plays off. He doesn’t take days off. And he takes nothing for granted.

    “I really believe that him being the 23rd pick says a lot about somebody, in many regards, earned it every step of the way. As a younger player, he weighed in the 240s. This year, he was under 220 for most of his senior year. I think he made four 3-point shots as a freshman as Arizona, for the entire year. This year, he made 57, so a lot of those things right there come from within and I think the thing that the Pacers get is someone who will continue to be on a quest to improve. He’s going to work and he’s going to do the things that organizations, like the Pacers, are going to covet.”

    On the evolution of his 3-point shooting:

    “He was just better. And because he was better, obviously shot them more. Many times this year as an older player in college, he was still a very good shooter early in his career. In Solomon’s case, I think he attempted maybe 13 threes his entire freshman year. I know this: At Washington State this year, he made six threes in the first half. He’s always in the gym, and can’t get enough of it. In the summer, he’ll go into the gym for an hour-and-a-half and he’ll go away, then he’ll come back for another hour and a half or two hours. He’s constantly seeking to become a better player across the board and really wanted to be part of the NBA. I’m going to tell you that he’s going to want to stay in the NBA, so he’s going to be a guy that’s always going to be there to work very, very hard.

    On Pacers officials:

    “They are one of the best. … When the Pacers come through, they just have a different approach. Kevin Pritchard is as professional as there is and he was on it. He was at our practices. He had a great feel for our team. He came back and had a great feel for how our team evolved. We had a lot of young players so what our team would have looked like in November could be much different in January and changed a lot from January to March. He really kept a great feel for the evolution, the development of our team and Solomon as part of the team. I think one of the things that would become apparent is some of the characteristics that I gave you that he was our heart and soul, that he didn’t take days off and in big games he stepped up. I think the more you watch Solomon, the more you appreciate him because he does so many team things that help. Going on a veteran team like the Pacers, it’s going to be the little things that are going to get him on the court. He’s not necessarily a guy that’s going to get 20 points per game. He’s going to understand that and I think embrace that role.”

    On similarities to David West, who Miller also coached:
    “I was at Xavier with David West. I wasn’t the head coach but his assistant coach and I know David very well. Some of the things that you guys I’m sure know about David as a person – not as a player, but as a person – and his approach to winning and his competitiveness and how he goes about his day, that’s how Solomon is. Solomon is at the very beginning stages of that, but that’s the type of quality person and player that you’re getting with Solomon.

    “The Pacers are getting a really quality person in addition to a really smart and competitive player.”
    http://blogs.pacers.com/2013/07/01/q...-solomon-hill/
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

    Thanks! Didn't know much about our draft pick. This makes me feel better about the pick.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

      NICE READ!

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

        I'm embracing him with open arms... I may not have heard of him when we drafted him... But everything I've read and seen about him as a player seems to fit right in with our organization and our team's style of play... We may not see a lot of him this year... But I'm kinda excited about what I think he could develop into for us within the next 2-3 years... Similar to OJ... I don't care if he was picked 23rd or 53rd... He appears to be a solid long term pickup to me!
        Nothing in life worth having comes easy.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

          It's always so cool to read about connections between coaches and current/former players. "BAMF, Jr!" Whoever's maintaining a database of such things is probably ahead of the game on predicting draft selections and lower-dollar free-agent signings.


          "He’s no shrinking violet when it comes to that kind of stuff."

          - Rick Carlisle on how Kevin Pritchard responds to needed roster changes.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

            Oh man, I didn't put together the David West angle. That's awesome.
            This space for rent.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

              It's good to see people coming around to the selection of Solomon Hill. He's a "Pacers guy" through and through.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                He made nearly twice as many 3 point shots as Victor Oladipo did this year....

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                  Hill's work ethic and personality reminds me a lot of Hibbert's. Even the lack of athleticism. Hopefully, Hibbert helps make sure Hill turns out like he did.
                  PG24: "Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon!"

                  RT @Hoya2aPacer "When I play this game I love. I play to make my teammates better. But I'm a mouther****er on defense."

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                    Hill reminds me of Leonard for some reason. Assuming Lance or Danny leaves as we expect, he can be the primary backup 3 next year.

                    I like him a lot, and I think he wil be solid here.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                      Originally posted by Richard_Skull View Post
                      Hill's work ethic and personality reminds me a lot of Hibbert's. Even the lack of athleticism. Hopefully, Hibbert helps make sure Hill turns out like he did.
                      Where did you get the idea he lacked athleticism? Except for height and some wingspan categories, he tested out a bit better than Granger.

                      Solo is first and then Danny, with the third number being Paul George's.

                      Height
                      6'5.5
                      6'7.5
                      6'7.75

                      In shoes
                      6'7
                      6'8.5
                      6'8.75

                      Weight
                      226
                      225
                      214

                      Wing Span
                      6'9
                      7'1.5
                      6'11.25


                      Reach (Don't know how Solo and Granger have the same reach.)
                      8'7
                      8'7
                      8'11

                      Body Fat
                      7.6
                      NA
                      5.0

                      Hand Length
                      9.0
                      NA
                      8.50

                      Hand Width
                      10.5
                      NA
                      9.00

                      No Step Vert.
                      29.5
                      31
                      NA

                      No Step Vert Reach
                      11'0.5
                      11"2
                      NA

                      Max Vert.
                      37.5
                      34
                      NA

                      Max Vert. Reach
                      11'8.5
                      11.5
                      NA

                      Bench
                      14
                      10
                      4

                      Agility
                      10.77
                      10.84
                      NA

                      Sprint
                      3.19
                      3.34
                      NA

                      Solo's smart like Danny, Roy and West. Plus he's a gym rat who's athleticism compares favorably to Grangers, so I think he's going to surprise a bunch of people. I think Pritchard absolutely nailed this pick!
                      Last edited by Will Galen; 07-04-2013, 08:26 AM.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                        Originally posted by Will Galen View Post
                        Where did you get the idea he lacked athleticism? Except for height and some wingspan categories, he tested out a bit better than Granger.

                        Solo is first and then Danny, with the third number being Paul George's.
                        ...
                        What I took away from this is that Danny Granger has a 7'1.5" wingspan.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                          Originally posted by Jrod Jones View Post
                          On Pacers officials:

                          “They are one of the best. … When the Pacers come through, they just have a different approach. Kevin Pritchard is as professional as there is and he was on it. He was at our practices. He had a great feel for our team. He came back and had a great feel for how our team evolved. We had a lot of young players so what our team would have looked like in November could be much different in January and changed a lot from January to March. He really kept a great feel for the evolution, the development of our team and Solomon as part of the team.
                          This is my favorite part of this whole interview. How much complaining went on from Pacers fans after this pick? And how many of those fans had really even seen Hill play any significant amount? How many hadn't even heard of him other than from mock drafts? These guys getting paid have a much better finger on the pulse of these situations that any of us do. Maybe Hill busts, maybe he succeeds, but it's still the truth.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                            Just from what little I have seen Solomon kind of reminds me of a poor mans (maybe middle-class) Derrick McKey. He seems to be an intelligent player with average to above average athleticism who doesn't have to be the marquee guy and understands what it takes to build a team. I think he will definitely surprise his rookie year, and as I was always a Mckey fan I can't wait to see him play.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Q and A: Arizona Coach Sean Miller on Solomon Hill

                              Originally posted by ndcoltsnpacers View Post
                              This is my favorite part of this whole interview. How much complaining went on from Pacers fans after this pick? And how many of those fans had really even seen Hill play any significant amount? How many hadn't even heard of him other than from mock drafts? These guys getting paid have a much better finger on the pulse of these situations that any of us do. Maybe Hill busts, maybe he succeeds, but it's still the truth.
                              I don't know how any college fan let alone any NBA GM could not of known who Solomon Hill was. I mean I have watched him play for all 4 years. He played for one of the best programs in the nation and was the best player on the team the past 2 seasons. If anything people would remember he was Derrick Williams backup for 2 years. He was on ESPN damn near every game last season, you just needed to stay up for it. I bet the Pacers attended practice at every major draft prospects school last season like you said it is their job.


                              I could do a highlight tape of the games I have of his ripped. I have a ton. He is one of those guys though who just is a good player not flashy at all. He really doesn't show well in highlight tapes. The Stanford tape this year when he took over was really the only game he had highlights that made me say "damn". I am curious to watch him in SL. I am not sure his skills will really show well there, I mean his help defense, passing and screening won't mean much when he is playing with guys he has never played with.

                              EDIT:

                              Will he doesn't lack athleticism by any means. He has all the tools to be a great defender. What he does lack explosion that most NBA wing have. He is much more like a Jared Dudley in terms of athleticism than a quick leaper who can explode and burst. He wasn't great at getting to the rim in college. He would normally turn the ball over. I don't think that translates to the NBA level. I think all his dribbling will translate to is the ability to attack close outs. He will be able to create a bit, but I really don't think he will make a living on that part of his game. He is far more athletic than Draymond Green was last year though IMO. I don't go on testing numbers I go on the eye test in film. Green may have good numbers I have no clue but he plays so slow. In closing Solo will be an average NBA athlete at best probably a bit below average you have to remember these are the best athletes in the world.

                              EDIT: Now looking at his no step vert that may explain the lack of explosion the tape shows. Paul's no step vert isn't listed, but from the way he played at Fresno I would guess it is 34ish maybe a little lower. He had so much explosion in college it was scary.
                              Last edited by pacer4ever; 07-04-2013, 06:31 PM.

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