Cleo Hill facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 24, 1938 Newark, New Jersey |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | August 10, 2015 (aged 77) Orange, New Jersey |
| High school | South Side (Newark, New Jersey) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Winston-Salem State (1957–1961) |
| NBA Draft | 1961 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
| Selected by the St. Louis Hawks | |
| Pro career | 1961–1968 |
| 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) |
Cleo Hill (born April 24, 1938 – died August 10, 2015) was an American professional basketball player. He was chosen by the St. Louis Hawks as the 8th pick in the first round of the 1961 NBA draft.
Hill was a 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) guard from Newark, New Jersey. He played college basketball at Winston-Salem State University. He played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Hawks in 1961–62. During that season, he averaged 5.5 points per game over 58 games. Cleo Hill was a very important player because he was only the fifth African-American player from a historically Black college and university to be picked in the first round of an NBA draft.
Cleo Hill's NBA Journey
In 2008, Cleo Hill's story was featured in an ESPN documentary called Black Magic. This film shared the history of African Americans in basketball. The documentary explained that early in the 1961–62 season, the St. Louis Hawks coach, Paul Seymour, was told by the team's owners to give Hill fewer chances to score.
This was so that other star players, Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan, and Clyde Lovellette, would get more shots. Coach Seymour did not agree with this plan and was fired. After this, Hill's scoring average dropped from 10.8 points per game to 5.5 points per game. Cleo Hill never played in the NBA after that season.
Hill himself said that his race was not the reason for his difficulties in the NBA. He believed it was about how many points he was allowed to score.
Life After the NBA
After his time in the NBA, Cleo Hill became a very successful head coach. He coached at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey. Hill lived in Orange, New Jersey, and he passed away at his home there on August 10, 2015.
Legacy
Cleo Hill's impact on basketball is still remembered. A game planned for March 18, 2022, at Wofford during The Basketball Classic, was named the "Cleo Hill Game" in his honor. However, this game could not be played due to scheduling problems.
Cleo Hill Sr. is also the father of Cleo Hill Jr., who is currently the head coach for the Men's Basketball team at Winston-Salem State University.
See also
In Spanish: Cleo Hill para niños
