Offbeat Hill is just trippin’
Cairns’ Jeromie Hill marches to the beat of his own drum. The 26-year-old should be about to enter the prime of his basketball career but instead will spend the next year travelling in Europe with wife Madeline. After two years in Sydney, the Redlynch junior was not offered a new NBL deal and could not secure a contract with any of the other clubs. The 203cm talent has discarded offers from European leagues to walk away from the game for 12 months.
CAIRNS’ Jeromie Hill marches to the beat of his own drum.
The 26-year-old should be about to enter the prime of his basketball career. Instead, he will spend the next year travelling in Europe with his wife Madeline.
The Redlynch junior acknowledges he has made decisions since leaving college, like deciding not to play for Australia at the University Games or not playing for the Cairns Marlins in the QBL, that may have stunted his professional opportunities.
After two years with the Sydney Kings, the power forward was not offered a new NBL deal and could not secure a contract with one of the other seven clubs, even his hometown Taipans.
The 203cm talent had offers to play in the British Basketball League and other European leagues this summer but will take a break from the game.
“I have never been conventional in the way I have gone about things and that has cost me,” Hill said from Yungaburra before he heads to Europe.
“It may have cost me a spot at the Taipans or other places because I did my own thing.
“I said no twice for the Uni Games and that did not make many people happy.
“I thought if we never go travelling now, before we have kids, we are never going to do it so we are going to take the opportunity now.
“My wife speaks French and her dream is to live there and improve on her language skills so we will do that.”
Hill averaged 17 points and seven rebounds a game in the QBL this season, taking out the Sunshine Coast Phoenix Clippers players’ player award, and Clippers coach Brayden Heslehurst believes he brought experience to the young squad.
“He was a guy everyone loved having around,” Heslehurst said. “He is still a young guy but he plays like an experienced head.
“He brought calmness to the team, he put in the effort at every practice and every game and showed all the young guys on our roster how to do it.
“Hopefully we can bring him back again in 2018.”
Hill, who works in the wine industry outside of basketball, could spend anywhere from six months to a year in Europe before he decides his next step.
“This does not mean I have given up on pro basketball,” Hill said.
“I felt I competed well at the Kings in practice, preseason games and when I got an opportunity to play.
“If I go away and I realise I do not miss it, I would be comfortable moving on and focusing on my work in the wine industry.
“Work has been going great lately and in a way I am lucky that I have basketball as well as work.
“Some athletes have no idea what they will do after sport.”
I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONVENTIONAL IN THE WAY I HAVE GONE ABOUT THINGS AND THAT HAS COST ME JEROMIE HILL