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Brian Hill (basketball)

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This article is about the basketball coach. For other uses, see Brian Hill (disambiguation).

Brian Hill
Hill in 2012 as Pistons assistant coach.
Personal information
Born (1947-09-19) September 19, 1947 (age 77)
East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolOur Lady of the Valley
(Orange, New Jersey)
CollegeJohn F. Kennedy College (1965–1969)
Coaching career1970–2013
Career history
As coach:
1970–1972Clifford Scott HS
1972–1974Montclair State (assistant)
1974–1975Lehigh (assistant)
1975–1983Lehigh
1983–1986Penn State (assistant)
1986–1990Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
1990–1993Orlando Magic (assistant)
1993–1997Orlando Magic
1997–1999Vancouver Grizzlies
2001–2003Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets (assistant)
2004–2005New Jersey Nets (assistant)
2005–2007Orlando Magic
2007–2009New Jersey Nets (assistant)
2009–2013Detroit Pistons (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As coach:

Brian Alfred Hill (born September 19, 1947)[1] is an American former professional basketball coach.

Early life

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Born in East Orange, New Jersey, Hill graduated from Our Lady of the Valley High School in Orange, New Jersey in 1965 and John F. Kennedy College in Nebraska in 1969 with a degree in physical education. Hill was a three-year starter on the Kennedy basketball team.[2]

Coaching career

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In 1970, Hill began his coaching career as head coach at Clifford Scott High School in his native East Orange, New Jersey. Hill then was an assistant coach at Montclair State College from 1972 to 1974.[2][3]

Hill began his tenure at Lehigh University as an assistant coach for one season before being promoted on April 9, 1975, to succeed Tom Pugliese who had resigned sixteen days prior on March 24.[4] He inherited a program whose 1–23 record in 1974–75 was the worst among major colleges nationally.[5] His 75–131 record in eight seasons included a 14–12 performance in 1980–81 which was the Engineers' best campaign in 65 years. He left Lehigh to join Bruce Parkhill's staff at Penn State on April 13, 1983.[6]

Hill began his NBA coaching career in 1986 as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks under Mike Fratello.[2] The two met at Montclair State College when Hill was studying to be certified as a driver's education teacher.[7] In 1990, Hill joined the Orlando Magic as an assistant coach under Matt Guokas.[2] He was the head coach of the Orlando Magic from 1993 to 1997 and is the Magic's most successful coach with a record of 191–104. During that time period, he led the Magic to their first NBA Finals in 1995 and also led the team to a 60–22 record the following season. However, following the loss of star center Shaquille O'Neal to free agency during the off-season, he was fired mid-season in 1997 after a player revolt was led by disgruntled star Penny Hardaway.[8][9]

Following his firing from the Magic, he became head coach of the third-year, expansion Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997. Hill was fired early in his third season. Following that, he became an assistant coach of the New Jersey Nets, where he remained until the end of the postseason. He was then rehired by the Magic and he led the team to a 36–46 record in the 2005–2006 season.[2]

On May 23, 2007, after multiple media sources reported that Hill would not return to coach the Orlando Magic for the 2007–08 NBA season, but would instead be offered another position within the organization,[10] the Magic released a statement that he would not return as coach of the Magic,[9] although it was reported he was actually fired by general manager Otis Smith.[11] It was a position he had held since May 24, 2005. It was his second stint with the team.

Head coaching record

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College

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Lehigh Engineers (East Coast Conference) (1975–1983)
1975–76 Lehigh 9–15 2–8 5th (West)
1976–77 Lehigh 12–15 6–4 3rd (West)
1977–78 Lehigh 8–18 5–5 T–2nd (West)
1978–79 Lehigh 8–18 4–13 5th (West)
1979–80 Lehigh 5–20 2–14 5th (West)
1980–81 Lehigh 14–12 6–10 T–3rd (West)
1981–82 Lehigh 9–17 3–13 T–5th (West)
1982–83 Lehigh 10–16 2–11 5th (West)
Lehigh: 75–131 30–78
Total: 75–131

NBA

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Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
Orlando 1993–94 82 50 32 .610 2nd in Atlantic 3 0 3 .000 Lost in First round
Orlando 1994–95 82 57 25 .695 1st in Atlantic 21 11 10 .524 Lost in NBA Finals
Orlando 1995–96 82 60 22 .732 1st in Atlantic 12 7 5 .583 Lost in Conf. Finals
Orlando 1996–97 49 24 25 .490 (fired) — — — — —
Vancouver 1997–98 82 19 63 .232 6th in Midwest — — — — Missed playoffs
Vancouver 1998–99 50 8 42 .160 7th in Midwest — — — — Missed playoffs
Vancouver 1999–2000 22 4 18 .182 (fired) — — — — —
Orlando 2005–06 82 36 46 .439 3rd in Southeast — — — — Missed playoffs
Orlando 2006–07 82 40 42 .488 3rd in Southeast 4 0 4 .000 Lost in First round
Career 673 298 315 .486 40 18 22 .450

Personal life

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Hill, a graduate of John F. Kennedy College in Nebraska, has two adult children, Kimberly and Christopher. His daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 5 years old and, as a result, Hill has supported cystic fibrosis research by holding fundraisers and speaking to crowds about the disease. He and his wife Kay live in Orlando, Florida, where they have remained even after his original departure from the Orlando Magic.

References

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  1. ^ "Back to the Magic: Hill Returns to Orlando", Orlando Magic. Accessed March 6, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Brian Hill". NBA. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  3. ^ Long, Ernie (March 14, 1996). "Sagging Attendance Isn't The Sole Fault Of 76ers' Record". Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  4. ^ Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," The New York Times, Thursday, April 10, 1975. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," The New York Times, Tuesday, March 25, 1975. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Brian Hill, head basketball coach at Lehigh for the...," United Press International (UPI), Thursday, April 14, 1983. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Larimer, Terry (August 1, 1993). "Brian Hill Chance Meeting Helped Lead Way To One Of Basketball's Best Coaching Jobs". Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  8. ^ "PENNY SNAPPED FINGERS, MAGIC DISMISSED HILL - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ a b Hill out as coach of the Magic May 24, 2007
  10. ^ Q&A: Was Brian Hill fired?, by Deanna Gugel, Orlando Sentinel, posted May 23, 2007
  11. ^ Orlando Magic coach Brian Hill fired, by Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel, posted May 24, 2007
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