Florida Gators Basketball: Will Kasey Hill Finally Break Out?
The Florida Gators landed a star recruit in Kasey Hill in 2013. Will 2016-17 finally be the season during which he realizes his potential?
Kasey Hill is the only remaining member of the 2013-14 Florida Gators team that reached the Final Four. The senior point guard will carry that burden throughout the 2016-17 season for a relatively inexperienced Gators squad.
The question is: will this be the year that Hill finally lives up to his star potential?
ESPN ranked Hill as the No. 10 overall recruit and the No. 2 point guard in a stacked 2013 class of recruits. Hill was ranked No. 8 overall by 247Sports, No. 9 by Scout, and No. 10 by Rivals.
For those who forget, that recruiting class included the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, and Joel Embiid.
Despite the fanfare, Hill is now a senior point guard with little to show for the NBA hype. His career-best averages reside at 9.1 points, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 3-point field goals made, and he’s shot below 30 percent from beyond the arc in all three of his collegiate seasons.
Most concerning of all is the fact that Hill shot below 40 percent from the field as a sophomore and as a junior. He also shot below 55 percent from the free throw line during those seasons.
According to Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald, Gators head coach Mike White praised Hill for putting in the time to fix his shot.
"“For the most part you’d expect your seniors to play with a little bit more poise and to be able to utilize that experience that they have in a positive way. Expect that from Kasey,” White said. “He has really spent a lot of time in the gym. He’s kind of reinvented his shot.”"
For what it’s worth, Hill is shooting 70.0 percent from the free throw line through two games in 2016-17.
Hill began to make better use of his opportunities in 2015-16. His season averages were underwhelming, but he tallied marks of 15.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per 40 minutes.
During the postseason, he turned those per 40 averages into his per game production.
Hill tallied 18 points and five assists in 26 minutes during the Gators’ 68-61 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second round of the SEC Conference Tournament. He posted 18 points in 28 minutes during the following game.
Though the Gators missed the NCAA Tournament, Hill’s individual success continued into the 2016 NIT.
Hill dropped 14 points and five steals during the first round of the NIT. He dropped 15 points, five assists, and two steals a round later against the Ohio State Buckeyes, and tallied 12 points, seven assists, and two steals in the NIT Quarterfinals.
It was a long-awaited string of breakout performances by a player who was believed to have star potential.
The question is: can Hill maintain his pace?
Hill’s ball-handling and defense are legitimate strengths that the Gators have benefited from during his first three seasons. His jump shot is still a work in progress, but coach White is trusting him to make the necessary improvements.
If Kasey Hill can find his form in 2016-17, then Florida can end its current NCAA Tournament drought and get back to where it belongs.
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The immediate future of the Florida Gators depends on the most high-profile recruit on the roster. That’s not a bad position to be in.