Getty The Chicago Bulls' Malcolm Hill celebrates a road win over the Indiana Pacers.
Make no mistake — Malcolm Hill was a success story among the myriad hardship signings that occurred in the NBA last winter amid a league-wide COVID-19 outbreak. After showing out against the Chicago Bulls during his short stay with the Atlanta Hawks, the Illinois alum later joined the Windy City crew and ended up playing his way into a two-way contract.
Sure, he was only briefly in Billy Donovan’s rotation, but the fact that he went from scrapping in the G League and getting 10-day contracts to sticking with one of the Eastern Conference’s better teams was no small thing.
It may not be the Stanley Johnson story, but it was a big win for the well-traveled baller. And, from the looks of it, Hill isn’t done putting notches in the W column, either.
Bulls Are Bringing Hill Back Into the Fold for 2022-23
According to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Hill and the Bulls will be rekindling their relationship next season with a new two-way contract.
The two-time All-Big Ten pick had most recently suited up for Chicago in the Las Vegas summer league, a run that saw him average 13.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 25.0 minutes per contest. He also connected on 47.4% of his attempts from three-point range.
He also showed up 10-15 pounds lighter in an effort to improve his efficacy on the court. The Athletic‘s Darnell Mayberry appraised his performance as follows:
His summer league showing was solid but unspectacular. Hill had his best game in the finale, scoring 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Before that, he was simply steady. He could have helped himself more with another standout performance or two. Hill’s rebounding, passing, perimeter defense and veteran presence all were critical to the team’s success. It was a continuation of his stint in the Bulls rotation from January through February. Hill just plays his role and helps how he can.
Hill now occupies a two-way spot beside forward Justin Lewis. Whether or not Lewis will continue to be his running mate remains to be seen, however. The undrafted rookie fell prey to a right ACL tear last month during a private workout away from the team.
Before Coming to the Bulls, Hill Was Living the Life of a Hardwood Vagabond
Despite having a solid body for an NBA wing at 6-foot-6 and 220-plus pounds with a wingspan around 6-foot-9, it took Hill a hot minute to get this far in his quest to stick in the Association.
After getting a bite at the apple with the Oklahoma City Thunder coming out of college in 2017, Hill had to go to the Philippines in order to sign his first pro contract with the PBA’s Star Hotshots.
From there, he did time with a pair of German squads, a Utah Jazz summer league entry, a club in Kazakhstan, another in Jerusalem, the New Orleans Pelicans (as a camp player), the G League’s Birmingham Squadron and the Hawks before finally landing in Chi-Town.
If he can continue to stroke the three as he did during summer league and provide value in some other areas, though, his Bulls stay could prove to be more fruitful than some of his previous turns.