George Hill's challenges: Up-tempo offense, fatherhood

New responsibilities are an exciting, enticing and sometimes exhausting experience for George Hill. He has been through them throughout his eight-year career: An eager rookie, a serviceable role player, a dependable starter.

A new season, which began Tuesday for the Indiana Pacers, will bring Hill his newest duties.

Hill is expected to ignite a fast-paced, explosive offense for the Pacers, to be the conductor responsible for orchestrating a group of instrumental scorers. After the team’s first practice during training camp, Hill smiled when he described the feeling of trying to grasp a new offense in what will be a short period before the regular season.

He also presented what the early challenges will be for himself.

“I never knew how tough it was to play that 14-second shot clock mentality,” he said. “And then coming back to try to be the best defender you can on the other end. That’s what I normally pride myself on, being a solid defender and giving all my energy on the defensive end.”

Coach Frank Vogel spent most of Tuesday’s practice putting the Pacers through several conditioning drills. It was planned, of course, to make sure the Pacers get their legs and lungs ready for a season full of fast-break opportunities.

Vogel yelled and encouraged Hill to sprint toward the end of practice when the team went through a full-court layup drill that is predicated on speed and precise passes. The hope is that a faster tempo will give Hill more opportunities to be aggressive on offense, whether it is more shots for him at the rim or passing to an open teammate on the perimeter.

The word attached to Hill the most during Monday’s media day was "aggressive."

“He can’t be aggressive enough in my mind,” Vogel said Monday. “We are going to put the ball in his hands a lot. That’s the beauty of what I’ve envisioned with this style of play with multiple playmakers and a lot of space for great scorers to work. The ball will be in George’s hands a lot.”

Last season, Hill was in many ways forced to be more assertive. With Paul George missing most of the season with a right leg injury and Roy Hibbert struggling in his last season with the Pacers, Hill took control of the offense after the All-Star break.

In 43 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, all of which were career highs. Vogel said what Hill did last season was special — and it helped convince him and President Larry Bird that a small-ball offense was a logical change.

Could Hill score more points this season, record more assists? Vogel said it is possible.

Hill agrees. But he also knows it will take a more cerebral approach.

“I can’t turn back,” he said. “The more I’m aggressive, the better off we’re going to be. I have to take that into consideration every game to make it a point to be aggressive.”

Hill understands he is just one of many Pacers in a new role. Ian Mahinmi will be a starter. C.J. Miles will have an expanded role. Paul George could be the starting power forward. All those changes could limit how efficient the Pacers are on offense early in the season.

But George made it clear where the burden of making the new offense work will be placed: On himself and Hill.

“I’m going to have the same responsibly as he is going to have,” George said of Hill. “He’s going to have to be on the same page and lead every practice and lead ever play and take everything on our shoulders. I’m excited for this opportunity.”

For the first time in his career, Hill is a leader, a veteran asked to provide wisdom and inspire younger players: Myles Turner, Joe Young and Solomon Hill. George Hill has plenty of former teammates and coaches to emulate: Tim Duncan, David West, Tony Parker, Brian Shaw and Gregg Popovich.

Hill spent much of the summer with his teammates. He lived, and practiced, with Mahinmi in San Antonio for almost two months. When he came back to his hometown, he spent time in the gym with George and Miles.

He also learned this summer he will be a different type of leader away from the court. He said he and his longtime girlfriend, Samantha Garcia, are expecting their first child, a baby boy, to arrive during the season.

“Outside of basketball,” Hill said, “that’s probably the greatest and biggest thing that’s going on in my life right now that I can say that I’m grateful for.”

Hill expects himself to be a different player this season, a more well-rounded talent. No longer will he just focus on facilitating the ball and making the opposing point guard uncomfortable with his defensive tenacity.

No, Hill wants more, for himself and for the Pacers. He wants it because the responsibilities for him, yet again, have changed.

“My expectations are try to get back to where we belong and that’s playing for a championship,” he said Monday. “Anything less than that is not a good year for us.”

Follow Star reporter Nate Taylor on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.