IUPUI players look to former stud Hill for confidence boost

Kobe vs. George

by Jericho Sanders

George Hill, the former IUPUI guard who was drafted in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs, has had a major impact on the program since leaving after his junior season. While most of those benefits have occurred on the recruiting trail, Hill has had a more direct influence on current players as of late.

Seeking a bit of a confidence boost after a few early season losses, the Jaguars watched as George Hill had a verbal spat with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers late last month. Seeing their beloved former teammate get in the grill of the NBA’s best player inspired the IUPUI players to be more vocal on the court.

From here on out, the team has a goal in each game to attempt to intimidate the best player on the opposing team by waving their fingers at them and saying, “Don’t make me pick your nose, son!” The team hopes that the naughty finger move, as they have dubbed it, will become a sort of team trademark in honor of Hill.

Oakland’s Keith Benson figures to be the target of the gesture when IUPUI visits the O’rena on Thursday night. The Half-court Press attempted to get a quote from the senior center, but he gave us a blank stare in response. Through the use of a facial expression interpreter, we learned that Benson was actually laughing inside as if to say, “They want to intimidate me…with a finger?”

The IUPUI players won’t back down, as senior Leroy Nobles noted. “It worked on Kobe. Enough said.”