This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder is talking about basketball advice when he says of George Hill, "Every time you turn around, he's offering something to someone."

That's helpful to a team that needs leadership, and Hill wants to take his impact in Utah beyond the basketball court. In his first season with the Jazz, the veteran guard is getting involved right away in the community.

That's what he pledged to do in July when he visited Salt Lake City after being traded by his hometown Indiana Pacers, and he's following through. Hill is teaming with the Jazz and CenturyLink in the Hearts and Hoops program, with a food drive under way in November and plans being made to collect toys in December (for information about donation opportunities and fan incentives, go to Utahjazz.com/heartsandhoops).

The story behind Hill's motivation to help is interesting, because it involves two opposing angles — how he noticed an absence of such efforts while growing up in Indianapolis and how he was influenced by positive examples in San Antonio during his three seasons with the Spurs.

"I always told myself that once I was successful, I would give back," Hill said. "I don't remember a lot of people coming back to my neighborhood and helping. I wanted to be that guy."

Hill learned from watching Spurs teammate Tim Duncan and listened to advice from coach Gregg Popovich, who was "very adamant" about his players' efforts in the community. "You'll be known more for what you do off the court than on the court," Popovich would say.

Hill spent the past five seasons in Indiana, where David West became another influential teammate with his community work. Hill visited Haiti to help with earthquake relief efforts and was struck by how "you learn not to take things for granted," he said, having witnessed children seeking any food and water they could get.

Due to a sprained thumb, Hill has missed the Jazz's last five games and is eager to return to action after making an impact in the team's first seven games of the season. Hill and Jazz administrators must determine next summer whether or not to extend their partnership. For now, Hill intends to make himself an integral part of life in Utah in multiple ways.

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