NBA rotation players typically take about one month (or a little more) off before resuming the everyday work required to be an elite-level player in today’s competitive league.
Like teens who call each other the night before school to coordinate outfits, Pacers leaders Paul George and George Hill both posted on Instagram Monday indicating that they are back to business.
Paul George and George Hill shared a laugh at media day, 2014.
“It has begun!” George shared.
“Activation Mode …. Grind Time…Lets Make This Year A Memorable One” Hill wrote.
George, a three-time All-Star, had to be on a grind like no other after suffering a compound fracture in his right leg during a USA Basketball scrimmage on Aug. 1, 2014. Since then, and while it hasn’t been easy whatsoever, George has admirably worked his way back into elite form — and even he’s not where he’d like to be.
Yet.
Doctors told him that it would take two years for a full recovery.
[Paul George stars in Jeep ‘Vehicle of Summer’ ads]
George started in all but one game during the 2015-16 season — he was held out of Game No. 82 of the regular season for rest purposes — and was dominant in their first round series against the Toronto Raptors. They took the Eastern Conference finalist team to seven games but came up short on the road in Game 7.
See Also: Pacers season ends in Toronto, Paul George says ‘I learned what I was made of‘
George averaged a career-high 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
[Paul George to grace the cover of ‘NBA2K17‘]
Meanwhile, Hill played more minutes this past year than any other season in the league except the 2012-13 season. Appearing in 74 regular season games, Hill averaged 34.1 minutes per game.
He is entering his final year of a five-year deal paying him an even $8 million per season.
Hill usually spends the majority of his summers in Texas. That’s where he began his NBA career (San Antonio) and it’s also closer to his longtime girlfriend’s family.
Hill attended the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 last month, even working at a New Era Caps tent, but he preferred not to answer basketball-related questions.
George isn’t just continuing to stay in shape and fine-tuning his game, he’s also getting prepared for USA Basketball training camp, July 18-22 in Las Vegas, before then going down to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to play for the gold medal he was unable to earn in 2014.