Roy Hibbert

infobox NBA Player

---

name = Roy Hibbert
position = Center
league = NBA
team = Indiana Pacers
number =
height_ft = 7 | height_in = 3
weight_lbs = 278
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|12|11
birth_place = Queens, New York
highschool = Georgetown Prep, North Bethesda, Maryland
college = Georgetown University
draft = 17th overall
draft_year = 2008
draft_team = Toronto Raptors
career_start = 2008
career_end =
former_teams =
awards = Big East's pre-season player of the year, 2007

Roy Denzil Hibbert (born December 11, 1986) is a professional basketball player who currenty plays for the Indiana Pacers. He plays the center position, and graduated from Georgetown University in 2008. He was drafted 17th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors.

Background

Roy Hibbert was born in Queens, New York to Roy, Sr. and Patty Hibbert. The family moved to Washington, D.C. when Roy was 2. Around that time, the New York Post states that his parents introduced him to basketball after they had "tried to get him to play tennis, then golf, then the piano." [ [http://www.nypost.com/seven/03112007/sports/biggest_big_man_sports_lenn_robbins.htm?page=0 BIGGEST BIG MAN - New York Post] ]

Hibbert attended Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Maryland. The team was coached by Dwayne Bryant, who had attended Georgetown University as a varsity basketball player. Bryant introduced the still-awkward Hibbert to the GU campus. [ [http://hoyanews.blogspot.com/2006/02/daily-orange-roy-hibbert-profile.html Hoya News: The Daily Orange - Roy Hibbert Profile] ] Hibbert helped make Georgetown Prep's Little Hoyas co-champions of the Interstate Athletic Conference in 2004. [ [http://guhoyas.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/hibbert_roy00.html Player Bio: Roy Hibbert :: Men's Basketball] ]

Hibbert was successfully recruited by Georgetown University coach Craig Esherick in 2003. However, Esherick was fired before Hibbert arrived on campus (Esherick's last season as coach went 13-15). John Thompson III was hired as the new coach. Hibbert joined the Hoyas as a "project," a player who had potential but was not yet ready for varsity.

Key attributes

At 7'3" and 278 lbs., Hibbert plays center under Coach John Thompson III. He has evolved from a "project" to being NBA-quality. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/03/AR2007030301249.html Thomas Boswell - For the Hoyas' Hibbert, a Quantum Leap - washingtonpost.com] ]

Hibbert's greatest asset is his size--few schools have a center of comparable height and strength. He is projected to be one of the next great shot-blockers in all of basketball--his shot-blocking ability has been a major strength for him since his freshman year, when he trailed only Rigoberto Sargeant and four others in blocked shots per 40 minutes in his class. [ [http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/americas_most_active_player/ the kenpom.com blog] ] He leads the NCAA in Effective Field Goal Percentage at 71%, and is 2nd in True Shooting Percentage at 72%. [http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Roy-Hibbert-585/ Draft Express Profile] ] His slow-and-steady approach to the game meshes well with Coach Thompson's Princeton offense, which emphasizes control over explosiveness. The Georgetown University Hoyas in 2007 have held many opponents to their lowest-scoring games of the season. In addition, Roy Hibbert has excellent free throw percentage, a major plus, given the frequency with which he is fouled. [http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/royhibbert.asp NBA Draft.net - Roy Hibbert profile] ] His tireless work ethic has brought him to the forefront of the NCAA's best centers.

Ironically, Hibbert's main weakness is said to be something that has become synonymous with Georgetown basketball: temperament. It is said that he sometimes lacks the aggressiveness necessary to dominate inside.

Honors

Hibbert was named to the All-Big East Second Team in 2006 along with teammate Jeff Green. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2356272&type=story Four unanimous selections to all-Big East first team] March 6, 2006] In 2007, he and Green were unanimous selections to the All-Big East First Team, with Green earning Big East player of the year honors. The two led the Hoyas to victory in the 2007 Big East Conference Championship for the first time since 1989 against the Pittsburgh Panthers; Hibbert contributed a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Before the 2007-2008 season he was named Big East's preseason player of the year. [cite news |url= http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/preview?gameId=273140046 |date= November 10, 2007 |title= William & Mary-Georgetown Preview |work= ESPN |accessdate= 2008-06-02] He was also named a preseason All-American along with the likes of Tyler Hansbrough, whose Tar Heels were upset by Hibbert's Hoyas in the Elite Eight of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

Professional prospects

Hibbert had repeatedly said that he plans to play all four years and graduate from Georgetown, continuing the tradition of graduating Hoya centers such as Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, and Dikembe Mutombo. However, his performance in helping to lead the Hoyas to the 2007 Final Four catapulted him into lottery pick status. Hibbert declared his eligibility for the 2007 NBA Draft, but did not sign with an agent. [ [http://www.thehoya.com/sports/042007/sports1.cfm Sports | The Hoya] ] On May 23, 2007, Hibbert announced he would return to school for his senior season. Hibbert said of Georgetown, "My heart was here. ... I feel like I have unfinished business here." [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncb&id=2880367 ESPN - Georgetown's Green remains in draft, Hibbert to return to school - Men's College Basketball] ]

In the summer of 2007, Hibbert was the starting center on the U. S. squad at the Pan-American Games. The team was coached by Jay Wright of Villanova.

Following the Hoyas' upset loss in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Hibbert's collegiate career came to a close.

Hibbert was drafted 17th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2008 NBA Draft.

He was then acquired by the Indiana Pacers for Jermaine O'Neal. He signed his rookie deal for about $1.2 million.

References

External links

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600793.html 7 Feet 2 and Still Growing] Washington Post, December 27, 2005
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5244/is_200512/ai_n19628645 Big Upside] Washington Times, December 23, 2005
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111802823.html Hibbert Towers Over Mids] Washington Post, November 19, 2005
* [http://guhoyas.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/hibbert_roy00.html Player Profile] guhoyas.com
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30644-2005Jan23.html Hoyas' Hibbert Slams Notre Dame at Buzzer] Washington Post, January 24, 2005
*Master, Maggie. " [http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/5978.html Big Man on Campus] ", "Washingtonian", January 1 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.