Show Catching up with Eddie die Gill Gerald Narciso The Globe In 1998 Eddie Gill left as one of the best basketball players to ever put on the Bruins uniform Today seven years later Gill is in the playing playing playing play play- ing for the Indiana Pacers While he is probably not the best player to ever put on an Indiana Pacers uniform Gill will definitely definitely definitely take it considering the road he had to take to get there Ive pretty much been through it all said the 6 foot Gill 28 Ive had some tough times but Ive I've also had a lot of successes in this business as well Following a successful career at Overland High School in Aurora Colorado Gill signed with CEU College of Eastern Utah in 1996 After one season at CEU Gill transferred to before the 98 97 season head coach Norm Parrish remembers a hardworking hardworking hardworking hard hard- working player who surpassed surpassed surpassed sur sur- passed every expectation The best thing about Eddie is he is a a self made I P Parrish h said d heis he h heis payer player player- arns sal t- t e is one you could tell him Eddie heres here's your weakness weakness' weakness weakness' weakness weakness' weak weak- ness' ness and he would go out and change it He just works relentlessly hard and refuses to quit In the sole year that he lie played at Gill averaged points and 64 assists Aside from holding the Bruins' Bruins single season record in steals 99 Gill also has his name cemented in the record books in several other categories At the end of the season Gill was named Player of the Year as well as earning second team JUCO American All-American hon hon- ors Gill eventually signed with Weber State University where he once again opened eyes In two seasons Gill went from being an unknown in basketball basketball basketball bas bas- circles around the country to becoming a legitimate prospect When he was at Weber they Scouts all came to see Harold Arceneaux but when they left it was Eddie Gill that they liked Parrish said Parrish freely admits he didn't envision Gill being a future player while he was at As good as he was I didn't think hed he'd be in the Parrish laughs Gill may be in the now that does not mean it was a smooth transition Though he had a highly successful career at Weber State a career that included ed a Sweet 16 appearance Gill was was still ignored by byall byall byall all 29 teams come draft time Following the draft snub Gills Gill's quest to find a ahome ahome ahome home in the took him to a long list of stops the In-the In the five years since he left Weber State Gill played for different teams in various leagues In this order Gill has suited up for The Kansas City Knights Vancouver Grizzlies Las Vegas Silver Bandits Kansas City Knights again New Jersey Nets Fortitude Bologna Italy Memphis Grizzlies again Asheville Altitude Reggio Emilia Italy Greece Dakota Wizards Portland Trailblazers Indiana Pacers Basically not knowing what your next move w will willbe willbe ll be can be hard said Gill of his tough journey Waiting on a team to sign waiting on a team you or to make decisions and all those kind of things He continued Its also strengthened my charac charac- ter I try not riot to get too high or too low in any sit sit- Gill is currently in the second year of his two- two year contract with the Pacers Assuming the Pacers do not trade the 61 61 61 6 1 guard this year this willbe will willbe willbe be the longest tenure Gill has had with any pro bas team During the preseason Gill is battling other Pacer guards for playing time this upcoming upcoming upcoming ing season Off the court Gill tries to spend time with his wife Marisa and his two kids Kierra and Eddie Its been great the last year and half or so Gill said I just want to continue continue continue con con- to thrive and get better better better bet bet- ter as a player The more opportunities I get the themore themore themore more successful Ill I'll be While his stop at might seem like ages ago agoto agoto to someone as traveled as asGill Gill he he- has not forgotten about the good times he had as a player and student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent here The team we had was good and the coaching staff there was good Gill said Coach Parrish allowed me to flourish as asa asa asa a player As a whole it was a good school for me The instructors were really good there The support we got as a team was great I think the school really rallied around the team |