By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has added explosive swingman Darrun Hilliard for the next season, the team announced Sunday.
Hilliard, 29, was released by FC Bayern Munich on Thursday. He is now set for his fifth campaign in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Per Maccabi.co.il: “A new piece is added to Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s squad for the 2022/23 season. The club announced the addition of veteran Shooting Guard/Small Forward Darrun Hilliard, who will arrive in Israel on a one-year contract after a stellar season for Bayern Munich. The 29-year-old swingman (6ft 5in) also played for Baskonia and CSKA Moscow in his 4-year EuroLeague career, as well as stints in the NBA for the Pistons and Spurs.
Hilliard is an experienced and strong player, one who doesn’t shy away from contact, displays good shooting ability, and can defend the 2-3 positions. The Villanova product brings athleticism and good court vision, with the ability to score with both hands – shooting from deep with the left and finish at the rim with the right.
“I’m very thankful to wear the Maccabi uniform and represent everything that comes with it”, Hilliard told Maccabi.co.il. “Many great players came to Tel Aviv with high expectations to win and I hope my teammates and I can bring that same great passion and drive to be successful”.
“Darrun is a proven EuroLeague scorer with great size for the SG/SF positions”, Said Head Coach Oded Kattash, “He is a very good shooter who can also create separation off the dribble. Darrun has played on high level systems over the last 3 seasons. He is a family man with great character”.
Darrun Hilliard was born on April 13th, 1993 in a small town in Pennsylvania by the name of Bethlehem, about 46 miles north of Philadelphia. Growing up he played football, but stirred his efforts toward the basketball court, where his father Darrun Sr played in high school. Darrun Jr starred in the local high school basketball scene and received a full scholarship to play for the Villanova Wildcats in the competitive Big East. Under coach Jay Wright, Hilliard made strides from year to year, eventually averaging 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his senior year. In the 2015 NBA Draft, he was chosen 38th by the Detroit Pistons.
Hilliard went on to play 77 games in the Motor City, also spending time for the Pistons G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. He was then shipped in trades to Houston and the Clippers, eventually finding himself in San Antonio in September 2017. Darrun played scarcely for the Spurs and found himself once again in the G-League. In the summer of 2018, he set sails and landed in Europe.
Darrun Hilliard signed for Baskonia and immediately become a centerpiece for the Basque team, scoring 9.4 points per game in 20.5 minutes. The next summer, he moved to CSKA Moscow, where he contributed 10.6 PPG with 41.2% from deep in his first season. After posting 8.7 PPG and 2 RPG in his second season in Russia, Hilliard joined Bayern.
With the Bavarians, the SG/SF delivered his best EuroLeague season to date last season, scoring 13.7 PPG. He made 50% of his two-pointers, 38.5% of his threes, grabbed 3 rebounds per contest and added 1.1 steals. In the competitive German league, he had 10.7 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Now he moves on to Tel Aviv and will look to make another leap in Maccabi’s backcourt.”
Previously coming in for Maccabi during the offseason were Alex Poythress, Guy Pnini, and Bonzie Colson.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net