The long wait is over.
Little Rock Christian point guard Justice Hill signed his national letter of intent to play basketball with the University of Arkansas during a ceremony at the school Wednesday.
Hill, who orally committed to the Hogs on Feb. 14, 2016, said something was different when he awakened Wednesday.
"This morning was a different feeling," he said. "I didn't feel this morning like I did last night. It's a surreal feeling. I can't really describe it, knowing I'm actually going to play D-I basketball for my home state that I've been committed to since I was 14 years old."
Hill, 5-10, 182 pounds, will practice with the Razorbacks once he graduates from Little Rock Christian in December. He'll enroll in January and start classes while redshirting and preparing to play next season.
He will be reunited with his former 17-under Joe Johnson Arkansas Hawks teammates Isaiah Joe, Ethan Henderson and Desi Sills in Fayetteville.
"It's exciting," Hill said. "We talk about it all the time. Every time I'm up there, we talk about the AAU days. We can't wait to get out there and play Hog ball on the Hog court."
Hill, who plays quarterback for the Warriors, has passed for 2,102 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 72 percent of his passes this season. He also has rushed for 755 yards and 16 touchdowns for the 10-1 Warriors.
He has talked to Razorback football Coach Chad Morris and is considering playing two sports. Should he play football, he would have to go on football scholarship, acceding to NCAA rules.
Not a big smiler, Hill couldn't help himself Wednesday.
"My friends coming up saying things make me smile, so I went ahead and smiled one time for the camera today," Hill said. "I had to switch it up."
Hill's father Fitz was Arkansas' football recruiting coordinator from 1998-2000, the same period that coach Mike Anderson was the Razorbacks' men's basketball recruiting coordinator. The elder Hill knows his son will be in good hands, but he understands it's about productivity on the court.
"I don't want him to take anything for granted," Fitz Hill said. "If you can help a team win, you're going to play, and if you can't, you're not."
Fitz Hill spent a combined 12 seasons as an Arkansas assistant before serving as head coach at San Jose State from 2001-2004. He understands the rigors of trying to play two sports in college, but he will support whatever his son decides.
"I told him take one day at a time, you'll figure it out, but your heart has to be in," Fitz Hill said.
Justice Hill averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals as a sophomore, and 17.5 points, 4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.2 steals as a junior. He plans to improve his game during his time as a redshirt.
"Increasing my game, expanding my game on every level," he said. "My jump shot, everything. Just becoming a better basketball player and getting a year of classes under my belt."
He's changed his body over the past year by going from 160 pounds to his current weight of 182. He and Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Dave Richardson have spoken about plans to enhance his physical ability.
"He's really excited to have me up there early because we won't have to worry about games," Hill said. "He said we're going to hit it hard and we're going to increase my game on the strength and conditioning side."
Sports on 11/15/2018