- Jalen Hill was a Corona California native who died at the age of 22 shortly after he went missing in Costa Rica
- The athlete was a four-star recruit for UCLA. He played for the team for a while before he retired in 2021
- Prior to his death, Jalen Halen revealed he had mental problems such as anxiety and depression
Jalen Hill was a former UCLA basketball player who died at the age of 22 in September 2022. Following his death, his father George Hill revealed via Instagram that Jalen had previously gone missing while he was in Costa Rica before the news of his death was revealed. At the moment, the family is yet to confirm what killed the young prodigy.
Born in 1999, the 6-foot-10 was a Corona California native. He was a four-star recruit for UCLA and played for the UCLA Bruins from 2017-2021. He appeared in 77 games until he stepped away from the team in 2021 due to several problems including depression. However, he revealed in a video that he posted on Instagram that he was done with basketball.
Who is Jalen Hill?
The former basketball player was born in Corona California in 1999. He was raised by his parents George and Tanisa Hill in Corona, California. He has a sister with name Tatianna.
Jalen Hill attended Centennial high school where he played basketball and was coached by Josh Giles. He graduated as a four-star recruit from the high school and later joined UCLA to play for the 2017-2018 season. While he was there, he made a total of 77 appearances while averaging 6.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
In 2017, he had a setback in his career after he was arrested for shoplifting in China alongside two of his friends, Cody Riley and LiAngelo Ball. Hill and his friends were caught shortly before the Bruins’ season-opener against Georgia Tech in Shanghai. They were subsequently suspended for the entire freshman year. While LiAngelo left the program, Hill and Riley returned in 2018 to continue the program.
Thereafter, Hill reportedly became a regular in UCLA’s lineup as a rebounder, shot blocker, and also finisher. He played with the team under coaches, Steve Alford and Mick Cronin.
Due to his commitment to the game, he became the driving force for the team’s 2019-2020 season. During that time, he averaged 9.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.
During the 2020-2021 season. he was not stable with the team that he later stepped aside hence he was not with UCLA during the surprise final four runs in March 2021.
Jalen Hill sadly announced he was retiring publicly in a video he posted o Instagram. He revealed that he has been struggling to catch up ever since he was arrested. He also discussed that he had anxiety and depression problems which made him stop playing.
Read Also: Who Is Molly Russell? Sad Details About Her Death
Who are His Family Members?
While details about all Jalen Hill’s family members is yet to be uncovered, research shows that he has only one sibling, Tatianna. His parents George A. Hill and Tanisa L. Hill.
Also, it is known that Jalen Hill took after his father, George, who also used to play basketball. Hill Sr. reportedly played basketball at Kansas State and is currently the director, of human resources and transportation at BNSF Railway in Texas.
What Happened to Jalen Hill?
Jalen Hill’s family announced he passed away shortly after it was made known that the athlete was missing. Apparently, he went missing while he was in Costa Rica. Prior to that, Hill revealed on social media that he had adopted several measures to help to improve his mental health.
At the time of this writing, Hill’s family claim they do know what happened to him and also what might have led to his death. In that regard, many of his former UCLA teammates including Jaylen Clark, Jaime Jaquez, and Jules Bernard took to social media to mourn him and sympathize with his family.
Jalen Hill had a promising career in basketball until he made the decision to stop playing. However, he would be remembered for all his achievements and commitment as an athlete. While the cause of his death is yet to be confirmed, it can be recalled that Hill mentioned his mental issues which might have taken a toll on him. Of recent, it has been revealed that 35% of professional athletes suffer from a mental health crisis and in a similar way to Jalen, tried to tell their stories so as inspire others or seek help. Other basketballers who have publicly shared their struggles include Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and Jay Williams.
