AUSTIN, Texas — Growing up, Ma’Shy Hill showed early signs of being a special athlete, but he had to decide if his future would be on the football field or on a basketball court. 

What You Need To Know

  • Ma’Shy Hill was on the varsity team as a freshman at Pflugerville Hendrickson

  • He transferred to St. Michael’s Academy his junior year

  • His father, Marquise Hill, played in the NFL

  • He has scholarship offers from colleges including Houston, SMU and Rice

“I didn’t really know which one I had a love for first,” Hill said. “But I definitely developed that for basketball.”

Hill said he also grew too big to play football. He’s only a junior in high school and already stands at 6-foot, 9-inches. To go with the size is a unique skill set. Hill was on the varsity team as a freshman at Pflugerville Hendrickson and a key contributor for two seasons with the Hawks.

This year though is different, he transferred to St. Michael’s Academy in Austin.

“I’m a really good person, so I get used to the environment really fast,” Hill said of his transition to a new school.

The basketball adjustment period took a little bit longer, though.

“The first few months of the season I can say it was a rough start, getting used to all the other guys” said Hill. “We’ve got three guys that are over 6-foot-9, it’s kind of hard not to pick up eventually.”

Hill is joined on the Crusader team by other young, talented and tall guys like Joshua Jones and Jamie Vinson. That group has helped St. Michaels get off to a solid start this season and currently rank fourth in the 5A private school rankings. While basketball was one factor in his decision to move to a new school, he also wanted to prioritize his education.

“I really take education seriously. The whole thing here is education,” said Hill. “I’ve always looked into engineering, that kind of became a thing for me even in elementary school.”

While Hill is setting himself up for life after basketball, he does have dreams of playing as long as possible. The attention from colleges has already started and he holds offers from programs such as Houston, SMU and Rice.

“I feel like that’s really what drives me, is getting something out of this,” said Hill. “All this time and effort, that’s the sacrifice and I know I’m going to get something out of it.”

Hill also has the memory of his father to drive him.

His dad, Marquise Hill, was a defensive lineman on the LSU team that won a national title in 2003. Marquise was then the second round draft pick for the New England Patriots and was a part of the Super Bowl team in 2004. But Marquise passed away in 2007 after a jet-ski accident when Ma’shy was very young.

“I hear a lot about him from his teammates at LSU. I got to hear a lot of his influence in Louisiana,” said Hill. “People really knew him as a person and figured how I was going to be. They’re seeing me before their eyes excel and that’s definitely been a big part of my life just thinking about that in the back of my head sometimes”