Jalen Hill, a former basketball standout at UCLA and Corona Centennial High, has died.
The tragic news was confirmed by Hill’s high school basketball coach Josh Giles, who coached Hill for four years. He was 22 years old.
Giles and Hill grew very close during Hill’s time at Centennial.
“He lived on the same block as I did. I’d pick him up and take him to school every day with (teammate) Sedrick Barefield,” Giles said. “It would take 25 minutes to get to and from school every day, so we’d talk in the car, and it was never about basketball.”
“We’d talk politics, relationships, religion. He was a very curious, intelligent kid. I loved him. He was the best,” Giles added.
Hill’s father, George Hill, posted a tribute on Instagram, also confirming Hill’s passing.
“Our hearts are shattered and completely broken to inform family and friends that our beloved son, Jalen, has passed away,” the post reads. “Jalen went missing while in Costa Rica and we have recently learned of his passing. …”
No cause of death has been provided, but Giles confirmed the news after exchanging text messages with George Hill.
“We know Jalen has played a part in the lives of so many people,” the family post reads. “We also acknowledge the role that so many of you have played in his. As we try to navigate this devastating time in our lives, we ask that you please give us time to grieve. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.”
Hill was transparent about his struggle with anxiety and depression following an international shoplifting scandal. He and teammates Cody Riley and LiAngelo Ball were detained after stealing items from three stores during the team’s trip to China to play Georgia Tech in November 2017, leading to season-long suspensions, and he shared his emotions with the Los Angeles Times in April of 2021.
Hill played his last game for the Bruins on Jan. 30, 2021, going scoreless in 11 minutes against Oregon State. He never suited up again as UCLA advanced to the Final Four.
“I’m just like, nah, I need to take this break,” Hill told The Times later that spring, citing the pressure he had put on himself to succeed. “It was a tough decision to make, but once I knew what I had to do, it wasn’t hard, like I figured out, like, this is going to help me.”
Hill – a 6-foot-10 center known for his athletic rim protection – graduated from Centennial in 2017 after averaging 18.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game his senior year.
He arrived in Westwood for his freshman year that same fall and redshirted the 2017-18 season before going on to play in 77 games at UCLA through three seasons, tallying 40 starts averaging 6.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and eight career double-doubles.