Romaro Gill
Romaro Gill (born October 2, 1994) is a Jamaican professional basketball player who last played for the Southland Sharks of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Vincennes Trailblazers and the Seton Hall Pirates.
Free agent | |
---|---|
Position | Center |
Personal information | |
Born | Saint Thomas, Jamaica | October 2, 1994
Nationality | Jamaican |
Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | St. Thomas (Golden Grove, Jamaica) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 2020: undrafted |
Playing career | 2021–present |
Career history | |
2021 | Salt Lake City Stars |
2021 | Wellington Saints |
2021–2022 | Raptors 905 |
2022–2023 | Southland Sharks |
Career highlights and awards | |
Early life and high school career
Gill was born and raised in Saint Thomas, Jamaica and grew up playing cricket, volleyball and soccer.[1][2][3] He played cricket for four years at St. Thomas Technical High School in Golden Grove, Jamaica. Gill did not play basketball until his final year at the school, when it began offering the sport.[4] At a basketball camp in 2013, he drew the attention of scout Michael Minto, who helped him secure a scholarship to play collegiately in the United States.[5] Gill accepted an offer from NJCAA program Vincennes, whose head coach Todd Franklin was a friend of Minto's.[1]
College career
As a freshman at Vincennes, Gill averaged 1.8 points per game in 13 games.[1] He averaged 5.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a sophomore and ranked 10th in the NJCAA with 85 blocked shots. After the season, Gill transferred to Seton Hall.[6] The team's assistant coach Grant Billmeier, had inadvertently discovered him while scouting potential recruits at the NJCAA Division I Championship in March 2017.[2] Gill redshirted his first year to learn from his veteran teammates, like Ángel Delgado.[7] In his junior season, he averaged 2.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.[8] Gill was named to the Big East Conference All-Academic Team in 2018 and 2019.[9] On January 18, 2020, Gill posted a double-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks in an 82–79 win over St. John's.[10] On January 22, Gill recorded 17 points, 8 blocks and 6 rebounds in a 73–64 win over Providence.[11] As a senior, he averaged 7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game and was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Most Improved Player.[12] He led the Big East and ranked third in the NCAA Division I in blocks per game.[13]
Professional career
Salt Lake City Stars (2021)
After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Gill signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz on November 30, 2020.[14][15] He was waived on December 18 prior to the start of the 2020–21 NBA season.[16] He went on to play for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League in the hub season between February and March 2021.[17]
Wellington Saints (2021)
Gill joined the Wellington Saints in April 2021 for the New Zealand NBL season.[18] He was released on June 16, 2021.[19]
Raptors 905 (2021–2022)
In August 2021, Gill played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Summer League.[20]
On October 30, 2021, Gill was acquired by Raptors 905 for the 2021–22 NBA G League season.[21][22] He was waived on January 31, 2022, re-acquired on February 3, then waived again on March 1.[21] In 19 games, he averaged 3.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.[23]
Southland Sharks (2022–2023)
On April 14, 2022, Gill signed with the Southland Sharks for the 2022 New Zealand NBL season.[24]
On February 16, 2023, Gill re-signed with the Sharks for the 2023 New Zealand NBL season.[25] He was released by the Sharks on May 23, 2023.[26]
Personal life
Gill served on the NCAA Men's Basketball Oversight Committee and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Seton Hall. He volunteers for Grow a Row, picking vegetables to go to food banks in New Jersey.[9]
References
- Braziller, Zach (January 22, 2020). "How Romaro Gill grew into Seton Hall's unstoppable force". New York Post. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Carino, Jerry (January 21, 2020). "Seton Hall basketball: Where did surprise star Romaro Gill come from?". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- "Jamaican talents seek opportunities in college basketball". FIBA. April 1, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Brennan, Sean (January 22, 2020). "From Cricket to Hoops: Gill Helps Pirates Soar". Big East Conference. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Wheeler, Daniel (February 22, 2020). "All the way up - 7ft 2 in Jamaican basketballer earns high praise for play in NCAA Division One". The Gleaner. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- "Center Romaro Gill signs letter to play hoops at Seton Hall". Associated Press. May 2, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- O'Neil, Dana (February 28, 2020). "Meet Romaro Gill, the Seton Hall gentle giant with the intimidating presence". The Athletic. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Zagoria, Adam (January 17, 2020). "Romaro Gill is putting up some lofty numbers for Seton Hall". NJ.com. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- "What Great Minds Can Do: Romaro Gill". Seton Hall University. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- "No. 18 Seton Hall beats St. John's 82–79 for 8th straight". ESPN. Associated Press. January 18, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Farrahar, Kevin (January 23, 2020). "Romaro Gill, Hall Too Much for Providence Inside". Friar Basketball. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Braziller, Zach (March 10, 2020). "Seton Hall's Romaro Gill cleans up with Big East awards". New York Post. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- Carino, Jerry (March 9, 2020). "Seton Hall basketball: Romaro Gill wins two major Big East awards". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- "Utah Jazz sign Romaro Gill". NBA.com. November 30, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Zagoria, Adam (November 19, 2020). "NBA Draft 2020: Seton Hall's Myles Powell to sign with Knicks, Romaro Gill to sign with Jazz". NJ.com. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- "Jazz Sign Yogi Ferrell and Malcolm Miller". NBA.com. December 18, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- "Romaro Gill". gleague.nba.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
- "7'2" Romaro Gill signed with Saints". saints.co.nz. January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- "Wellington Saints part ways with Romaro Gill". saints.co.nz. June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- "Romaro Gill". realgm.com. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- "2021-22 NBA G League Transactions". gleague.nba.com. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- Murphy, Blake (November 5, 2021). "Raptors 905: 10 storylines to follow for 2021-22 G League season". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- "Sharks add Gill to their roster". australiabasket.com. April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- "Sharks add Romaro Gill as defensive stopper". sharksbasketball.co.nz. April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- "Gill sells coach on return from first conversation". sharksbasketball.co.nz. February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
- "THANKS RO". facebook.com/southlandsharks. May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.