Goodman Community Center | Nimrod Hilliard IV sets up Hilliard Pro…

Nimrod Hilliard IV sets up Hilliard Pro Development to train young basketball players

Former Madison East star and European pro player begins to write the next chapter of his basketball story.

August 2, 2024 |
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Nimrod Hilliard IV (left) with two athletes he is training through his Hilliard Pro Development program.

By Jacob Link, Eastside News

Madison East High School alumnus and professional basketball player Nimrod Hilliard IV is looking to give back to his hometown through his newly established Hilliard Pro Development training program, which aims to provide young athletes with a path to pro basketball.

Hilliard said he thinks that one thing Madison is missing compared to other cities is basketball-specific training programs, facilities and coaches.

“For these kids to be trying to make it to the NBA, yes, (Madison has had) people who have made it and we have had people who played professionally overseas,” Hilliard said. “But if you look at the talent Madison has had, the number of kids that should have made it (professionally) doesn’t match. I think that starts with having those people (around) that have been there before and having those people that are willing to put the younger generation through the exact same thing (they went through).”

Hilliard starred for Madison East from 2007-11 and was named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball in 2011. It’s awarded by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association to the state’s best senior boys high school basketball player.

After high school, Hilliard played college basketball at the University of South Dakota (2011-12), Jacksonville College in Florida (2012-13), Lamar University in Texas (2013-14) and North Carolina Central University (2014-15).

Fresh off helping NCCU to a 16-0 conference record and a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season championship, Hilliard signed his first professional contract in 2015 with Horsens Idræts Club Basketball in Horsens, Denmark. He has gone on to play nine seasons in Europe with eight different teams, earning a Finals MVP in Denmark, a regular season MVP in Sweden and winning three league championships, most recently with KR Reykjavik in Iceland in 2024.

“Basketball showed me my life. When I became a professional — and even in college when we started traveling — it gave me opportunities to see the world.”

Hilliard said the idea for Hilliard Pro Development came when he returned to Madison in 2022 after an injury in Cyprus that required surgery.

“I was home for the season, and it just was really hard on me being without basketball, and obviously not knowing if I could return,” Hilliard said.

During that period when he was injured, he started the framework for Hilliard Pro Development. Now it’s up and running and he’s started training clients.

One of the highlights of his career was coming back from that knee injury and winning the league title in Iceland.

Nimrod Hilliard IV playing in Iceland
Nimrod Hilliard IV drives the lane during an Icelandic pro game.

“It was just a really good moment for me that I bounced back from that, not knowing if I was going to play again,” Hilliard said. “There was no timeline (for return). There was no ‘OK, you got to do this and you’ll be better.’ It was all up in the air. There were never answers really. I thought I was going to be forced to retire from the game I love.”

Back in Madison during the summer offseason, Hilliard said it’s a thrill to be able to work with younger basketball players, and he loves giving youth the opportunity to take the next step in their careers.

“Basketball showed me my life,” Hilliard said. “When I became a professional — and even in college when we started traveling — it gave me opportunities to see the world. And now overseas, it just opened (the world) up even more, where I have so many opportunities, so many things that I’ve seen that I never would have seen without basketball. That’s the biggest thing. That’s what I get out of working out with these kids that have these talents or wanting to get to that level and wanting to put the work in to get there.”

Hilliard always thought that Madison was a hotbed for basketball talent and said he wants to teach athletes to be adaptable.

“Going from the U.S. to Europe, it’s a different game,” he said. “But going from country to country, from coach to coach, from language to language, you have to be able to adapt to your situation, no matter how good you are, how good you can shoot, how many points you can score, and you have to be a good person.”

He’s also seen the game evolve during his nine seasons overseas. In-coming European players’ skills have started catching up to the level of U.S. players.

“The game has changed, man. These kids are dunking and going between the legs at ages that I wasn't even thinking of doing that,” Hilliard said. “These kids are shooting NBA (Steph) Curry 3-pointers at ages where I was trying to just make a layup (at their age), so that game is adapting. We just have to keep training (our kids), keep getting our kids to that sort of next level.”

Nimrod Hilliard IV with family
Nimrod's family: partner Allie (left), daughter Kylee (left).

Hilliard wants to use his development program as a way to pass on everything he’s learned from his time in pro basketball to the younger generation.

“I mean, hopefully they can do more (than I did) — where they go to the NBA and they make a million dollars,” Hilliard said. “Hopefully the sky’s the limit (for them).”

Hilliard is looking to return to the court once again this fall in Europe.

“I got a little bit left,” Hilliard said. “I know I'm towards my end. I don't have a time yet (for retirement), but I know I’m ready to be home. It’s about the kids now.”

For more information on Hilliard Pro Development, email hilliardprodevelopment@gmail.com or message on Instagram.

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