Former UCLA Bruins forward Jalen Hill passed away at the age of 22

His mother and father confirmed his passing on Instagram after he had gone missing in Costa Rica a couple of days ago.

According to a post that was made on Jalen Hill’s father’s Instagram on Tuesday night, the former forward/center for the UCLA men’s basketball team has passed away.

Recent reports indicated that Hill, who played with the Bruins from 2017 through 2021, was last seen in the country of Costa Rica.

George Hill expressed his grief over the loss of his son Jalen in a post on Instagram, writing, “Our hearts are crushed and absolutely broken to inform family and friends that our precious son, Jalen, has died away.” “During his time in Costa Rica, Jalen went missing, and we only recently found that he had passed away. Although we anticipate that many people may have inquiries, we are unable to provide any additional facts at this time. We are aware that Jalen has been influential in the lives of a great number of people. Additionally, we want to thank each and every one of you for the part you’ve played in his life. We beg that you please give us time to grieve as we go through this difficult period in our lives. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.”

Jalen Hill, a four-star prospect from from Centennial (CA), decided to sign with UCLA before the start of the 2017-2018 basketball season. Hill finished his career with a total of 77 games played and an average of 6.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest played.

In light of the terrible beginning to his professional career, it wasn’t always a guarantee that Hill would put up large numbers while wearing blue and gold.

Before the Bruins’ season opener against Georgia Tech in Shanghai in November 2017, Hill, Cody Riley, and LiAngelo Ball were detained for shoplifting in China. The game took place in Shanghai. All three of them spent their whole first year as freshmen under suspension; nevertheless, Hill and Riley persisted through the ordeal and were able to make their respective comebacks in 2018.

After that, Hill established himself as a consistent member of UCLA’s starting lineup, excelling as a finisher, shot blocker, and rebounder around the basket.