Anthony Gill. Photo: UVA Athletics
Former UVA Basketball standout Anthony Gill is a rarity among professionals on his level – and it not just because he is on the roster of an NBA team.
The native of North Carolina is unique in that he did not make The League coming out of college, but instead was playing overseas from 2016-2020 before landing with the Washington Wizards.
Gill played in Turkey and Russia before signing with the Wizards in 2020. After not being drafted by the NBA after starring in Charlottesville, he used that as motivation.
“My thought process was, wherever I was going to be, I was going to give it my all,” said the 6-foot-7 Gill, 33, standing by his locker after a recent home game at Capital One Arena in Washington. “I worked extremely hard in college and where I went overseas and played, I worked extremely hard, knowing and trusting that eventually I will be where I am supposed to be.”
“It was an unbelieve experience for me,” he added. “I loved every second of it. It helped me grow as a person. It helped me find myself in a lot of ways. Even when I was (first) in Europe, I didn’t know if the EuroLeague would be the call, or the NBA would be the call.”
Nearly every country in Europe has a pro domestic league. Only the top clubs – and the ones with deeper pockets – also compete against teams from other countries in one game during the week with domestic league play normally on weekends.
And the very best teams overseas, in countries such as Turkey, Russia, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany, for instance, compete in the EuroLeague – considered the best circuit in the world outside of the NBA.
“The last three years (overseas) I was in the EuroLeague, which meant playing in two countries each week. That was amazing to travel the world,” he said.
Even today, Gill tries to get back to Europe once a year – last summer he went with his wife to Spain.
Once he was done playing in Europe, the Wizards were not the only team that was interested in him.
“I had other options. I came to visit D.C. and got to see the facilities. They had just built a new practice facility. I wanted to be part of something special,” he said. “The people here were amazing as they are to this day. We have a new front office and I continue to believe they are building something special.”
This season, the Wizards added veteran guard CJ McCollum, who played in college at Lehigh and in the NBA with Portland and New Orleans.
“He has a wealth of knowledge and we can pick his brain each and every day,” Gill said. “It has been a blessing to have him. He interjects a lot during practice and games.”
Last season, Gill was reunited with former Virginia teammate Malcolm Brogdon. “That was an amazing opportunity to play with him after nine years of being apart,” Gill said.
Gill keeps in touch with other former Cavalier teammates and noted the court at JPJ will be named in the honor of former coach Tony Bennett on Jan. 24 when Virginia hosts North Carolina. The Wizards play that day at the Charlotte Hornets in the city where Gill played at Charlotte Christian. (Steph Curry, the son of former Fort Defiance and Virginia Tech star Dell, played at Charlotte Christian before Gill).
Was Gill surprised when Bennett stepped down in 2024?
“The way college basketball is shaking out to be is different for someone who is in love with the pure basketball game. That is what he was. I am happy for the transition he has made to husband and father,” Gill said. “I thinking he is smiling a lot more now.”
A native of High Point, Gill transferred to Virginia from South Carolina. He is not sure how long he plans to play. “No idea. Right now, I am fully dedicated to this team. I am lucky to be a part of it now,” he said.
Former VCU star Jamir Watkins, a two-way player for the Wizards, has benefitted from the leadership of Washington veterans such as Gill and McCollum.
“I think it is a blessing to have guys like that, especially Anthony,” Watkins said. “He has taught me how to be a man off the court. He is definitely a role model.”
Gill was a third-team all-ACC player at Virginia in 2015 and 2016.
Here are Gill’s NBA stats, all with Washington through Jan. 3:
2020-21: 26 games, four starts, 8.4 minutes per game, 3.1 points per game
2021-22: 44 games, zero starts, 10.5 minutes, 4.1 points
2022-23: 59 games, eight starts, 10.6 minutes, 3.3 points
2023-24: 50 games, three starts, 9.3 minutes, 3.8 points
2024-25: 51 games, zero starts, 7.8 minutes, 2.5 points
2025-26: 13 games, zero starts, 3.1 minutes, 1.3 points
The Wizards were 9-24 going into a game Jan. 4 against Minnesota.