Drake Hills

Story by Ameer Safadi

It was a Wednesday and Drake Hills was watching ESPN in his bedroom. Hills, a junior college basketball player at San Diego Mesa College, watched as NBA analysts discussed the many storylines ahead of the New York Knicks-Atlanta Hawks matchup. An information technology major at the time, Hills went through the motions of his cybersecurity homework as his attention increasingly focused on the television. 

Kristaps Porzingis had just entered the league in 2015 and was poised to lead the Knicks to the promised land. Hills was not a fan of either team, nor did he have a connection to the celebrated rookie. Nevertheless, the story captivated his attention. “I could care less about if the Knicks beat the Hawks that night but I did care about this 7’1” Latvian unicorn who is out here cooking dudes,” said Hills. 

The thrill of sports and the power of a story led Hills to a revelation. “I remember just throwing my homework down and deciding that I wasn't going to get into cybersecurity and that I was going to tell sports stories,” Hills said. He then transferred to the University of Oregon to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Today, Hills covers Nashville’s MLS team, Nashville SC, for Tennessee's largest newspaper, The Tennessean. His days are packed full as he hunts and delivers storylines on the team.On Tuesdays he usually records a podcast. Most Wednesdays he’ll write a feature story, and Thursdays he goes to the teams’ press conference. 

Hills is used to the eclectic life of a journalist. After receiving his Master’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University, he worked as a freelancer, an experience that he believes is valuable for young journalists. “When you’re in journalism, you need to get reps. Simply put, that's how you get yourself into the industry,” said Hills . 

            A connection he made while at UO helped Hills get to where he is. While freelancing for his hometown paper, The San Diego Tribune, he reconnected with Greg Lee, president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Hills had met Lee at the annual NABJ conference, where the elder journalist put the Tennessean on Hills’ radar and helped him apply for a sports reporter job in 2019. Hills has been working for the storied newspaper ever since. He says the NABJ conference was an enlightening experience and the first time he was surrounded by so many men and women that shared his passion. “If you truly are a storyteller, specifically a storyteller that is Black, that is one of the best experiences that you will have in your career,” said Hills. 

Partly because of this experience, Hills recognizes the role mentors have played in his career and is focused on giving back. He encourages students to reach out to him for advice and support through the Diverse Alumni Mentoring Network, a network developed to help UO students connect with alumni from many backgrounds for advice of any kind.

This academic year, Hills was selected as a speaker for the University of Oregon’s BE Series. The BE Series selects guests from underserved communities whose goals and accomplishments support their theme of challenging the status quo and helping students learn to expand the possibilities of who they can become. “I think the opportunity to share your ideas in a live format and essentially recruit others to think along those same lines is amazing,” said Hills.  

Hills views sports as much more than entertainment. The topic for his talk, held on February 22nd, was how representation, inclusion and belonging can be tackled through sport. “The vehicle for new knowledge or enlightenment and growth is through the world of sport,” said Hills. 

Fresh out of graduate school, Hills had his heart set on becoming an ESPN reporter. Although he still holds a dream to cover the 2026 World Cup coming to the United States, he now has his eyes set on academia. “There’s no limit to what you can do in the academic world,” said Hills. Wherever Hills’ career takes him, his love for sports stories is forever.