Once the coronavirus pandemic suspended the NBA season, George Hill escaped to a place where he had space to social distance — 850 acres, to be exact.

The Milwaukee Bucks point guard flew to stay at the Hill Country ranch he purchased in 2017, according to a recent ESPN profile. The sprawling property, a 35-minute drive north of Hill’s offseason home in San Antonio, is home to a number of exotic animals.

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Hill keeps kangaroos, six zebras, wildebeests, donkeys, elk, and antelope, among others.

“I just think it’s cool for my kids to see,” Hill told ESPN. “And for them to have something different. Everyone has a dog or a cat … I just choose other animals.”

When Hill bought the ranch, the realtor told mySA that he “knew it was the one he had been dreaming about.”

“One thing many people do not know about George is that he loves the outdoors,” the realtor said. “He loves paintballing, hunting and fun, outdoor toys, so he will definitely be using the land for recreation and hunting.”

The Spurs drafted Hill with the 26th overall pick in 2008. (He was traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2011 in exchange for the rights to Kawhi Leonard and Davis Bertans.) As a rookie, he learned to hunt with season-ticket holders Will and Gloria Drash.

Hill has since become an avid hunter, but he said the animals on his ranch are not for hunting. Four employees are charged with taking care of the animals.

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“The only thing I hunt on my land is wild hogs and coyotes, because they cause so many problems,” he said.

The article notes that owning exotic animals is legal in Texas. Hill purchased his from licensed specialty breeders in the state. The most expensive animals on his ranch are the female sable antelope and kudu, which cost $20,000 to $25,000 apiece.

“If this is what retirement looks like,” Hill said. “This is better than I thought.”

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net |@m_b_dunphy