An agressive basketball player at Long Island University, LIU, Art Hillhouse had the abiity to handle most challenges in the center slot under the basket on either offense or defense. After World War II he played with the Philadelphia SPHAs of the American Basketball League, ABL, and led the entire league in scoring with 12.4 points per game. He also led the league with 145 successful free throws.

The next season, 1946-47 he played with the Philadelphia Warriors of the Basketball Association of America, BBA, later to become the National Basketball Association, NBA. For the Warriors he averaged 6 points per game in a then 60 game schedule and helped Philadelphia win the league's championship. He averaged 8.7 ppg  the 10-game playoffs, including a 4 to 1 championship series over Chicago. After the next year he left the NBA.