The 24-year-old has been enjoying a good spell in the Cherries team, starting the past seven games alongside Marcos Senesi at centre back.
That run has coincided with a marked improvement in the team’s form, with only one defeat in that time, to league leaders Arsenal.
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Hill has also picked up two assists, as well as his impressive defensive contributions.
Asked about Hill’s patience in waiting for his chance, Iraola said: “I think James Hill is the dream scenario for a coach, to have a player like him.
“I told him when he was not playing, I would renew you for 10 seasons and you are not playing, and if it's because for me, I would renew you forever because it gives quality to the squads.
James Hill. (Image: Richard Crease)
“Because they don't play and they train top level. They come every Monday, the plus one, that is a difficult day for training, and they train at their best. And I'm very happy that now he's getting the rewards.
“Sometimes you have this kind of players and it never arrives this moment.
“I think he has been pushing enough to wait for his moment and now he's getting the rewards.
“I remember also that when he came back from Blackburn, he had also nice games where he was starting and he was playing, and then he had another injury.
“Probably he went straight backwards. He has climbed again and pushed again, and now he's playing really well. And for me, it's nice because you need this kind of players in a squad, and he has been patient.
James Hill. (Image: Richard Crease)
“He knows he has to be at his best level because otherwise we have Bafo [Diakite], Veljko [Milosavljevic] pushing to get his minutes. But he's very good for the team.”
Speaking about Hill’s development and willingness to adapt as he has been deployed in multiple positions, Iraola said: “I think in these two and a half seasons, almost three seasons with us, when we arrived it was kind of a player coming from the development squad team almost, very young and needing the experience.
“He was coming from a loan also at Hearts where he did well and kind of a fourth centre-back, fifth centre-back sometimes and he was earning the minutes in the squad.
“He has gone through a logical, I think, or the development process that everyone expects, adding more experience, more quality minutes.
“He has adapted also playing as a right-back, playing as a number six, playing as a centre-back. And now he's playing very well and I haven't given him nothing, you know, anything. He has earned everything.
“Every time you play two minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, you have to earn the right for more, and he has done it.”