Steven Deon Hunter (born October 31, 1981) is American former professional basketball player. He is listed as a center. He most recently played for Dinamo Sassari.

Steven Hunter
Hunter at Luke Air Force Base in 2016
Personal information
Born (1981-10-31) October 31, 1981 (age 43)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolProviso East (Maywood, Illinois)
CollegeDePaul (1999–2001)
NBA draft2001: 1st round, 15th overall pick
Selected by the Orlando Magic
Playing career2001–2011
PositionCenter / power forward
Number34, 45
Career history
20012004Orlando Magic
2004–2005Phoenix Suns
20052007Philadelphia 76ers
20072008Denver Nuggets
2009–2010Memphis Grizzlies
2011Dinamo Sassari
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference

High school and college career

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Hunter played basketball at Proviso East High School,[1] which has produced other NBA players such as Sherell Ford, Michael Finley, Jim Brewer, Doc Rivers, Dee Brown, Donnie Boyce, Reggie Jordan, Shannon Brown, Sterling Brown, and Jevon Carter. Hunter then played two years at DePaul University in Chicago, before declaring himself eligible for the 2001 NBA draft.[1]

Professional career

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As a rookie, Hunter set a then-career high points total with 17 points on December 5, 2001, in a 102–74 win over the Chicago Bulls.[2]

In 2002 during training camp with the Magic he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and missed 49 games of the 2002–2003 NBA season.[3]

On April 24, 2005, then on the Phoenix Suns, Hunter scored a postseason career high 16 points, alongside grabbing 5 rebounds, in a 114–103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.[4] Hunter and the Suns would ultimately make it to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Spurs.

In the 2005 offseason, he signed with the 76ers as a free agent. They traded him to the New Orleans Hornets on February 1, 2006, in exchange for two second-round draft picks in 2006 and 2007. On February 10, Philadelphia president Billy King announced that the Hornets rescinded the deal.

On September 10, 2007, Hunter was traded with Bobby Jones by the 76ers to the Denver Nuggets for Reggie Evans and the draft rights to Ricky Sanchez.[5]

On August 7, 2009, the Nuggets traded Hunter and a lottery-protected 2010 first-round draft pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future second-round pick.[6]

Hunter's final NBA game was played on February 6, 2010, in a 102–109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he recorded 2 points and 1 rebound in 5 minutes of play.

In October 2011 he signed with Dinamo Sassari in Italy.[7]

In 2013, Hunter became a community liaison for the NBA and the Phoenix Suns throughout the community in Arizona.[1]

NBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001–02 Orlando 53 21 9.7 .456 .000 .585 1.8 .1 .1 .8 3.6
2002–03 Orlando 33 5 13.5 .544 .000 .409 2.8 .2 .3 1.1 3.9
2003–04 Orlando 59 23 13.4 .529 .000 .333 2.9 .2 .1 1.2 3.2
2004–05 Phoenix 76 3 13.8 .614 .000 .479 3.0 .2 .1 1.3 4.6
2005–06 Philadelphia 69 35 19.0 .601 .000 .514 3.9 .2 .2 1.1 6.1
2006–07 Philadelphia 70 41 22.9 .577 .000 .490 4.8 .4 .2 1.1 6.4
2007–08 Denver 19 2 6.3 .536 .000 .450 1.5 .0 .0 .3 2.1
2009–10 Memphis 21 0 7.5 .395 .000 .528 2.0 .0 .0 .5 2.5
Career 400 130 15.0 .560 .000 .485 3.2 .2 .1 1.1 4.5

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2003 Orlando 7 0 5.7 .300 .000 .000 .4 .1 .0 .4 .9
2005 Phoenix 15 0 14.2 .558 .000 .600 2.5 .2 .1 1.2 4.0
2008 Denver 2 0 2.5 .000 .000 .000 1.0 .0 .0 .0 .0
Career 24 0 10.8 .500 .000 .522 1.8 .2 .0 .9 2.8

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c "Former Sun Steven Hunter motivates others". The Fountain Hills Times. May 27, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic Box Score, December 5, 2001". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Writer, Jerry Brewer, Sentinel Staff (August 27, 2002). "MAGIC'S HUNTER TEARS ACL". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Memphis Grizzlies at Phoenix Suns Box Score, April 24, 2005". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  5. ^ Nuggets send Evans to Philadelphia for Hunter, Jones; Sixers also sign free agent Booth[permanent dead link], published September 10, 2007
  6. ^ "Grizzlies acquire first round Draft Pick from Nuggets". NBA.com. August 7, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
  7. ^ "Sportsglory | Product Guides for Athletes & Sports Records". Sportsglory. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
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