HBCU Legend, Detroit Pistons Champ Takes Over at Michigan HS
Hunter, a Mississippi native and HBCU star, made his name at Jackson State University. There, he torched Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents. He began his collegiate career at Alcorn State, earning SWAC Freshman of the Year honors in 1989. Hunter transferred to Jackson State and never looked back. He averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior, earning SWAC Player of the Year in 1993. That same year, he led JSU to an NIT upset over UConn. Leading to him being selected 10th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Draft.
Detroit became his second home - and now it's his coaching battleground.
Hunter spent 12 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Pistons, earning a reputation as one of the league's toughest on-ball defenders. A gritty, tenacious guard, he helped anchor the Pistons' defensive identity during their early-2000s championship run, earning his second ring in 2004 when Detroit stunned the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Ironically, Hunter also earned his first ring with the Lakers in 2002 - a rare feat of being a champion on both sides of that iconic rivalry.
But for all the bright lights of the NBA, Hunter has always had a heart for mentoring.
After playing, Hunter transitioned into coaching, including stints with the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, and Phoenix Suns. He served as interim head coach of the Suns during the 2012–13 season. In 2019, he returned to his HBCU roots, becoming head coach at Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU). He led MVSU for three seasons and helped rebuild the program's foundation with the same toughness he brought as a player.
Now, he's bringing that HBCU pedigree and NBA grind to the high school hardwood in Sparta, Michigan-a town just outside Grand Rapids.
His connection to Michigan runs deep. His son, Lindsey Hunter IV, was a standout guard at Southfield Christian School near Detroit. The younger Hunter won three state championships before college. And even more recently, Hunter helped launch a youth basketball initiative through his foundation after meeting Griffin Gullekson, a Sparta student battling cancer. Moved by the teen's resilience, Hunter helped create a program through the Lindsey Hunter Foundation that supports young athletes facing illness or adversity.
For Sparta High School, bringing in Hunter isn't just a flashy hire - it's a cultural moment. Here's a coach who's played with Hall of Famers, coached at every level, and dominated the HBCU landscape. He's bringing all of that to a small-town team with big dreams.
The Pistons faithful know Lindsey Hunter as the dogged defender who never backed down. The HBCU community knows him as one of their greatest guards and a proud standard-bearer of SWAC excellence. A new generation of Michigan ballers will now know him as Coach Hunter.
The post HBCU Legend, Detroit Pistons Champ Takes Over at Michigan HS appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Luka Doncic Sends Seven-Word Message to Kyrie Irving on Thursday
Luka Doncic Sends Seven-Word Message to Kyrie Irving on Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks have experienced very different outcomes since the trade deadline deal that sent Luka Doncic to L.A. Advertisement The Lakers, with their new duo of Doncic and LeBron James, were able to move up to the No. 3 seed in the West. However, their season ended early in the playoffs, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the first round. The Mavericks, on the other hand, caught the injury bug following the trade. Anthony Davis was hurt in his Dallas debut, while Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL. But the Mavericks flipped the script when they won the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes in the 2025 NBA Draft. Amid his offseason recovery, Irving took to social media to share a personal update. His Instagram post featured photos of himself on a yacht, working out and spending time with friends and family. "All, in due time. 🤞🏾♾🪶 #A11even #CheifHela," Irving captioned his post. Advertisement A few hours after Irving published his post, Doncic took notice of the photos, sarcastically thanking Irving for inviting him on his yacht. "Thanks for the invite on the yacht😂," Doncic responded. Doncic and Irving spent one full season together with the Mavericks before the Slovenian was unexpectedly traded away in February. In fact, less than a year before the deal, the two All-Stars led Dallas to the NBA Finals. However, the Mavericks fell in five games to the Boston Celtics. Luka Doncic commented on Kyrie Irving's latest Instagram Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Both the Lakers and Mavericks have made major moves to start the offseason as they look to contend for a championship in the 2025-26 season. Advertisement The Lakers addressed a major need by signing center Deandre Ayton to a two-year deal. The Mavericks, meanwhile, added guard D'Angelo Russell to pair with their selection of Flagg. Russell is expected to help fill the gap left by Irving, who continues his recovery to start next season. Related: Cooper Flagg Didn't Hesitate When Naming the NBA's Best Player This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dalton Knecht 'Shook,' Lakers Fans Hyped Over Bronny James Dunk
Dalton Knecht 'Shook,' Lakers Fans Hyped Over Bronny James Dunk originally appeared on Athlon Sports. LeBron James' son, Bronny James, keeps making a strong impression amid the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason. Advertisement Recently, player development coach Chris Johnson shared a video of the 20-year-old guard working on his cardio and finishing with dunks. Fans were clearly impressed by his athleticism, with many even hyping up his upcoming second season in the NBA. On Wednesday, James showed his insane hops once again, this time during the Lakers' most recent practice in preparation for the NBA Summer League this July. In a video the Lakers posted on social media, the young James was shown jumping and throwing the ball down with force as he slammed the ball with ease. The Lakers' caption even noted James' 2025 draft classmate, Dalton Knecht's reaction to the dunk. Advertisement "Bronny's dunk had Dalton SHOOK," the post stated. Naturally, the Lakers faithful were hyped by what they saw from Bronny James. "Most improved player award," a commenter wrote. Another one said, "Bronny Lakers Future." "Yeah that's a nice dunk," an impressed fan added. A fourth supporter shared, "Bronny on a fast break go be crazy." "This kid is athletic [expletive]," a follower stated. A social media user remarked, "Bro got real air fs." Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht was in awe of Bronny James' latest dunk in Hui-Imagn Images James averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 27 games played for the Lakers in 2024-25. In the G League, however, he put up 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals between the regular season and Tip-Off Tournament. Advertisement Sure enough, it will be interesting to see if the eldest son of LeBron James can make significant improvements in 2025-26. His latest video certainly raises expectations, though. Related: Luka Doncic Goes Viral After Deandre Ayton Joins Lakers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Luka Doncic's Message to Kyrie Irving Strikes an Emotional Chord with Fans
Luka Doncic's Message to Kyrie Irving Strikes an Emotional Chord with Fans originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Luka Doncic's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 season remains one, if not the most shocking, trades in NBA history. After all, prior to being sent to L.A., the Slovenian star was considered an untouchable piece for the Dallas Mavericks. Advertisement Not to mention that Doncic was fresh off leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals the season prior. With his improved chemistry with Kyrie Irving as well, there were high hopes that they would be able to keep Dallas in title contention. However, despite his unexpected trade, Doncic has maintained his bond with his former teammates, particularly Irving. In fact, when Irving suffered a torn ACL in March, the Lakers star was among the first to show his support. On Thursday, Doncic and Irving's friendship was on full display once again after the former commented on the latter's Instagram post. Amid his recovery from his injury, Irving shared several photos of himself on a yacht as well as working out and spending time with his close friends and family. Advertisement Doncic, for his part, reacted to the post and wrote, "Thanks for the invite on the yacht." Unsurprisingly, after a Mavericks fan page shared Luka Doncic's comment, many supporters couldn't help but get emotional. Several fans commented with crying emojis, clearly missing their former superstar. "Breaks my heart," a commenter wrote. Another one said, "It's been zero days since I was reminded of how awful the Luka trade was." A heartbroken supporter added, "Wish lukai lasted forever." "just ruined my whole day thanks," a disappointed fan stated, a sentiment echoed by another follower who noted, "Alright thanks for ruining my night again." Advertisement "2024 Mavs was the closest I've ever felt to 2011 vibes," a sixth Dallas faithful further stated, reminiscing the team's incredible run with Doncic and Irving during the 2023-24 campaign. Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic comments on Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving's latest IG Miron / Gary A. Vasquez - Imagn Images While it will take time for Irving to return to the court, it's safe to expect that the next time he reunites with Doncic on the court will be an emotional one. Related: Dalton Knecht 'Shook,' Lakers Fans Hyped Over Bronny James Dunk This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
