A former NBA power forward has died at the age of 42.
Ohio University head basketball coach Jeff Boals was the first to break the news on social media that Brandon Hunter had tragically lost his life at such a young age.
“Sad day for Bobcat Nation,” Jeff Boals posted on X.
His cause of death was not immediately clear.
“We are terribly saddened to learn of the loss of our former teammate, Brandon Hunter,” the team said in a statement. “We send our deepest condolences to the entire Hunter family.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
The 6-foot-7 power forward was a three-time First Team All-MAC player for the Ohio Bobcats. His senior year saw him average 21.5 points per game and an NCAA Division I-leading 12.6 rebounds per game. He also finished his college career with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Hunter, a Cincinnati native, was selected by the Celtics with the 56th overall pick in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft.
As a rookie, Hunter played in 36 games for the Celtics while averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while playing 11.3 minutes per contest.
He was then picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats the next summer in the NBA expansion draft and then dealt to the Magic in exchange for Keith Bogans. Hunter then averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds with the Magic in 31 games.
His basketball career would see him spend nearly a decade playing internationally in Greece, Italy, France, and more.
