Lindsey Hunter

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hunter's journey began at Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi, before he played for Alcorn State and then transferred to Jackson State University, where he became arguably the school's highest-profile athlete since Walter Payton. The Detroit Pistons selected him with the 10th pick of the 1993 NBA draft, just ahead of Allan Houston. As a rookie, Hunter played all 82 games, averaging 10.3 points and a career-high 4.8 assists. His scoring peak came in the 1996–97 season with 14.2 points per game, followed by a playoff career-high of 15 points per game in a first-round loss to the Hawks. Traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Billy Owens, he played his fifth-most minutes as a key role player en route to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance before joining the Lakers. His second stint with Detroit began in August 2003 after being re-acquired from Toronto; although briefly traded to Boston for Mike James to facilitate the Rasheed Wallace deal, he was immediately released and re-signed by Detroit just one week later.

In Their Own Story

The 2004 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs defined Hunter's tenure in Detroit. After winning the championship that year, the Pistons returned to the Finals in 2005 but lost a hard-fought seven-game series to the Spurs. Throughout these runs, Hunter earned credit for his gritty defense off the bench. His career faced a significant hurdle on March 7, 2007, when he was suspended for ten games after testing positive for phentermine; he claimed the result came from using his wife's diet pills. He later joined the Chicago Bulls in November 2008 on a one-year nonguaranteed contract, re-signing the following July for $1.3 million to mentor young point guard Derrick Rose. At age 39, Hunter was the oldest active player in the 2009–2010 season until the Bulls waived him on March 3, 2010, to make room for Chris Richard. Two days later, he transitioned into a player development assistant role with Chicago.

Reader's Guide

Hunter's coaching path began as an assistant coach for player development with the Phoenix Suns in August 2012. After the team started the season 13–28, he was named interim head coach on January 20, 2013, replacing Alvin Gentry. In his debut, he led the Suns to a 106–96 victory over the Sacramento Kings before being replaced by Jeff Hornacek in May 2013. He subsequently served as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors and later joined Nate Oats' staff at the University at Buffalo on June 13, 2016. In April 2019, Hunter became the head coach at Mississippi Valley State University, where he posted a 7–74 record over three years before stepping down in March 2022. His most recent coaching role came in Sparta, Michigan; on July 2, 2025, he was named head coach of the boys varsity basketball team at Sparta High School, but he and the district mutually agreed to separate employment on September 23, 2025.

Did You Know?

• Hunter was selected 10th overall in the 1993 NBA draft, with the Pistons using their second first-round pick to select Allan Houston immediately after.
• During his time at Jackson State University, Hunter became arguably the school's highest-profile athlete since football legends Walter Payton and Jackie Slater.
• In February 2004, Hunter was traded to the Boston Celtics but never played a game for them; he was released and re-signed by Detroit just one week later.
• Hunter was suspended for ten games in March 2007 after testing positive for phentermine, claiming he had unknowingly taken his wife's diet pills.
• In his interim head coaching debut with the Phoenix Suns on January 20, 2013, Hunter led the team to a 106–96 victory over the Sacramento Kings.