Former NBA player Brandon Hunter died at 42 years old on Tuesday after collapsing during a hot yoga session in Orlando, his mother-in-law, Carolyn Cliett, told NBC News.
Hunter was drafted No. 56 overall out of Ohio University by the Boston Celtics in 2003. The 6-foot-7 power forward was immediately one of the league's best offensive rebounders, but after appearing in 36 games for the Celtics, they lost him in the 2004 expansion draft to the Charlotte Bobcats, who traded him to the Orlando Magic just before the following season began. Hunter played 31 games for the Magic in 2004-05, then, outside of a couple of NBA training-camp invites and a few stints at summer league, spent the rest of his career overseas. When his playing days ended in 2013, he had been with teams in Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, Israel, Turkey, Latvia, Germany, France and Uruguay.
The Magic released a statement on Tuesday, saying, "We are terribly saddened to learn of the loss of our former teammate, Brandon Hunter. We send our deepest condolences to the entire Hunter family."
Hunter is Ohio's all-time leading rebounder (1,103 in his four-year career) and owns the school record for career free throws made and attempted. In 2002-03, his senior season, he averaged 12.6 rebounds, which led the NCAA.
"We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brandon Hunter," Ohio coach Jeff Boals said in a statement. "Brandon was a phenomenal player at Ohio who went on to have a great pro career. He was up on campus last year, with his son, for his well-deserved induction into the Ohio University Athletics Hall of Fame. Brandon was a great ambassador for Ohio, a great teammate, a great competitor, and a great family man. Brandon had an infectious personality that touched many people along his journey and will be truly missed. We are thinking about and praying for his wife Mary and three children during this time."
In 2021, Hunter started a sports agency called Hunter Athlete Management.
