42-Year-Old Former NBA Player Collapses and Dies
Former NBA player Brandon Hunter died suddenly on Tuesday at the age of 42.
Hunter collapsed while doing hot yoga in Orlando, Florida. No cause of death was immediately released, NBC News reported.
“It was hot yoga, and he did it regularly,” Hunter’s mother-in-law Carolyn Cliett told NBC. “He was in good shape as far as we know. We’re just shocked.”
Hunter, a power forward, was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft.
The franchise’s official X account shared a post on Tuesday that referred to Hunter as a “Celtic for life.”
Hunter last appeared in an NBA game in 2005 while he was a member of the Orlando Magic.
That team honored the late player in a statement on X.
“We are terribly saddened to learn of the loss of our former teammate, Brandon Hunter,” the team’s public relations account posted. “We send our deepest condolences to the entire Hunter family.”
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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.– The DeVos family, players, coaches and staff of the @OrlandoMagic pic.twitter.com/OLs0XMjrdA
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) September 13, 2023
Hunter played in only 67 NBA games, but he enjoyed a lengthy basketball career in Europe.
Born in Cincinnati, Hunter was a star for the Ohio University Bobcats, leading all of Division I college basketball in rebounding in 2002-03.
“We are saddened to hear about the loss of Ohio basketball legend Brandon Hunter,” the school’s basketball team said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Brandon’s family at this time.”
We are saddened to hear about the loss of Ohio basketball legend Brandon Hunter. Our thoughts are with Brandon’s family at this time. pic.twitter.com/tHpg3qsPzW
— Ohio Men’s Basketball (@OhioMBasketball) September 13, 2023
Hunter was remembered by his college coach Tim O’Shea, who called him “the best player I ever had the good fortune of coaching” in a Facebook post.
“For me it was incredibly rewarding to see how he matured as a person,” O’Shea said, according to NBC.
“He came from a very tough childhood so it was amazing to see how athletics can be a vehicle to change somebody’s life and he was a great example of that.”
Hunter is survived by his wife and three children between the ages of 5 and 15, NBC reported.
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