Former NBA player Brandon Hunter, known for his brief spells with the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic, tragically passed away while participating in a hot yoga session on Tuesday, according to officials and his close family. NBA Player Brandon Hunter Death
Brandon, who had a thriving basketball career in Europe, was only 42 years old when he passed away. The Orlando Magic and his alma mater, Ohio University, shared the heartbreaking news of his untimely demise. Just last year, he was honored with induction into Ohio University’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
Jeff Boals, the head coach of the Bobcats, expressed his deep sorrow over Hunter’s passing, stating, “We are profoundly saddened by the news of Brandon Hunter’s passing. Brandon was an exceptional athlete at Ohio who went on to have an impressive professional career. He was not just a fantastic representative of Ohio; he was a great teammate, a fierce competitor, and a dedicated family man. Brandon’s infectious personality left a lasting impact on the people he met along his journey, and he will be dearly missed.”
NBA Player Brandon Hunter Death
The tragic incident occurred during a hot yoga session at a studio in Orlando, as confirmed by Carolyn Cliett, Brandon’s mother-in-law. She mentioned that he regularly practiced hot yoga and appeared to be in excellent physical condition. The sudden loss has left his loved ones in a state of shock.
Although Hunter’s NBA career was relatively brief, with 36 games played for Boston in 2003-04 and 31 for Orlando in 2004-05, he successfully transitioned into a career as an agent, leveraging his extensive basketball experience to help place players on overseas teams, as revealed by his former college coach, Tim O’Shea. O’Shea remarked, “It was incredibly gratifying to witness Brandon’s personal growth. He made wise investments, had real estate holdings, and managed rental properties. He emerged from a challenging childhood, proving how sports can be a catalyst for transforming one’s life. He was a shining example of this.”
After his time in Boston and Orlando, Hunter continued his basketball journey by playing for teams in Greece, Italy, Israel, and France. Standing tall at 6-foot-7, he was known for his relentless rebounding skills and even led all of Division I college basketball with an average of 12.6 rebounds per game in the 2002-03 season. Hunter holds the record for the most career rebounds at Ohio University, amassing 1,103 rebounds during his four years in Athens.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children, aged 5 to 15. Brandon Hunter leaves behind a legacy as a talented athlete and an exceptional individual whose life was a testament to the transformative power of sports.
NBA Player Brandon Hunter Death