RJ Hunter draws rave reviews at LeBron James Skills Academy
By Brad Rowland
The Georgia State Panthers are already generating a significant amount of buzz as the college basketball season approaches, and in particular, the spotlight is beginning to shine brightly on rising junior guard R.J. Hunter. The 6-foot-5 Hunter is the son of head coach Ron Hunter, but he is far from simply the “coach’s son”, as he doubles as the best player on a team with serious NCAA Tournament aspirations.
In that vein, Hunter was invited to participate in this week’s LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas, and he has been receiving significant praise. First, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman referenced Hunter’s stellar play with an NBA twist:
I'm not the only one extremely impressed with the play of RJ Hunter this week. NBA guys also raving. Shot-maker with size and high IQ.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) July 11, 2014
Then, Jeff Borzell of CBS weighed in with a report on Hunter’s incredible shooting stroke:
I think I can count on one hand the number of shots R.J. Hunter has missed this week. "Best shooter in the country," as one scout said.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) July 11, 2014
As a sophomore, R.J. Hunter lit up the Sun Belt Conference to the tune of 39.5% shooting from 3-point distance on nearly 8 attempts per game, and in addition to that, he has made significant strides as an all-court player. It is probably too early to begin discussing Hunter as a legitimate All-American candidate, but he should be noted as the preseason favorite for Player of the Year honors in the Sun Belt while leading a team that should win 25+ games at a minimum.