Billy Hunter (basketball) facts for kids
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||
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| Born: | November 5, 1942 Camden, New Jersey |
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| High school: | Delaware Township (Delaware Township, New Jersey) |
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| College: | Syracuse | ||||||||||
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George William Hunter (born November 5, 1942) is an American who used to be a leader for basketball players. He was the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). This is the union for players in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Before that, he was a professional football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins.
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Billy Hunter's Early Life and Sports
Billy Hunter was born on November 5, 1942. He grew up in Camden, New Jersey.
Playing Baseball as a Kid
When he was a child, Billy loved playing baseball. He was very good at it. In 1955, his team even made it to the Little League World Series. This is a big tournament for young baseball players.
High School and College Football
Billy went to Delaware Township High School. This school is now in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. After high school, he played college football for the Syracuse Orange.
While he was a student at Syracuse University, Billy helped make a difference. He helped organize a protest against schools in the South. These schools had stadiums where people of different races were kept separate.
Billy Hunter's NFL Career
After college, Billy Hunter played professional football. He was a wide receiver in the NFL.
His Only NFL Touchdown
Billy had one special moment in his NFL career. He caught one pass that went for a touchdown. This happened on October 10, 1965. He caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Dick Shiner.
Billy Hunter's Legal and Leadership Career
After his football career, Billy Hunter went to law school. He studied at UC Berkeley School of Law. He then became a lawyer.
Becoming a United States Attorney
Billy became one of the youngest United States Attorneys ever. He worked for the Northern District of California. In this role, he worked on important legal cases.
Leading the NBA Players' Union
In 1996, Billy Hunter became the executive director of the NBPA. This is the union that represents NBA players. He worked to protect their rights and interests.
Challenges and Changes at the NBPA
During his time leading the NBPA, Billy Hunter faced some challenges. Some people criticized him for hiring many family members to work for the union.
Later, some issues were found within the union. A player named Derek Fisher helped start a review. Because of these issues, NBA players decided to remove Billy Hunter from his position. This happened on February 16, 2013.
Lawsuit After Leaving the NBPA
In May 2013, Billy Hunter filed a lawsuit against the NBPA. He also sued Derek Fisher and his publicist. He was seeking money he believed he was owed. He claimed that Fisher had a secret agreement with NBA owners during a time when players were not playing (the 2011 NBA lockout).
In January 2014, a judge dismissed some of Hunter's claims. Hunter later dropped his appeal. The judge also said that the union had the right to fire him. However, the judge allowed Hunter's claim that he was still owed $10.5 million to continue.
