De'Andre Hunter facts for kids
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Hunter with the Atlanta Hawks in 2021
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| No. 12 – Cleveland Cavaliers | |
|---|---|
| Small forward / shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 2, 1997 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Friends' Central School (Wynnewood, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 221 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Virginia (2017–2019) |
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 2019–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2025 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2025–present | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
De'Andre James Hunter was born on December 2, 1997. He is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers. In 2019, he was named the NABC Defensive Player of the Year.
De'Andre Hunter was chosen as the 4th player overall in the 2019 NBA draft. The Los Angeles Lakers picked him first. However, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans right away. Then, on the same draft night, he was traded again to the Atlanta Hawks.
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De'Andre Hunter's Early Life and High School Basketball
De'Andre Hunter grew up in Lawncrest, Philadelphia. He went to Friends' Central School in Wynwood, Pennsylvania.
Playing in High School
During his junior year, De'Andre was a star player. He scored about 21.6 points per game. He also grabbed 11.0 rebounds and made 5.0 assists per game. He was named Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year. In his senior year in 2016, he continued to play great. He averaged 23.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game.
Experts rated Hunter as a four-star recruit. This means he was one of the top young players. He was ranked as the 72nd best overall recruit in his class. He was also the 14th best small forward.
Choosing a College Team
On September 12, 2015, Hunter decided where he would play college basketball. He chose the University of Virginia. He picked UVA over other good teams like NC State and Notre Dame.
De'Andre Hunter's College Basketball Career
De'Andre Hunter spent a year as a "redshirt" freshman. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This helped him get ready for college basketball.
Freshman Season Highlights (2017-2018)
In his first season playing, Hunter scored ten or more points in 16 games. This included 11 games against other conference teams. In one exciting game against Louisville, he scored a three-pointer right at the end. This shot won the game for his team.
However, Hunter broke his wrist during the 2018 ACC tournament. Because of this, he could not play in the 2018 NCAA tournament. Without him, Virginia, who was the top-ranked team, lost in the first round. They lost to the 16th-ranked team, UMBC.
After this season, Hunter was named to the All-ACC All-Freshman team. He was also named the ACC Sixth Man of the Year. This award goes to the best player who usually comes off the bench. In his freshman year, he averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Many people thought he might go to the NBA early. But Hunter announced he would stay at Virginia for another season.
Sophomore Season and National Championship (2018-2019)
In his second season, Hunter played even better. He averaged 15.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He helped lead Virginia to be a #1 seed again in the 2019 NCAA tournament.
Virginia went on to win the 2019 National Championship game. They won 85–77. Hunter was a huge part of this victory. He scored 27 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. He also made a game-tying three-pointer with only 12.9 seconds left in the game. This shot sent the game into overtime.
After winning the championship, Hunter decided to enter the 2019 NBA draft. He gave up his last two years of college eligibility. The Los Angeles Lakers picked him 4th overall. He was then traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
De'Andre Hunter's Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Atlanta Hawks (2019–2025)
On June 20, 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers drafted De'Andre Hunter as the fourth overall pick. He was then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a big trade. After that, he was traded again to the Atlanta Hawks. This trade also included Solomon Hill. The Hawks gave up three draft picks for them.
On July 7, 2019, the Atlanta Hawks officially signed Hunter. He made his NBA debut on October 24, 2019. He started the game and scored 14 points and had two rebounds. The Hawks won 117–100 against the Detroit Pistons. Hunter became a regular starter for the Hawks in the 2020–21 season.
Key Moments with the Hawks
On January 24, 2021, Hunter scored a career-high 33 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. On February 7, 2021, he had surgery on his right knee. This meant he had to miss a lot of games. Before his injury, he was averaging 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Because of his strong play, the NBA chose him for the Rising Stars roster. On June 9, 2021, Hunter had another surgery on his right knee. This kept him out for the rest of that season.
On April 26, 2022, Hunter scored a new career-high of 35 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds in that game. Even with his great effort, the Hawks lost to the Miami Heat 97–94. This loss meant they were out of the playoffs.
On October 17, 2022, Hunter signed a new contract with the Hawks. It was a four-year deal worth $95 million. On January 13, 2023, he scored 26 points. He also made a career-high six three-pointers in a 113–111 win against the Indiana Pacers. On January 27, 2025, Hunter scored 35 points again. This tied his career high. However, the Hawks lost 100–92 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Joining the Cleveland Cavaliers (2025–present)
On February 6, 2025, De'Andre Hunter was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers sent Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round draft picks, and two pick swaps to the Hawks for him.
De'Andre Hunter's Career Statistics
Here are De'Andre Hunter's basketball statistics. They show how well he has played in the NBA and in college.
NBA Statistics
Regular Season Games
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Atlanta | 63 | 62 | 32.0 | .410 | .355 | .764 | 4.5 | 1.8 | .7 | .3 | 12.3 |
| 2020–21 | Atlanta | 23 | 19 | 29.5 | .484 | .326 | .859 | 4.8 | 1.9 | .8 | .5 | 15.0 |
| 2021–22 | Atlanta | 53 | 52 | 29.8 | .442 | .379 | .765 | 3.3 | 1.3 | .7 | .4 | 13.4 |
| 2022–23 | Atlanta | 67 | 67 | 31.7 | .461 | .350 | .826 | 4.2 | 1.4 | .5 | .3 | 15.4 |
| 2023–24 | Atlanta | 57 | 37 | 29.5 | .459 | .385 | .847 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .7 | .3 | 15.6 |
| 2024–25 | Atlanta | 37 | 4 | 28.7 | .461 | .393 | .858 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .8 | .1 | 19.0 |
| Cleveland | 27 | 5 | 25.0 | .485 | .426 | .821 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .7 | .3 | 14.3 | |
| Career | 327 | 246 | 30.0 | .452 | .373 | .819 | 4.1 | 1.5 | .7 | .3 | 14.8 | |
Playoff Games
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Atlanta | 5 | 5 | 30.4 | .400 | .375 | .750 | 4.0 | .6 | .2 | .6 | 10.8 |
| 2022 | Atlanta | 5 | 5 | 34.9 | .557 | .462 | .800 | 3.8 | .6 | .8 | .2 | 21.2 |
| 2023 | Atlanta | 6 | 6 | 37.4 | .459 | .368 | .800 | 5.7 | 1.2 | .7 | .3 | 16.7 |
| 2025 | Cleveland | 8 | 0 | 23.1 | .429 | .462 | .846 | 3.6 | 1.0 | .5 | .1 | 11.0 |
| Career | 24 | 16 | 30.6 | .468 | .415 | .806 | 4.3 | .9 | .5 | .3 | 14.5 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Virginia |  Redshirt |
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| 2017–18 | Virginia | 33 | 0 | 19.9 | .488 | .382 | .755 | 3.5 | 1.1 | .6 | .4 | 9.2 |
| 2018–19 | Virginia | 38 | 38 | 32.5 | .520 | .438 | .783 | 5.1 | 2.0 | .6 | .6 | 15.2 |
| Career | 71 | 38 | 26.6 | .509 | .419 | .773 | 4.4 | 1.6 | .6 | .5 | 12.4 | |
More Information
- List of All-Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball teams
See also
In Spanish: De'Andre Hunter para niños
