Harold Hunter (basketball) facts for kids

Harold Hunter Sr. (born April 30, 1926 – died March 7, 2013) was an American basketball coach and player. He made history by becoming the first African American to sign a professional contract with an National Basketball Association (NBA) team. This happened when he joined the Washington Capitols on April 26, 1950. Even though he was later cut from the team, Hunter went on to have a long and successful career as a basketball coach. He coached for the United States men's national basketball team and Tennessee State University.

Early Life and Basketball Playing Days

Harold Hunter was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 30, 1926. He went to Sumner High School, which is now called Sumner Academy of Arts & Science. He graduated from there in 1944. At that time, Sumner was the only all-black high school left in the city. It was also known as one of the top science schools in the country.

Hunter played as a guard for North Carolina College, which is now known as North Carolina Central University. This university is located in Durham, North Carolina.

College Achievements

Hunter helped the North Carolina Central men's basketball team win the 1950 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament. He was also named the most valuable player (MVP) of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament that same year.

His achievements were recognized many years later. In 1984, North Carolina Central University added Hunter to its Athletic Hall of Fame. The university also retired his basketball jersey number 35 in 2009. This was a special honor to celebrate the university's 100th anniversary. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) also put him in their Hall of Fame in 1987.

Joining the NBA

In 1950, Harold Hunter was chosen in the 10th round of the 1950 NBA draft by the Washington Capitols basketball team. He signed a contract with the Capitols on April 26, 1950. This made him the first African American player to sign a contract with any NBA team. However, he was cut from the team during their training camp. Because of this, he never played professionally for an NBA team.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Hunter began a long and successful coaching career. He coached both boys' and girls' basketball teams.

He started coaching at Williston School in Wilmington, North Carolina, during the 1950–51 season. From 1952 to 1954, he worked at P. S. Jones High School in Washington, North Carolina. There, he was the athletic director and coached football, basketball, track, and tennis. Hunter then returned to Williston School from 1954 to 1957.

Coaching at Tennessee State

Hunter became an assistant coach for the Tigers basketball team from 1957 to 1959. In 1959, he became the head coach for the Tigers. He coached the Tigers for nine seasons, from 1959 to 1968. During his time, the team had an amazing record of 172 wins and only 67 losses. They won more than twenty games in four different seasons.

Seventeen of Hunter's players from Tennessee State were later drafted into the NBA. He is still the second-winningest men's basketball coach in Tennessee State's history.

Leading the U.S. Olympic Team

In 1968, Hunter made history again. He became the first African American to coach the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team. He led them during their tour of the Soviet Union and Europe. Hunter guided the U.S. team to a victory over the Soviet national basketball team in a game held in Minsk, which is now in Belarus.

Other Coaching Roles

Harold Hunter was also the first African American to lead both men's and women's teams to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national basketball tournament.

He coached college basketball at Xavier University of Louisiana from May 1974 to 1977. He also served as an assistant coach for Dillard University's women's team in the 1980s. Later, he coached at Southern University from 1986 to 1991. All of these schools are located in New Orleans.

At Xavier, he encouraged his players to help their community. For example, in 1975, the team helped repaint a university building during their summer break. They also played a special game to raise money for a charity called Big Brothers of Greater New Orleans.

Later Life

After he retired from coaching, Hunter and his wife, Jacqueline, lived in New Orleans. In 2005, they had to move to Tennessee after Hurricane Katrina caused flooding in the city.

Hunter was interviewed for a 2008 ESPN documentary called Black Magic. This film focused on the early, pioneering basketball players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States.

Harold Hunter passed away at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on March 7, 2013. He was 86 years old. He was survived by his wife, Jacqueline T. Hunter, who was a biology professor at Xavier University of Louisiana. He also left behind his daughter, Micki, and his son, Harold Jr.

See also

• Race and ethnicity in the NBA