De’Andre Hunter was overlooked through high school and overlooked as he began his college career as a redshirt freshman. But after leading Virginia to this year’s national championship and garnering lottery hype as the 2019 NBA draft approaches, it’s safe to say those days are long over.
By now, hoopheads have seen, read and heard about 6-7 wing/forward De’Andre Hunter’s heroic performance guiding Virginia to the program’s first national championship in April.
They’ve also heard all the jokes about the Cavaliers being the first No. 1 seed to get bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament a year prior. Hunter heard them, too, unable to help his squad as a former redshirt freshman who became the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year, because he was sidelined with an injured wrist.
“It taught me a lot,” Hunter says. “I knew my role would increase. So I knew I had to do everything I could to perfect my game to be the best player my team needed.”
Mission accomplished.
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