De'Andre Hunter

Hunter is a two-way wing whose professional career has been marked by defensive excellence, periodic injuries, and the challenge of transitioning from a complementary role on a college championship team to a primary option in the NBA. Drafted fourth overall in 2019, he began with the Atlanta Hawks, established himself as a lockdown perimeter defender capable of guarding the opponent's best wing, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team multiple times. After several seasons in Atlanta, he was traded to Cleveland and then to Sacramento, where his defensive identity and occasional scoring bursts continue to define his value.

Born De'Andre James Hunter on December 2, 1997, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Lawncrest and attended Friends' Central School in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. As a junior, he averaged 21.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists and was named Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year. As a senior in 2016, he averaged 23.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.5 blocks. He was rated a four-star recruit and ranked the 72nd overall recruit and 14th best small forward in the 2016 class. He committed to Virginia on September 12, 2015, over NC State and Notre Dame.

At Virginia, Hunter redshirted his first season due to injury. As a redshirt freshman, he scored in double figures in 16 games, including 11 conference games. He hit a buzzer-beating three against Louisville to win the game. He broke his wrist during the 2018 ACC tournament and missed the NCAA tournament. Without him, Virginia lost to UMBC in the first round as a No. 1 seed, one of the most stunning upsets in tournament history. He was named to the All-ACC All-Freshman team and ACC Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds. He considered declaring for the 2018 draft but returned for his sophomore season.

As a sophomore, Hunter averaged 15.2 points and 5.1 rebounds. He helped lead Virginia to another No. 1 seed in the 2019 NCAA tournament. In the national championship game against Texas Tech, he scored 27 points and 9 rebounds, including a game-tying three with 12.9 seconds left in regulation. Virginia won 85-77 in overtime, securing the school's first national title. He was named NABC Defensive Player of the Year, one of the highest individual honors for a college defender. He declared for the 2019 NBA draft after the championship.

The Los Angeles Lakers selected Hunter fourth overall on June 20, 2019. On draft night, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade and then immediately traded to the Atlanta Hawks along with Solomon Hill for picks Nos. 8, 17, and 35. He signed with Atlanta on July 7 and made his debut on October 24, 2019, starting and scoring 14 points with 2 rebounds in a win over Detroit. He began the 2020-21 season in the starting lineup and averaged 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds going into the All-Star break. On January 24, 2021, he scored a then-career-high 33 points against Milwaukee. On February 7, 2021, the Hawks announced he would undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and miss an extended period.

Hunter returned and established himself as one of the league's best wing defenders. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team multiple times and finished among the top vote-getters for Defensive Player of the Year. His ability to guard multiple positions, disrupt passing lanes, and contest shots without fouling made him a defensive centerpiece for Atlanta. Offensively, his role fluctuated between third option, defensive specialist, and occasional scorer. On October 17, 2022, he signed a four-year, $90 million contract extension with the Hawks, signaling the organization's belief in his long-term value.

After multiple seasons in Atlanta, Hunter was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers during his sixth season. In Cleveland, his role was similar: a defensive wing tasked with guarding the opponent's best perimeter scorer and providing supplementary offense. The following season, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he joined a roster built around De'Aaron Fox and other dynamic scorers. In Sacramento, his defensive acumen remains his primary calling card, and his ability to knock down open threes and finish in transition provides offensive spacing for the team's primary creators.

Hunter is a prototypical three-and-D wing whose defensive versatility is his signature trait. His strengths are perimeter defense, guarding multiple positions, lateral quickness, and disrupting passing lanes. He is a capable shooter from deep who can punish defenses that help off him, and he finishes well in transition. His weaknesses are his injury history, which has cost him significant time in multiple seasons, his inconsistency as a scorer, and his tendency to disappear offensively for stretches. He is not a shot creator and relies on the offense to generate open looks for him. His ideal role is as a defensive stopper who can guard the opponent's best wing, hit open threes, and contribute 12-15 points efficiently on a nightly basis.

Hunter's résumé includes Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year, a commitment to Virginia over NC State and Notre Dame, a redshirt freshman season with a game-winning buzzer-beater against Louisville, a broken wrist and a missed NCAA tournament, All-ACC All-Freshman, ACC Sixth Man of the Year, a return for his sophomore season, a 2019 national championship with Virginia, 27 points and 9 rebounds in the final including a game-tying three, NABC Defensive Player of the Year, the fourth pick by the Lakers in 2019, a trade to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis deal, an immediate trade to Atlanta, a starting debut, a career-high 33 points against Milwaukee, arthroscopic knee surgery in 2021, multiple All-Defensive Second Team selections, top-five Defensive Player of the Year voting, a four-year, $90 million extension in 2022, a trade to Cleveland, a trade to Sacramento, and an ongoing role as one of the league's premier defensive wings. His journey from Lawncrest through Virginia's redemption arc into the NBA reflects a player whose defensive identity, championship pedigree, and ability to impact winning have made him a valuable commodity despite offensive limitations and injury challenges.