NBL Team Salaries Revealed… but by whom?
October 16, 2022
RJ Hunter
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 24/10/93
- Place of Birth: Oxford, Ohio (USA)
- Position: SG
- Height (CM): 196
- Weight (KG): 84
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Georgia State (2012–2015)
- NBL DEBUT: 5/12/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 28
- LAST NBL GAME: 5/12/21
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
- NBL History: Sydney 2022
- Championships: 1
- Sydney (2022)
BIO: RJ Hunter was born in Oxford, Ohio (USA). Hunter attended Pike High School in Indianapolis averaging 20.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.9 steals per game as a senior. That year he led Pike to the Indiana State Championships, ending as a runner-up, and in the process earned All-Marion County First Team, a conference player of the year award and a Indiana All-Star mention.
Known for his formidable shooting ability, Hunter is a efficient scorer with deep range. His length and size, as well as his ability to space the floor will be a welcomed addition to the group.
FAMILY: Hunter’s godfather is Ron Harper, who played with his father at Miami University in Ohio before going on to win five titles over the course of his 15-year NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBL EXPERIENCE
RJ Hunter made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 28 years of age. He scored 12 points in his first game.
After finishing fifth with a 19-17 record and missing the playoffs, Sydney replaced Adam Forde (to Cairns) with unproven US coach Chase Buford, son of NBA executive RC Buford. Casper Ware (to Russia), Brad Newley (to Melbourne), Craig Moller (to Germany), Jarrad Weeks (to Tasmania), Didi Louzada (to New Orleans) and Daniel Kickert (retired) departed, while Xavier Cooks, Jarell Martin and Dejan Vasiljevic formed the returning core. Jaylen Adams (via Milwaukee), RJ Hunter (via Galatasaray), Biwali Bayles (via Hawaii), Makur Maker (via Howard), Matur Maker (via G-League) and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (via Perth) were added.
Hunter signed with Sydney in July after spending the previous season with Galatasaray in Turkey, reuniting with Buford after the pair had previously spent time together with the Chicago Bulls. “I’m really looking forward to coming to Sydney to join the Kings,” Hunter said. “This is an exciting new opportunity for me, I’ve heard great things about the NBL, and I’m looking forward to playing under Chase.” Buford described Hunter as “an elite shooter that will make the court bigger for everyone he plays with.”
Sydney opened the season against defending champion Melbourne at Qudos Bank Arena on December 5, where Hunter (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist) made two three-pointers in his NBL debut as the Kings won 79-74. Adams (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Martin (12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) also contributed, while Jo Lual-Acuil (12 points and 7 rebounds) led Melbourne.
Hunter (4 points across 3 games) was limited almost immediately by knee soreness, missing four of Sydney’s next five games after his debut. He returned against Melbourne at John Cain Arena on December 16, where Hunter (0 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played 11 minutes as the Kings were beaten 89-47. Cooks (12 points and 6 rebounds) and Bayles (9 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Sydney, while Caleb Agada (21 points and 7 rebounds) was Melbourne’s best. Following the game, Sydney decided to give Hunter further time to rehabilitate the ongoing knee soreness, keeping him out until January.
Hunter returned against Illawarra at WIN Entertainment Centre on January 13 but suffered a non-contact injury less than a minute into the game, rupturing his left patellar tendon in the opposite knee to the one which had been causing soreness. Hunter (0 points) left the game and did not return as Sydney lost 97-89, with Martin (23 points and 10 rebounds) and Swaka Lo Buluk (17 points and 3 rebounds) leading the Kings, while Sam Froling (27 points and 10 rebounds) was Illawarra’s best. The injury was confirmed as season-ending two days later, with Hunter requiring further specialist assessment to determine surgical treatment. “We are all heartbroken for RJ,” said Kings CEO Chris Pongrass. “RJ has proven to be a great team-mate and wonderful personality within our group so we were all naturally devastated to see him go down in such a fashion on Thursday night.” Hunter added, “I just really want to thank everyone from staff to my team-mates, everyone who has made an impact on me. It hurts the most to not continue being around those people every day.” Buford had immediately feared the worst, saying, “Feel for him. I don’t want to speculate on what’s happened, but it seems serious. He is a great kid, he has been a light for our group, he has been fun to be around, and he has had some shit luck…and this got shittier.”
Sydney began searching for another import following Hunter’s season-ending injury, before former NBA champion Ian Clark (via Xinjiang, 13.9 points across 16 games) joined during February as an injury replacement for Jordan Hunter, who had already been ruled out for the season following foot surgery. Adams (20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals across 24 games) returned from his own early-season ankle injury and was named NBL MVP and selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Cooks (15.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks across 31 games) earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Martin (15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds across 31 games), Vasiljevic (12.4 points across 31 games), Maker (7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds across 21 games) and Angus Glover (5.3 points and 3 rebounds across 30 games) were the other main contributors as Sydney recovered from a 5-7 start with 13 consecutive victories, eventually finishing third with a 19-9 record.
Hunter remained sidelined when Sydney opened the semifinals against Brian Goorjian’s Illawarra Hawks at WIN Entertainment Centre, where Adams (30 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Clark (16 points) led the Kings to an 89-79 win, while Duop Reath (26 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Antonius Cleveland (21 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) were Illawarra’s best.
Game two moved to Qudos Bank Arena, where Sydney recovered from a 15-point deficit to win 99-87 and complete the sweep behind Adams (29 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists), Martin (23 points and 9 rebounds) and Cooks (16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks), while Tyler Harvey (21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Reath (20 points and 3 blocks) led Illawarra.
Expansion Tasmania finished fourth with a 17-11 record before upsetting first-placed defending champion Melbourne in three games to reach the Grand Final.
The Grand Final opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where Adams (18 points and 3 assists), Clark (17 points and 2 steals) and Cooks (14 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Sydney to a 95-78 win, while Jack McVeigh (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) and MiKyle McIntosh (14 points and 4 rebounds) led Tasmania. Adams suffered a low-grade left hamstring strain during the victory and was ruled out for the remainder of the series.
Game two moved to MyState Bank Arena, where Cooks (20 points and 11 rebounds), Martin (20 points and 10 rebounds) and Vasiljevic (20 points and 5 rebounds) led Sydney without Adams, while Josh Adams (36 points) starred for Tasmania. Vasiljevic hit a long three-pointer in the closing seconds to secure a 90-86 victory and give Sydney a 2-0 series lead, while the win was the Kings’ 12th consecutive road victory, the most by any team during a single NBL season.
Dejan Vasiljevic with the 𝘿𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙀𝙍 🗡️
📺 Watch the #NBLFinals Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XDIgoHVKo9
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) May 8, 2022
Game three returned to Qudos Bank Arena, where Cooks (23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks), Martin (22 points and 17 rebounds) and Clark (22 points and 3 assists) led Sydney to a 97-88 victory and completed the sweep, while Josh Adams (27 points and 3 assists), McIntosh (14 points and 8 rebounds) and Josh Magette (12 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 steals) led Tasmania. The victory came in front of an NBL Grand Final record crowd of 16,149 and delivered Sydney its fourth championship and first in 17 years, completing a perfect 5-0 postseason and giving the Kings their 19th victory from their final 21 games. At 33, Buford became the fourth-youngest championship-winning coach in NBL history behind Bob Turner, Ken Richardson and Jim Ericksen, two of whom were player-coaches.
17 years in the making 💜💛#WeTheKings #NBL22 pic.twitter.com/Wz7uIGjTr6
— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) May 14, 2022
Cooks was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 19 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across the three games.
RJ Hunter played one season in the NBL. He averaged 4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 3 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 28 | Sydney | 19-9 (3) | 3 | 34.2 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 29% | 2 | 9 | 22% | 3 | 8 | 38% | 29% | 35% | 12 | Totals | 3 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 29.4% | 2 | 9 | 22.2% | 3 | 8 | 37.5% | 29% | 35% | 12 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 28 | Sydney | 19-9 (3) | 3 | 11.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 29% | 0.7 | 3.0 | 22% | 1.0 | 2.7 | 38% | 29% | 35% | 12 | Total | 3 | 11.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 29.4% | 0.1 | 22.2% | 0.7 | 3.0 | 37.5% | 29% | 35% | 12 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
RJ Hunter was drafted by the Boston Celtics with pick #28 in the 2015 NBA Draft.
During his time with the Chicago Bulls Hunter spent time with Kings Head Coach Chase Buford who is went on to recruit the guard to the Sydney Kings.
Following his time in Boston he spent time with the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets, along with stints in the G League, before heading to play in Europe.
Hunter played 45 games in the NBA. He averaged 3 points, 1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- June 25, 2013: Traded by the Los Angeles Clippers (as a future 2015 1st round draft pick) to the Boston Celtics for Doc Rivers (coach).
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June 25, 2015: Drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 1st round (28th pick) of the 2015 NBA Draft.
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July 27, 2015: Signed a multi-year contract with the Boston Celtics
October 24, 2016: Waived by the Boston Celtics.
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October 27, 2016: Signed a contract with the Chicago Bulls
December 29, 2016: Waived by the Chicago Bulls.
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January 15, 2018: Signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets.
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August 17, 2018: Waived by the Houston Rockets.
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September 7, 2018: Signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks.
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October 13, 2018: Waived by the Atlanta Hawks.
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January 10, 2019: Signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 42% | 45% | 0% | 0% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 5 | 17 | 29.4% | 2 | 9 | 22.2% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 25 | Boston | SG | 1 | 0 | 26 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 46% | 4 | 10 | 40% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 61% | 62% |
| 2017-18 | 24 | Houston | SG | 5 | 1 | 45 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 35% | 3 | 14 | 21% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 45% | 43% |
| 2016-17 | 23 | Chicago | SG | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 2015-16 | 22 | Boston | SG | 36 | 0 | 315 | 97 | 37 | 13 | 2 | 35 | 14 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 36 | 98 | 37% | 19 | 63 | 30% | 6 | 7 | 86% | 48% | 46% | Total | 45 | 1 | 395 | 133 | 46 | 19 | 3 | 43 | 18 | 4 | 13 | 39 | 49 | 132 | 37% | 26 | 88 | 30% | 9 | 11 | 82% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 25 | Boston | SG | 1 | 0 | 26.0 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 13.0 | 46% | 4.0 | 10.0 | 40% | 1.0 | 2.0 | 50% | 61% | 62% |
| 2017-18 | 24 | Houston | SG | 5 | 1 | 9.0 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 35% | 0.6 | 2.8 | 21% | 0.4 | 0.4 | 100% | 45% | 43% |
| 2016-17 | 23 | Chicago | SG | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 2015-16 | 22 | Boston | SG | 36 | 0 | 8.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 37% | 0.5 | 1.8 | 30% | 0.2 | 0.2 | 86% | 48% | 46% | Total | 45 | 1 | 8.8 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 37% | 0.6 | 2.0 | 30% | 0.2 | 0.2 | 82% |
COLLEGE
R.J. Hunter played three NCAA seasons at Georgia State from 2012–13 to 2014–15 under head coach Ron Hunter, becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,819 points while also finishing as the school’s career leader in three-pointers made (250) and free throws made (444), and setting the career free-throw percentage mark at .852.
As a freshman in 2012–13, Hunter immediately produced at a high level, averaging 17.0 points per game and setting a Georgia State freshman record with 527 total points, while earning Kyle Macy Freshman All-America honours and sweeping major CAA recognition as the CAA Rookie of the Year, an All-CAA First Team selection, and an All-CAA All-Rookie Team pick after being named CAA Rookie of the Week six times and CAA Player of the Week once.
Hunter’s freshman year also included a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in his collegiate debut against No. 8 Duke, plus a season-high 38 points against Old Dominion on 10-of-15 three-point shooting, which at the time set a Georgia State single-game record for made threes (10).
In 2013–14, after Georgia State moved into the Sun Belt, Hunter raised his production to 18.4 points per game and was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Sun Belt Male Athlete of the Year while also landing on the All-Sun Belt First Team and the Sun Belt All-Tournament Team, then adding national and regional recognition with NABC All-District 24 First Team honours and an AP All-America honourable mention as he became just the third Panther in program history to receive that AP nod.
That sophomore season was loaded with record moments, including becoming the first Panther to make 100 threes in a season, setting a Sun Belt single-game record by drilling 12 threes in a 41-point outburst versus UTSA, and extending a school-record streak of 38 straight made free throws while finishing the year at 88.2 percent from the line.
As a junior in 2014–15, Hunter delivered his biggest season, averaging 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while ranking No. 20 nationally in scoring, finishing with a Georgia State single-season record 688 points, and repeating as Sun Belt Player of the Year and Sun Belt Male Athlete of the Year while again earning All-Sun Belt First Team selection, with Georgia State winning the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles and securing an NCAA tournament berth.
Hunter’s final year also came with major statistical markers, including 202 made free throws (second-most in school history) and 75 steals (third-most in a single season in program history), while his workload was huge as he logged 1,294 total minutes at 37.0 per game, and he was the only player from a Georgia school named to the Naismith Trophy watch list that season.
The defining NCAA moment of Hunter’s career came in the 2015 NCAA tournament when 14-seed Georgia State stunned 3-seed Baylor 57–56, with Hunter scoring 12 of the Panthers’ final 13 points and burying a deep go-ahead three-pointer with under three seconds left, a finish that became one of the signature highlights of the tournament and famously ended with Ron Hunter falling off his sideline stool during the celebration.
After completing his junior season, Hunter declared for the 2015 NBA Draft, bringing his Georgia State career to a close as the school’s scoring leader and a two-time conference Player of the Year who delivered one of the most replayed game-winners in March Madness history.
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