RJ Hunter said a conversation with a March Madness legend played a big factor in his decision to commit to Georgia State.
Hunter, the son of Georgia State’s new coach, Ron Hunter, picked Georgia State over Wake Forest, Iowa and Virginia Tech, among others.
Hunter, who still lives with the rest of his family in Indianapolis, surprised his father with the decision.
“He was speechless for the first time in his life," RJ Hunter said. "He was shocked. I think he even hung up on me when I called and told him because it was kind of out of the blue.”
The 6-foot-5, 175-pound Hunter had mixed feelings about playing for his father until talking with Bryce Drew, who spurned offers from other colleges to play for his father at Valparaiso.
Drew made a buzzer beater against Ole Miss in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament that is referred to as “The Shot.”
"He said he loved playing for his dad at Valpo, and that right there was a turning point," Hunter said. "He was being recruited by bigger schools; he said it was all about where you can go and play. He said he loved playing for his father and it was the best experience of his life.
"Obviously, they won a lot and went deep into the NCAA tournament. That's exactly what I'm trying to do at Georgia State."
Hunter will sign with Georgia State in November and report after he completes his senior year at Pike High School in Indianapolis. He chose not to take official visits before making his college decision.
"I think it was just the time to do it," Hunter said. "The recruiting process had started to drain on me. I just wanted to worry about getting better and playing basketball. So I decided to commit and Georgia State was my favorite."
The elder Hunter refused to directly recruit his son for Georgia State, and assigned assistant Darryl LaBarrie to the task. Georgia State can sign as many as seven recruits next year.
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