R.J. Hunter made history Thursday night when the Boston Celtics selected the former Georgia State standout 28th overall in the NBA Draft.
Hunter, the all-time leading scorer in Georgia State history with 1,819 points, is the highest draft pick in school history. He’s also the first Panther to be drafted since 1983 when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Joe Brown in the ninth-round.
“This is truly a blessing and a dream come true,” Hunter said in a news release. “I look forward to getting to Boston and starting the next chapter of my career. I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this and look forward to making everyone proud at the next level.”
Hunter is a two-time AP All-America Honorable Mention honoree and a two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year. He led the Panthers last season to their second-straight 25-win season and is the only player in program history to earn three-straight first-team all-conference honors.
He nailed a 30-foot 3-point-shot with 2.7 seconds left to secure a stunning 57-56 win for No. 14 seed Georgia State over No. 3 seed Baylor in the second round of the NCAA tournament. It marked the 20th time in tournament history the No. 14 seed has knocked off a No. 3 seed.
“I am extremely proud of R.J.,” head coach and father Ron Hunter said in a news release. “I have said it all along that he is an even better son than he is a basketball player and he is an incredible basketball player. I look forward to getting to watch him play in Boston for many years to come.”
