By SEAN MORAN
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — When June turns to July and the college coaches are out on the recruiting trail a name to remember is DeAndre Hunter. The 6-foot-7 small forward out of Philadelphia (PA) Friends Central just finished off showcasing his skills at the NBPA Top 100 camp last weekend and is set to have a big summer.
The lanky wing from Philadelphia was a late invite to the Top 100 camp, but that didn’t stop him from competing against some of the top players in the country.
“The director of my AAU team called me on Wednesday and they said I had a spot and you need to get down there some way,” said Hunter, ranked the No. 21 small forward in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com.
Wasting no time, Hunter scored nine points on 4-for-7 shooting in his first game on Thursday and then turned in an impressive 16-point, three-rebound performance on Friday afternoon when he went 6-for-9 from the floor. In both games, Hunter hit a three and displayed his athleticism and ability to drive and finish at the basket.
This past spring, Hunter played on the Under Armour AAU circuit for the Philly Pride and averaged 14 points a game and 5.2 rebounds. In his last six games he averaged 17 points while getting to the free throw line on a regular basis.
Hunter on Friday picked up an offer from St. John’s to go with offers from Miami, N.C. State, Oklahoma State and Penn State, along with various Atlantic 10 schools, according to Josh Verlin of COBL.com.
“Schools that have been in touch the most are Miami, Georgetown, St. Joe’s, and N.C. State,” Hunter said before picking up the St. John’s offer. “I just want to go to a school I like. Play in a system I like. A coach I can get along with. I think that will help me get better, a school that will make me better.”
When asked specifically about the Hoyas, Hunter said “Georgetown. I saw them play a couple times on TV. I really like how they play. I met the coaching staff a couple times.”
As for what he is looking for in a school, Hunter quickly replied “Up-tempo. I like to run on the breaks. Pick and roll. I like to pick and pop. I can do both.”
With Under Armour events taking place in both Charlotte and Suwanee, Ga., during the first two live periods, college coaches will have ample opportunity to see the strides made by Hunter.
