UTEP’s Vince Hunter is turning pro
UTEP’s Vince Hunter is forgoing his final two years of eligibility to turn pro, according to ABC-7’s news partners at 600 ESPN El Paso.
“I just spoke with Tim Floyd and Vince Hunter will enter the NBA Draft and not return to UTEP,” 600 ESPN El Paso’s Steve Kaplowitz tweeted Thursday morning.
Hunter led the Miners this year in three categories with a 14.9 points per game average, 9.2 rebounds a game, and 1.2 steals a game.
Hunter’s leaving early might not come as a shock to some.
One reason it looked like Hunter might be leaving UTEP for a shot at the pros was his tweet on March March 15 that some interpreted as possibly being a “goodbye.”
When it was announced on March 15 UTEP would be playing Murray State in the NIT, Hunter tweeted ,”Blessed and happy to be playing another game in a Utep uniform.”
About 30 minutes later, he tweeted he was blessed to play another game with seniors C.J. Cooper, Julian Washburn, and Cedric Lang.
ABC-7 caught up with Hunter outside the Foster Stevens Center at UTEP on the morning of March 18 and asked him if he’d be returning for his junior year.
“No comment,” Hunter responded. “I’m just not trying to talk about it right now.”
ABC-7 asked Hunter again if he would be returning, Again, Hunter said “no comment.”
“I’m just trying to get rest, get off the plane. I’m not trying to answer (any) questions about anything,” Hunter told ABC-7.
The deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft is April 26. A player that declares for the draft can still withdraw his name later if he does not retain an agent.
Hunter had 11 points and 11 rebounds against Murray State to give him his 13th triple double of the season.
Projections for Vince Hunter
ESPN has Hunter with an overall rank of 108 and position rank of 24. They project him to be a second round pick or to go undrafted.
Sports Illustrated says, “The 20-year-oldis not projected to be selected in DraftExpress.com’s latest mock draft. The site ranks him 30th among college sophomores.”
From April 1 MinerRush.com piece
DraftExpress.net does not show Hunter as lock in the 2015 draft.
Vince Hunter’s Bio From UTEP Athletics
2014-15 (SOPHOMORE)
First Team All-Conference USA … one of 15 players on the watch list for the Julius Erving Award, presented to the top small forward in the country … first team All-District 11 by the NABC … team leader in scoring (14.9 ppg), rebounding (9.2 rpg) and steals (1.2 spg) … shot .526 from the field … first player to lead UTEP in points (492), rebounds (305), blocks (34) and steals (41) since David Van Dyke during the 1991-92 season … only the fourth Miner to collect 300 rebounds in a season, joining Jim Barnes, Harry Flournoy and Arnett Moultrie … rebounding total was the most-ever by a UTEP sophomore and point total rated third among sophs … led the Miners in both scoring and rebounding in 13 of 33 contests … overall was UTEP’s scoring leader in 16 games and rebounding leader in 21 games … had a double-double in the first five games, becoming the first Miner since Barnes in 1963 to open a season with five such contests … had 13 double-doubles overall, most by a UTEP player since Olympian Jim Forbes in 1971-72 … ranked among the national leaders in defensive rebounds per game (25th, 6.6 avg.), rebounds per game (29th) and double-doubles (30th) … in C-USA stats was first in rebounding, ninth in scoring, ninth in blocks (1.0 bpg), 12th in field goal percentage and tied for 12th in steals … four-time Conference USA Player of the Week, the first Miner to win the honor four times in a single season … won the season’s first award after posting a team-high 14 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks against Washington State … the 16 boards were a career high … scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half versus NM State while adding 10 boards … converted two three-point plays in a span of 2:26 late in the game, helping the Miners rally from a 15-point first half deficit to clip the Aggies, 77-76 … 18 points and 12 rebounds with three assists and two steals against Princeton … scored 14 points in the second half versus the Tigers … contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds versus Xavier with 15 points and eight boards in the second half … earned a spot on the Wooden Legacy All-Tournament team after putting 20 points and 13 rebounds on the board against Washington … in three Wooden Legacy games, averaged 18.3 points and a tournament-leading 12.3 rebounds with 43 of his 55 points coming in the second halves of games … for his efforts was named C-USA Player of the Week for a second time this season on Dec. 1 … registered 16 points (7-for-9 FGs) and 12 rebounds in only 21 minutes versus Incarnate Word … duplicated his career-best with 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting against Southeastern Louisiana … 11 field goals made versus the Lions were a UTEP high … had a huge first half against third-ranked Arizona with 14 points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes … only played 10 minutes in the second half before fouling out, but collected his seventh double-double of the campaign (18 points/12 rebounds) versus the Wildcats … appointed C-USA Player of the Week for the third time on Dec. 22 … selected MVP of the Sun Bowl Invitational after recording 18 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds in the title game versus Kent State … chosen C-USA Player of the Week for the fourth time on Dec. 29 … connected on 9-of-10 shots in a 21-point, nine-rebound, two-block, two-steal effort at North Texas … 15 points, 10 boards, four assists and a career-high four blocks at Rice … added 16 points and 11 rebounds against Louisiana Tech … had another double-double (13 points/13 rebounds) at Western Kentucky with a team-leading three assists … tied his season-high for steals (three) at Marshall … came off the bench to produce 22 points and nine rebounds versus UAB … either set or tied career-highs for free throws made (12) and attempted (16) against the Blazers … went 9-for-10 from the line versus Middle Tennessee … scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half at Florida Atlantic … solid all-around performance at FIU with 18 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and three steals … matched his season high with three steals against Charlotte … led UTEP in points (19), rebounds (eight), assists (five), blocks (two) and steals (two) versus North Texas … came up big in the home finale against Rice, posting his first double-double since Jan. 22 with 22 points and 12 rebounds … tied his career-high with 16 free throw attempts versus the Owls … tallied 16 points and three blocks in the C-USA Championship quarterfinals against FIU … career-high six assists with 14 rebounds in C-USA semis versus Middle Tennessee … double-double against Murray State in the NIT with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
2013-14 (FRESHMAN)
Conference USA Freshman of the Year … second team All-Conference USA as well … named a finalist for CollegeInsider.com’s Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year Award … ranked second on the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg), and third in blocks (0.7 bpg) and scoring (12.3 ppg) … shot 56.8 percent from the field … set a UTEP freshman record with 202 free throw attempts … in the Conference USA stats, ranked ninth in field goal percentage, 16th in rebounding and 23rd in scoring … first on the team in scoring in conference games (14.5 ppg) while shooting 56.9 percent from the floor … also averaged 6.6 rpg and 1.1 spg versus league opponents … led UTEP in scoring a team-leading 10 times, with five 20-point games … five-time Conference USA Freshman of the Week … became the third player to earn C-USA Freshman of the Week honors five or more times since the award’s inception in 2011, joining Tulane’s Ricky Tarrant (seven-time winner) and Rice’s Max Guercy (five-time winner) … established a UTEP seasonal freshman record for field goal percentage while rating second in points (419), third in rebounds (222) and fifth in scoring average and rebound average … scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half at NM State … during that time was 4-for-4 from the field and 5-for-8 from the line in 11 minutes … led the Miners in scoring (14 points) and rebounding (eight rebounds) versus West Alabama while adding two assists and two blocks … posted his first collegiate double-double against Colorado State with 11 points and 15 boards … made 9-of-10 shots in three Battle 4 Atlantis games … was extremely productive in only 10 minutes versus Kansas with 10 points and five rebounds … shot 13 free throws and scored nine points against Sacramento State … scored 17 points versus New Orleans … had a double-double against Northwestern State with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while adding four assists and three blocks … led the Miners in points (15) and rebounds (eight) in a 64-51 triumph at Washington State … connected on 7-of-9 shot attempts versus the Cougars … appointed to the WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 11.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg in wins over Western Illinois and Denver … played 36 minutes against Marshall and scored 20 points (6-for-7 FGs, 8-for-10 FTs) with nine rebounds … duplicated the 20-point effort at Middle Tennessee, making 10-of-13 shots, with a season-high four steals … named C-USA Freshman of the Week on Jan. 20 after finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and two steals at UAB … scored eight of his 15 points during a 23-6 run late in the first half versus UTSA … tied the UTEP freshman single-game record with 26 points against LA Tech … went to the line 16 times versus the Bulldogs while adding nine rebounds in a season-high 38 minutes … went 8-for-9 from the line as part of a 14-point game against Rice … added a season-high five assists versus the Owls … compiled 18 points versus Florida Atlantic … scored 21 points against FIU … named C-USA Freshman of the Week once again after making 7-of-11 shots and 7-of-8 free throws versus the Panthers, while adding seven rebounds … tied his career-high with 26 points at Southern Miss … shot 8-for-11 from the field and 10-for-15 from the line versus the Golden Eagles while tying his season best with five assists … scored in double figures in both C-USA Championship games … had a 10-rebound game against Fresno State in the CBI.
PRIOR TO UTEP
Three-time Class C All-State honoree (two first team, one second team) at Consortium College Preparatory High School School … team MVP as a senior when he averaged 26.5 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and four steals for a 20-4 team … listed as the no. 98 high school prospect in the country by Rivals.com … also rated a four-star recruit and the no. 19 small forward in the country … designated as a four-star recruit, the no. 24 power forward in America and the no. 7 player in Michigan by Scout.com … pegged the no. 24 small forward in the United States and the no. 6 player in Michigan by 247sports.com … averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and three steals his junior year, garnering second team All-City accolades for a 20-5 squad that lost in the regional finals of the state tournament … collected 19 ppg, eight rpg and five spg as a sophomore when he was third team All-City for a 24-4 club … three-year varsity starter for the late Al Anderson … teammate of UTEP’s Matt Willms at Consortium during the 2010-11 season.
