Former UM BBall player Chris Hunter named Director of Player Personnel
Per a release, John Beilein has named former Michigan basketball player Chris Hunter the Director of Player Personnel, which position was recently vacated when CJ Lee took an assistant coaching position at Marist.
Interestingly, I don't think Hunter ever played for Beilein since Beilein started in 2007 and I believe Hunter left after the 2006 season.
One more nugget - if memory serves me correct, I think Hunter was one of the few football/basketball players to tackle the challenge of attending the business school while playing, so he must be a pretty smart dude.
September 5th, 2014 at 3:54 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
horribly utilized by amaker. though he did battle injuries. he did always come off as a pretty smart dude in interviews.
September 5th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
Kudos to John Beilein for reaching out to Chris Hunter even though Hunter played before Beilein arrived. It shows that the Michigan family takes care of its own. Beilein is proving to be a true Michigan man.
September 5th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 4:15 PM ^
And he developed in spite of a repeatedly traitorous knee, at that.
September 5th, 2014 at 3:56 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
You are correct that Matt Vogrich also has a degree from the B school, and we all know Jordan Morgan has an Engineering degree. However, that is a pretty elite group and is deserving of many kudos for being able to juggle a very demanding academic program with the time demands of big time athletics, demands that few of us have dealt with. I admire them and also very much admire students who have had to work many hours during school to be able to pay for school. (Edit: also Captain Bartelstein, I believe)
September 5th, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^
It's a shame he couldn't have played under Beilein as he would have fit the system perfectly. Of course, leave to Beilein to snatch him up anyway!
September 5th, 2014 at 4:14 PM ^
"Here come the Big Game Hunter/Known as the Big Game Hunter/Shootin' three-pointers like his name's Lindsey Hunter" -Brent Petway
Never forget. Glad he's back.
September 5th, 2014 at 4:16 PM ^
The Big Game Hunter.
Classic Brent Pettway rhyme.
*Damn, beat me to it.
September 5th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^
Sims was one of the softest centers I've ever seen play basketball. Now Gavin Groninger...
September 5th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
Now Gavin Groninger... was a shooting guard.
The fact that Courtney Sims grew up playing tennis, not basketball, always spoke volumes to me.
September 5th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
I don't think you meant it as a diss on tennis, but it's not that uncommon for tennis players to make good basketball players. Quick feet, very specific skill set.
Sims was basically a taller Morgan. He didn't "bang around" with big guys, but fans always seem to think every big guy should be a football player with sneakers on. Under Beilein, I bet Sims would have been an all-big ten player.
September 6th, 2014 at 4:25 AM ^
Right, but the guy was just insanely soft. He just wasn't aggressive inside like you'd like a guy to be. Also, and I just don't know how it's possible, but it seemed like Sims was a big man who got smaller year after year. At least Morgan had physical presence, a big man skill set, and less overt goofy awkwardness. Sims always just looked like a guy who wasn't comfortable being as tall as he was, and as a result couldn't translate it into success on the court.
In a Beilein system, sure, that might work. It's an intriguing proposition. At the end of the day, though, Sims probably reached his ceiling in the Amaker system, for better or worse.
September 5th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
This is awesome! I always loved Chris Hunter, and I really hoped CJ would be replaced by another former UM player.
September 5th, 2014 at 4:34 PM ^
I liked his game and his attitude. He would have flourished tremendously under Beilein, so it'a nice that he gets to work for him. Carved out a decent pro career given his lack of PT in Ann Arbor and going undrafted. When we went several seasons with 6'7" DeShawn Sims playing out of position at center, I longed for the days when had Hunter, Graham Brown, Courtney Sims, and Brent Petway on the roster. I think he'll be a good influence. Another Indiana native, too.
September 5th, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 5:30 PM ^
I'm gonna spend a point to downvote this. Yeezus, what an asshole comment.
Could comment more, but won't.
September 5th, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
Or for failure to idly speculate on the weakness of other students.
September 5th, 2014 at 5:40 PM ^
the only bball player named Hunter I remember was Freddie Hunter. He brought me Peabody's once. Those were some yummy cookies. Anyone old enough to remember that??
September 5th, 2014 at 6:06 PM ^
I had to stand on a chair to get his autograph at a Victors Club luncheon when I was a kid.
Fun fact: He was the captain of the first Fab Five team, but initially wasn't on scholarship to make room for a fifth freshman.
September 5th, 2014 at 6:38 PM ^
Freddie Hunter lived the dream of every IM player: a call-up from the IM Building to Crisler.
September 5th, 2014 at 7:03 PM ^
Did not know that. Thanks guys!
September 5th, 2014 at 10:19 PM ^
September 5th, 2014 at 10:49 PM ^