DeLonnie Hunt (183-PG-2001, college: Richmond, agency: Players Group) is a 24 year old 183cm guard that played his rookie season with KK Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging (15.6ppg), 4.4rpg, Assists-4 (4.6apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 76.1%; and in the ENBL averaged (21.5ppg), 4.2rpg, 6.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 75.0%). He began his basketball career at Rock Creek Christian Academy and also played at DC Premier (DC) (UAA U17). He then played at Wagner College (NCAA) from 2020-2023 playing a total of 99 games. He then finished at the University of Richmond (NCAA) averaging 9.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 76.6% and 15.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.7apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 84.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Your playedyour rookie season overseas with KK Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia-Premijer Liga). What kind of an experience was it and what do you appreciate most about this great organization?

It was an amazing experience especially with being in another league the ENBL! Been able to travel across Croatia and other places across Europe. The competition has been very good as well! I appreciate the club accepting me and allowing me to be me! Also understanding I went through one of the most traumatic things a person can go through which is losing your mom and knowing sometimes that can affect my days and allowing me to go through my emotions with their support if I need it

As a guy coming from Maryland, what was it like living in Croatia? What have you enjoyed most about their culture?

It has definitely been different just living in a whole different country but the one thing I have enjoyed is how passionate fans are when it comes to basketball!

What was your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

To be honest after my first flight when I got here was really my wake up
Call, then noticing I’m 6hrs ahead of everyone at home added to that, sometimes I’ll be on the with my brothers and it would be dark here but light over there and that still kind of gets to me until this day!

Your had an incredible rookie season in Croatia and even better in the ENBL where you averaged 21ppg and 6,0apg. You never averaged more than 2.7apg in the NCAA. Did you always know that you had those special playmaking qualities in you?

Yes sir, college rules are different in regards to what counts as an assist! Also my last couple of years in Richmond our big man was the leading assist guy because of how our offense was structured. Now that I am overseas I am back to playing where I have to create for myself and others and my teammates make my job a lot easier especially how well they shoot the ball when contested and uncontested!

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 183cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?
I would have to say DeAaron Fox. Quick lefties that play strong at the rim and have found our shots as our careers have progressed. I feel like we were both a little reckless early on but as I’m getting older I’m learning when and how to use my explosiveness and take more midrange and 3s with confidence.

You have always filled the stat sheet well. Talk a little about your offensive game and it’s biggest strengths?

For a small guard I get to the rim and finish at a very high clip! I think that’s one of my strengths and the reason I’m able to do So is because I’m able to read the defense because I’m not so much worried about the guy that is guarding me. Drawing two and making the right read! Midrange is something I rely on when I can’t get all the way to the rim and being a pest on defense.

You were up and down as a three point shooter in the NCAA but shooting the ball well as a rookie. What can you credit most to your rise in your shooting percentages?

To be honest, in my opinion I don’t think percentages tell the whole story sometimes, of course I can improve on 3pt shooting but a lot of times at Wagner I was shooting a lot of bad threes and ones at the end of the shot clock, same with my last year at Richmond! My first year at Richmond and first year at Wagner I shot close to 40% just by taking good ones and open shots. What I can credit most of the rise is just trusting myself when the defense dares me to shot and to the work I put in every summer/preseason and after practices.

Talk a little about your defensive game. What kind of a defender are you right now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I’m an aggressive defender that likes to pressure and make other guards feel uncomfortable, I think I’m also a smart defender that plays without fouling a lot and just forcing opponents to make tough shots over me! I think my steals are generated from being in the right spaces having fast hands rather than gambling a lot. I would just like to improve in those ways as a defender and post defense, one thing about when these guys see me matched up they try to go post and from what I believe I’m not growing anymore so I would just like to be more sturdy and hard to move/post up when those times come.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?
Off the dribble 3s are something I’m working on most because I’m noticing that guys are kind of afraid of my speed so they live with me shooting 3s and I know I can knock them down I just want that to be at a high clip so my game can open up even more for me and my teammates.

You played at Wagner College (NCAA) from 2020-2023. How valuable were these 3 years in your basketball development under Bashir Mason and Donald Copeland? How did each coach help you most with your game?
Yes both of them contributed to the tenacity I play defense with. I think them both trusting me as a young freshmen early to help lead a team in a strange COVID year was very helpful too. There’s a reason that even though I’m a rookie I’m comfortable playing with veterans and older guys because they threw me in the fire early in order to figure it out and I’ve been able to grow each year every since.

You had many great games there including against SFU and Delaware State. What was your fondest moment on the court there?
My fondest moment would have to be my freshmen year I had a steal in the backcourt that led to two free throws which iced the game and gave us a regular season championship. My sophomore year there was a NBA logo dagger three that I made that sent the spiro sports center in an uproar that helped us reach the NEC final. My freshmen year we won 10 straight which was the longest streak in school history and the following year, when I was a sophomore when Arkansas beat Auburn we had the longest win streak in the country at 15

You then played 2 seasons at the University of Richmond (NCAA) averaging 9.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 76.6% and 15.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.7apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 84.3%. You made a big jump in your game in your last year under Chris Mooney. How did he give you that last push in your game?

Coach Mooney helped me realize how to be a point guard while not always having to control the ball! Cutting getting easy layups without wasting too much energy and just having a better read on the game. My first year I missed 10 games and came back in a crucial moment to where the team was starting to roll. Like I mentioned earlier I always had a capability to score but in those games when I first got back that wasn’t quite my job yet hence to why later in the year my scoring started to trend upwards. My second year those things he taught me really started to show and I had an even better understanding with a year of Richmond basketball under my belt. I also just think him allowing me to be reckless at times and trust that would work for me and others is another reason as to why I was able to have success in a Spiders uniform.

You had many great games there like against Marist and Ball State and against George Washington where you secured your team the 66-61 win with the last 6 points with free throws. What was your fondest moment on the court?
Regular season championship having 18 to secure the 1 seed for the a10 tourney is definitely one. Beating VCU at Richmond in a sold out red out game at our place was a crazy environment/TV game. Beating Dayton who was -16th in the country at the time at our place in a white out game that was also a TV game and we had a 11 game win streak.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jordan King?
We never played a 1 on 1 game just me and him but we’ve played king of the court a couple times with other teammates like Tyler Harris and Isiah Bigelow and it was hard for those games to finish because of how competitive everyone involved were! Love king I tell him I hate that we only had one season together and I missed 10 chances to play in the same backcourt as him! I believed we were the best backcourt in the A10 that year and were on the verge of proving that until I broke my wrist 4 games in.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
Alex Morales, he was 2 time POTY on my team at Wagner, going bs him in practice everyday was definitely tough but really helped me in a long run! He’s currently on a two way with Orlando Magic! One of my best teammates I’ve ever went to battle withPlease name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Mannnn I love all my teammates I was a part of some really great teams to the point where I pretty much keep up with about 85% of the guys that I’ve hooped with in college. That Richmond team my first year was special to me and so was that Wagner team my freshmen year so go 5 is challenging man Boogie Ford & Jamier Fletcher (WAG), Djimon Bailey (RICH), Mikkel Tyne and Jason Roche (RICH

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?
My favorite guys to watch not who I think is the greatest are Kobe, KD
Steph Curry, Prime John Wall. Greatest: MJ/Bron/Kobe/KD
Who is your GOAT?
Kobe

What is your personal take on Bam Adebayo’s 83 points? How much respect does that performance deserve despite how it ended and all the foul shots?

Definitely deserves some respect because 83 points is a lot of points in just not a fan because it happened vs my hometown team smh

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?
Yes I’ve seen the sequel ! I just think the sequel could’ve came a little earlier than it did rather than being an afterthought. Felt like it was random than actually planned to do.

Thanks Delonnie for the chat.