by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News September 15, 2023

Brandon Hunter, who played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, died suddenly during a hot yoga session in Orlando on Tuesday, his family said. He was 42.

“It was hot yoga, and he did it regularly,” Carolyn Cliett, the mother-in-law of Hunter, told NBC. “He was in good shape as far as we know. We’re just shocked.”

Hunter is survived by his wife, Mary, and three children who range in age from five to 15.

Hot yoga refers to different yoga styles that take place in warm and heated studios for a more intense workout.

Hunter, a 6-foot-7 forward, appeared in 67 total games for the Celtics and Magic during a two-season NBA career that spanned from 2003-05. He also played professionally in Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, Israel, and Turkey before launching a real estate and sports management company in his native Cincinnati.

“I initially wanted to go into coaching,” Hunter told WCPO in 2017. “But with my background and everything that I learned about the collective bargaining agreement in the NBA and the transactions I’ve seen while living abroad, the understanding of how teams recruit and how different styles are in different countries, I decided to go into management.”

Hunter was a three-time All-MAC player for Ohio University and led the NCAA in rebounding his senior year, averaging 12.6 boards per game during the 2002-03 season.

Current Bobcats head coach Jeff Boals released a statement following Hunter’s death:

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brandon Hunter,” Boals said. “Brandon was a phenomenal player at Ohio who went on to have a great pro career. He was up on campus last year, with his son, for his well-deserved induction into the Ohio University Athletics Hall of Fame.

“Brandon was a great ambassador for Ohio, a great teammate, a great competitor, and a great family man. Brandon had an infectious personality that touched many people along his journey and will be truly missed. We are thinking about and praying for his wife Mary and three children during this time.”

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  ’ 42, Died suddenly: Former NBA player Brandon Hunter, WorldTribune.com