Les Hunter (basketball)

Les Hunter (born August 16, 1942, Nashville, Tennessee – January 27, 2020, River Forest, Illinois) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'7" forward, Hunter is best known for his college career at Loyola University Chicago.

Hunter played a pivotal role on Loyola's 1963 NCAA Championship team. He was a starter and significant contributor throughout the tournament run. Notably, he was part of Loyola's "Gentlemen's Agreement" starting lineup in the championship game against Cincinnati, a lineup that featured four African American players, a groundbreaking moment in college basketball history and a challenge to the prevalent racial norms of the time. He scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the championship game victory.

Following his collegiate career, Hunter was drafted by the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and also by the Baltimore Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He opted to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA), where he had a lengthy and successful career. He played for several ABA teams, including the Minnesota Muskies, Miami Floridians, Kentucky Colonels, Memphis Pros, and Carolina Cougars. He was an ABA All-Star in 1968.

After his playing career, Hunter remained active in the Chicago community and often spoke about his experiences at Loyola, particularly the significance of the 1963 championship team's impact on racial equality in sports. He was inducted into the Loyola University Chicago Hall of Fame. He died in 2020 at the age of 77.