Lindsey Hunter helped the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers win championships during his 17 seasons in the NBA. Now, he’ll try to lead a West Michigan high school program to a state title.

Hunter will coach the boys basektball team at Sparta High School, the athletic program announced Wednesday. Sparta is a village in Kent County, located about 15 miles north of Grand Rapids.

“Coach Hunter is passionate about mentoring student-athletes and developing both their skills on the court and their character off it,” read a statement posted to the Sparta athletics Facebook page. “His commitment to discipline, teamwork, and excellence aligns perfectly with the values we strive to instill in our athletic program.

“We are confident that Coach Hunter will inspire our students to reach new heights, and we’re thrilled about the future of Sparta Basketball under his leadership.”

Hunter, 54, most recently was the head coach at Mississippi Valley State University of the Southwestern Athletic Conference from 2019-22, where his record was 7-75 in three seasons before he resigned.

Hunter, 54, played 12 seasons over two stints with the Pistons, who selected the guard with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft out of Jackson State, averaging 9.0 points over 703 games (386 starts) with Detroit.

After seven seasons with the Pistons, and one with the Milwaukee Bucks, he helped the Lakers win the NBA championship in the 2001-02 season, averaging 5.8 points in 82 games, including 47 starts. He returned to the Pistons in 2003-04, and helped them win the NBA title that season — his first of five more seasons in Detroit.

Hunter also played for the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls, his team for his final two seasons from 2008-10. He averaged 8.5 points and shot 36% from 3-point range for his career. His best season came with the Pistons in 1996-97, when he averaged 14.2 points in 82 games, including 76 starts.

Hunter transitioned to coaching after his playing career, including serving as the interim head coach for Phoenix Suns for 41 games in 2012-13. He was an assistant with the Golden State Warriors in 2013-14, and well as Buffalo of the Mid-American Conference in 2016-17.

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