Purdue Guard Eric Hunter Jr. Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue guard Eric Hunter Jr. has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. The Indianapolis native announced his intentions of going through the 2022 NBA Draft evaluation process back on April 8 while maintaining his remaining year of college eligibility. 

Hunter averaged 6.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for the Boilermakers during the 2021-22 season while serving as the team's primary defender on the perimeter. He was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team at the end of the regular season. 

The 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard joined the Purdue basketball program as a three-star recruit as part of the team's 2018 recruiting class, appearing in 128 games throughout the course of his four-year career.

Hunter posted a career-high 20 points in an 88-73 victory over Minnesota on the road on Feb. 2, shooting 8-11 from the field which included a 4-6 mark from the 3-point line. 

As of now, Purdue is slated to have just one true point guard on the roster for the 2022-23 season — incoming three-star freshman Braden Smith from Westfield High School. The Boilermakers will be without Isaiah Thompson after he announced his decision to transfer from the program after his junior season. 

Hunter will have until 11:59 p.m. ET on June 1 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft pool in order to retain his remaining year of NCAA eligibility. An early entrant may wait until after the posted date to withdraw and retain his NBA Draft eligibility for a future year but would then forfeit amateur status, leaving them unable to return to their college program. 

The NBA draft combine is scheduled for May 16-22, and the 2022 NBA Draft will take place on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.