This year’s college basketball season is bringing out some fresh faces in the men’s division to the forefront. One of these faces is that of Memphis guard Tyrese Hunter. While he’s not a fresh face per se, the Tigers’ senior has burst into the limelight after some great displays. After already transferring twice, the 6-foot star is giving his best performance so far.

So let’s learn a bit more about this trailblazing baller who doesn’t shy away from putting down the 2x defending champions to the ground.

Meet Tyrese Hunter, the roaring Memphis Tiger

Tyrese was just a 6-year-old boy when he lost his father Brian, who passed away from cardiac arrest. Hunter played football until the age of 12, thereafter he started playing basketball. By the time he turned 13, his mother Ida too passed away, leaving a teenage Tyrese Hunter to be raised by his grandmother Annie Williams, who also passed away in the spring of last year.

Belonging to a big family of 11 siblings, Hunter wears the No.4 jersey to honor his mother’s birthdate. The Wisconsin native attended St. Catherine’s High School in Racine. During his time in high school, Hunter led his team to a 28-1 record and the Division 3 state championship, by averaging 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game as a senior.

Throughout his high school career, Hunter amassed 1589 points and led St. Catherine’s to a 53-1 record in his junior and senior seasons collectively. After completing high school, he participated in the 2021 Allen Iverson Roundball Classic, where his 20-point game led him to the MVP honor.

He was ranked #31 overall prospect in the Class of 2021 by Rivals, #35 by 247 Sports Composite, and #37 by ESPN. Plus, he was a 2x Associated Press all-state selection and named 2020-21 MaxPreps Wisconsin High School Basketball Player of the Year who then committed to play for Iowa State University.

Hunter’s inaugural season at Iowa State

As a freshman for the Cyclones, Tyrese Hunter averaged 11 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. His 6-foot stance and athleticism were to a level that he started all 35 games as a freshman and also led the team in assists and steals. He became the first freshman at the program to start in a season opener since 2018-19.

With his stellar playmaking abilities, Hunter led the Cyclones to a 22-13 overall record and set a program record with 172 assists. Moreover, he surpassed Curtis Stinson by amassing one steal more than Stinson’s 70 steals single-season record as a Cyclone in 2006.

He posted his first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against K-State. In a game, he posted 13 assists against only three assists, which was the program’s all-time second-best by a Cyclone in a single game.

Carrying the Cyclones to the post-season, he registered a season-high 23 points with 7-of-11 three-pointers during the First Round win over LSU in the NCAA Tournament. His 7 three-pointers have been recorded as the second-highest total in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

He was honored with several accolades that season including the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. Besides, he was one of the finalists for the Kyle Macy Award and Lefty Driesell Award. However, after concluding his inaugural season at Iowa State, Hunter entered the transfer portal and chose to move on to play for the Texas Longhorns.

When Hunter became a Longhorn

As a sophomore, he started all 38 games and tied the Texas single-season records for most games played and started. He averaged 10.3 points, 3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He attained different ranks on the team including second in minutes at 30.3 per game, third with 96 assists, fourth with 10.3 points per game, and fifth with 31 steals.

He recorded a team-high 19 points from 7-of-11 field goals and 3-of-3 beyond the arc, while he tied his career-high 2 blocks in a season-high 38 minutes against Xavier. He posted a career-best 29 points from 8-of-16 field goals, 5-of-9 3-pointers, and 8-of-8 free throws along with 3 steals against K-State. Similarly, he posted a season-high 8 assists against Texas A&M-Commerce.

Just like his previous season, Tyrese Hunter kicked off his junior year as a starter for all the 33 games he played in the season. He averaged 32.1 minutes per game, the second-most in the program. Similarly, he averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

He posted a career-high 30 points from 9-of-13 field goals and 9-of-9 free throws along with a season-high 7 assists and 3 steals in a single game against Oklahoma. After this game, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Week. Through 19 games, he scored in double digits including 4 20-point games. Similarly, he made at least 5 assists through 14 games.

Now playing his senior season with the Memphis Tigers, Tyrese Hunter has brought one of his best plays to the court. With two 20+ point games already, Hunter is set to make a huge impact with his presence alongside the Tigers this season.