by John McCauley
-- raptors.com
June 27, 2002

Meeting the newest member of the Toronto Raptors you get just one impression. Lindsey Hunter is a regular guy, who just happens to be a quality point guard.

Hunter arrived in Toronto just over 12 hours after he was acquired along with the draft rights to Chris Jefferies from the Los Angeles Lakers for Tracy Murray and the draft rights to Kareem Rush after Wednesday night's NBA Draft.

The soft-spoken player is looking forward to bringing his nine years of professional experience to the Raptors. Playing a limited role on the Lakers would be enough for most players but Hunter wasn't one of them.

"I want to play and I wasn't getting the playing time that I wanted to get. It's great winning the title and I wouldn't take that back for anything in the world but I still want to play," the native of Mississippi said during a press conference at Air Canada Centre on Thursday.

Lindsey Hunter displays his new jersey. raptors.com

Hunter averaged just 19.7 minutes per game during the regular season and even less at 7.3 minutes during the Lakers championship run. He wasn't happy with those numbers but he did take a lot out of the experience.

"Being on a championship team and experiencing the growth of it, you learn the growing pains you have to go through (to win)," Hunter said. "Even winning a third one, there still was a lot the guys went through last year that you can't really explain, but it was special."

Playing in Toronto, Hunter can expect a more of a chance to show his skills. Coach Lenny Wilkens has always been impressed with his play and projected that he would get time at point guard and the two-guard position.

"He comes to play every night and with 82 games that's a lot," Wilkens said.

Hunter knows what it takes to win and he hopes to give that knowledge to his new team. He has chatted with his new counterpart Alvin Williams before and admires what he brings to the court. Work ethic stood out in his mind when he thinks of the Raptors starting point guard.

"I've always liked the way he works, I'm a hard-working guy myself, so I admire a guy that works hard."

Hunter spent eight years with the Pistons, and was their first pick — 10th overall — in the 1993 draft. Now 31 years old, he's about four years younger than backup guard Chris Childs, who is no longer in the Raptors plans.

While in Detroit he was teamates with Eric Montross and Jerome Williams, which will make his new surroundings a little easier to handle. Knowing what kind of individuals they are he's looking forward to spending the season with his new mates

As for what he adds to the chemistry of the locker room, it's simple.

"I'm a really easy going fun-loving guy, a family guy. You know that's about it."