Othello Hunter, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Ohio State, has signed to play next season with Dinamo Sassari in Italy according to a press release from the team.
Hunter played for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Summer League in Vegas after splitting his two professional seasons between the Atlanta Hawks and Ilysiakos in Greece. In my Nuggets' Summer League roster preview, I wrote the following:
Othello Hunter, PF, Ohio State - Hunter made the Atlanta Hawks out of Summer League as undrafted free agent in 2008 and, with a good summer for the Nuggets, methinks lightning could strike twice.
Hunters runs the floor well and loves to dunk the ball - two things I can definitely appreciate from a big man since every team needs a good hustle player (the Nuggets have a few already, but whatevz). On defense, his smaller stature - 6-foot-8, 220 pounds - doesn't allow him to body up very well on bigger post players, leaving him at a disadvantage when a team tries to back him down.
I'm not going to say I love his chances, but he's already been able to make an NBA roster as a hustle player. If not, he performed admirably in Greece after being cut by the Hawks mid-season so I'm sure there will be more opportunities available abroad.
Hunter had a solid showing for the Nuggets in July as he averaged 12.8 points and 6.4 boards to go with one block per game while shooting an impressive 62% from the field, but he becomes one of the many players this offseason to take a guaranteed paycheck overseas as opposed to hoping to get a solid opportunity to prove himself on an NBA training camp roster.