Playing backup center for the Phoenix Suns in 2004-05, Fountain Hills resident Steven Hunter helped lead his team into the Western Conference finals.

Having started his career in the NBA with Orlando in 2001 and going on to play for Philadelphia, Denver and Memphis after his time in the Valley, Hunter retired from the game he loves at the end of the 2010 season and started putting those leadership skills to work for his new home state of Arizona, taking on a position as a Suns community liaison last year.

“Back when I was playing for the Suns, I always said this would be the place I would retire,” Hunter said.

“I was originally looking for a place in Scottsdale, but a lot of the places I saw were kind of old. I wanted a newer home, and I found it here in Fountain Hills.”

It makes sense that Hunter would want to thaw out a bit, growing up in Chicago, Ill. After playing for his high school at Proviso East in Maywood, he went on to play hoops for DePaul University before being drafted to the NBA by Orlando in 2001.

During his year playing for the Suns, Hunter averaged 1.3 blocks per game and shot 61.4 percent from the field. All told, he said it was the best season of his career, building a foundation for a continued successful career.

Returning to the area, Hunter said he was excited to sign on with the Suns once again, taking on the role of community liaison to take part in service projects and youth outreach both in and out of state.

His efforts earned Hunter the NBA Community Assist Award in November, something he said he is quite proud of.

“When I first moved back here, [The Suns] contacted me to do community appearances during the summer,” Hunter said.

“So that’s how this all began. They would call me to speak to kids at camps and things like that so, the following year, they decided to bring me on as full-time staff. It’s been great.”

From speaking to kids at schools, camps and even corrections facilities, to working with various companies giving motivational talks, Hunter uses his story of perseverance and striving for his dream to help motivate others to be their best.

“My favorite, so far, was speaking with 10 kids who were in juvenile hall,” Hunter said.

“I had a chance to sit down and talk to them, tell them that their lives aren’t over yet and that they are just starting out. That was a good experience.”

Hunter said that his message comes from his own experiences of reaching for his dream and realizing that, if he wanted to get anywhere in life, he would need to get there through his own efforts.

“Playing in the NBA was always a dream of mine, but a very far-fetched one growing up in the inner city and all that,” he said.

“Growing up in the ‘90s, I was a huge fan of Michael Jordan. Watching him win all of those championships motivated me to want to play basketball on that stage.

“As I got older, taller and basketball started to come easier to me, I started to see that it could be possible.”

Looking back over his journey to the NBA, Hunter said a solid foundation provided by his mom and dad helped guide him to his dreams of becoming a professional ball player.

“They instilled discipline and values in me, which helped me work through some of the tough times and made me who I am today,” he continued.

“My dad was a Vietnam Army Sergeant, so he was pretty stern, kept us out of trouble and off the street. My mom was always a loving, caring, giving person, so I think I get my love for community service from that side.”

Part of the reason Hunter wanted to return to the Valley, other than the weather, was because his time with the Suns holds quite a few special memories.

“It was the best year of my life,” he said.

“The guys, like Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, we all hung out like brothers. That was the only team I’ve been on where we’d go out to dinner, visit each other’s homes and have a personal relationship with one another.

“I still keep in contact with a lot of those guys. It was a great experience both on and off the court, so that’s part of what brought me back. I fell in love with the team, the city, the fans. It’s great.”

As for the most important lesson Hunter said he’d like to share with the people he works with, it’s that perseverance pays off.

“Nothing is going to come to you just because you want it to,” he said.

“But if you stick with it, work hard, stay diligent and stay focused on your goals, you can accomplish anything you want in life.”