SPARTA, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan high school is hiring a former Piston to lead their basketball program.

Sparta High School is hiring Lindsey Hunter as the next head boys basketball coach, the school confirmed to News 8 on Wednesday.

Hunter, who has worked with the program previously, brings plenty of experience to the high school basketball level. 

The point guard played 17 seasons in the NBA and spent 12 of those years in Detroit with the Pistons over two stints. After capturing his first NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002, Hunter played 33 games for Detroit in the 2003-04 season, when the Pistons defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

The 6-foot-2 guard was known in Detroit for his tenacity, on-ball defense and toughness, making him a fan favorite on Pistons teams that featured several future Hall of Famers. 

After finishing his career in the NBA, Hunter worked in player development for the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns and served as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors. In 2016, he was named an assistant coach at the University of Buffalo under Nate Oats, who is the current head coach at the University of Alabama. 

In 2019, Hunter was named head coach at Mississippi Valley State University, where he coached for three seasons before stepping down in 2022. 

Hunter has maintained ties to Michigan after his career. His son, Lindsey Hunter IV, played high school basketball for Southfield Christian near Detroit, where he helped the school win three state titles before graduating in 2014.