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{{Short description|American basketball player and TV broadcaster (1934–2015)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
 |name = Hot Rod Hundley
 |image = Rod Hundley Lakers.jpeg
 |width =
 |caption =
 |height_ft = 6
 |height_in = 4
 |weight_lb = 185
 |birth_date = {{birth date|1934|10|26}}
 |birth_place = [[Charleston, West Virginia]], U.S.
 |death_date = {{death date and age|2015|3|27|1934|10|26}}
 |death_place = [[Phoenix, Arizona]], U.S.
 |high_school = [[Charleston High School (West Virginia)|Charleston]] (Charleston, West Virginia)
 |college = [[West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball|West Virginia]] (1954–1957)
 |draft_year = 1957
 |draft_round = 1
 |draft_pick = 1
 |draft_team = [[Cincinnati Royals]]
 |career_number = 33
 |career_position = [[Point guard]] / [[shooting guard]]
 |career_start = 1957
 |career_end = 1963
 |years1 = {{nbay|1957|start}}–{{nbay|1962|end}}
 |team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers|Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers]]
 |highlights =
* 2× [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1960}}, {{nasg|1961}})
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1957 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1957]])
* Consensus second-team All-American ([[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1956]])
* [[Southern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|SoCon Player of the Year]] (1957)
* No. 33 [[West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by West Virginia Mountaineers]]
 |stats_league = NBA
 |stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
 |stat1value = 3,625 (8.4 ppg)
 |stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
 |stat2value = 1,420 (3.3 rpg)
 |stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
 |stat3value = 1,455 (3.4 apg)
}}

'''Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley''' (October 26, 1934 – March 27, 2015) was an American professional [[basketball]] player and television broadcaster. Hundley played [[college basketball]] for the [[West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball|West Virginia Mountaineers]] and was selected by the [[Cincinnati Royals]] with the [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|first overall pick]] of the [[1957 NBA draft]]. In 2003, Hundley received the [[Curt Gowdy]] Media Award from the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].

Hundley's life revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years. At [[West Virginia University]], Hundley played to packed crowds at the Old Field House. His dribbling antics and daredevil maneuvers on the floor led to his popular nickname, "Hot Rod". He later was a broadcaster for the [[Utah Jazz]].

==Early life==
Hundley was born on October 26, 1934, in [[Charleston, West Virginia]]. His parents divorced when he was young, after his father abandoned his teenage mother shortly after Hundley was born. He was sent to live with various relatives and friends in Charleston, and was placed in foster homes where he was abused and neglected. He was finally placed with a kindly older couple, living with them until he was 16; though his bedroom was a closet under the stairs in their small home. In high school, Hundley lived alone in a cheap hotel. He spent considerable time at [[YMCA]] basketball courts (where he began playing basketball at age 10), bars, and [[Billiard hall|pool halls]]. In 2014, the YMCA of Kanawha Valley renamed its gymnasium in Hundley's honor.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |date=2015-03-28 |title=Rod Hundley, an Outsize Personality on and Off the Court, Dies at 80 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/sports/basketball/rod-hundley-an-outsize-basketball-personality-dies-at-80.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="wvumedicine.org">{{cite web |title=Employees can access free tickets to Hot Rod Hundley documentary – CONNECTions |url=http://connections.wvumedicine.org/news/story?headline=employees-can-access-free-tickets-to-hot-rod-hundley-documentary |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828094546/https://connections.wvumedicine.org/news/story?headline=employees-can-access-free-tickets-to-hot-rod-hundley-documentary |archive-date=August 28, 2022 |access-date=October 31, 2019 |website=connections.wvumedicine.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-12-14 |title=Charleston YMCA Gymnasium Honors Hot Rod Hundley |url=https://www.wtrf.com/archives/charleston-ymca-gymnasium-honors-hot-rod-hundley/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210302140549/https://www.wtrf.com/archives/charleston-ymca-gymnasium-honors-hot-rod-hundley/ |archive-date=2021-03-02 |access-date=2025-03-06 |work=WTRF |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Doug |date=2014-12-17 |title=A victory lap for Hot Rod Hundley |url=https://www.deseret.com/2014/12/17/20554960/a-victory-lap-for-hot-rod-hundley/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Doug |date=2018-04-04 |title=Hot Rod Hundley's story so good it should be a movie — and now it is |url=https://www.deseret.com/2018/4/4/20627282/hot-rod-hundley-s-story-so-good-it-should-be-a-movie-and-now-it-is/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>

Hundley showed evident talent for the game during his youth. At [[Charleston High School (West Virginia)|Charleston High School]] in West Virginia he averaged 30 points per game, and was named all-state three times,<ref name=":0" /> breaking the state's four-year scoring record in just three years, with 1,956 points (which has since been surpassed).<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Virginia high school boys' basketball records |url=https://wvswa.org/records_boys_girls_basketball.pdf |website=wvswa.org}}</ref> 

He received over 100 scholarship offers to colleges and universities.<ref name=":0" />

==College career==
Hundley played for [[West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball|West Virginia University]] (WVU) from 1953 to 1957, with one year of freshman basketball and three years of varsity basketball.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Hot Rod Hundley (1992) - WVU Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://wvusports.com/honors/wvu-sports-hall-of-fame/hot-rod-hundley/146#:~:text=Hundley%20averaged%2024.5%20points%20per,and%20three%20NCAA%20tournament%20appearances. |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=West Virginia University Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Rod Hundley College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/rod-hundley-1.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> As a freshman in 1953-1954, Hundley averaged nearly 35 points per game, and set a freshman scoring record with 62 points in a game against [[Ohio Bobcats men's basketball|Ohio University]].<ref name=":1" /> He scored over 40 points in 10 of the freshman team's 22 games, including 42 points in his very first game on December 2, 1953.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=John |date=2018-03-28 |title=Hot Rod Hundley: WVU's best-ever freshman season? |url=https://www.thedaonline.com/sports/hot-rod-hundley-wvus-best-ever-freshman-season/article_84b82cb0-32e2-11e8-ad0e-df33523c7125.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=The Daily Athenaeum |language=en}}</ref> 

The Mountaineers made their first National Collegiate Athletic Association ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) [[1955 NCAA basketball tournament|tournament]] appearance in 1955, Hundley's sophomore season, where they lost in the first round to eventual national champion [[La Salle University|LaSalle]]. WVU also played in the NCAA tournaments in [[1956 NCAA basketball tournament|1956]] (losing to [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] by two points in the first round) and [[1957 NCAA University Division basketball championship game|1957]] (losing to [[Canisius University|Canisius]] in the first round).<ref>{{Cite web |title=1955 Men's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/men/1955-ncaa.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=West Virginia Mountaineers Men's Basketball Index |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/west-virginia/men/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=West Virginia vs. Dartmouth Box Score (Men), March 13, 1956 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1956-03-13-dartmouth.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=West Virginia vs. Canisius Box Score (Men), March 12, 1957 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1957-03-12-canisius.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The [[Associated Press]] (AP) ranked the Mountaineers No. 19 in the nation in 1954-55, No. 20 in 1955-56, and as high as No. 4 in 1956-57, with a final ranking at No. 7.<ref name=":3" />
===Sophomore season===
As a sophomore in 1955, Hundley averaged 23.7 points per game and 8.1 rebounds in 30 games, 27 of which he started.<ref name=":2" /> Hundley scored 24 points against [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball|Wake Forest]], then followed up with 30 against [[Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball|Alabama]]. He then scored another 47 points against Wake Forest two games later. He then followed up with 24 points against [[Cornell Big Red men's basketball|Cornell]] then 38 points against [[NYU Violets men's basketball|NYU]]. Two games later, he scored 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against [[Carnegie Mellon University|Carnegie Tech]]. Then he followed that up three games later with 30 points against [[VMI Keydets basketball|VMI]]. He then had 17 points against [[Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball|Virginia Tech]] and 25 points with 11 rebounds against [[Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball|Pittsburgh]] in the [[Backyard Brawl]]. He then scored 35 points in a loss to [[Duke Blue Devils men's basketball|Duke]], had 21 against [[Penn State Nittany Lions basketball|Penn State]], 28 against [[Washington and Lee Generals|Washington and Lee]], 23 against [[William & Mary Tribe men's basketball|William & Mary]], and 35 points with 13 rebounds against Pitt. He followed the five-game stretch with 39 points and 10 rebounds against [[George Washington Colonials men's basketball|George Washington]], then 25 points and 7 rebounds against [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball|Rutgers]]. He then had 27 points and 9 rebounds against VMI, 27 points and 12 rebounds against Washington & Lee, and then 30 points and 12 rebounds against George Washington.{{citations needed|date=March 2025}}

In the [[Southern Conference]] tournament, Hundley had the opportunity to set the tournament scoring record with two free throws in the final seconds of a game against George Washington with the Mountaineers already having the game won. However, Hundley shot a hook shot and a behind-the-back shot that both resulted in air balls.<ref name="WVU :: Athletics">{{cite web |url=http://wvusports.com/ |title=Official Athletics Website |website=West Virginia University Athletics}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

===Junior season===
[[File:Hot Rod Hundley.jpg|thumb|left|Hundley from ''The 1955 Monticola'']]

As a junior in 1956, Hundley set a career-high with 26.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.<ref name=":2" /> He was a consensus second team All-American.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Men's Consensus All-America Teams (1949-50 to 1958-59) |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/men/consensus-all-america-1950-1959.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Hundley's first six games of the season had scores of 34 points, 20 points, 27 points, 40 points, 20 points, and 21 points, respectively. He then had games of 23 points and 29 points against [[Columbia Lions men's basketball|Columbia]] and Washington and Lee, respectively. He followed up with 17 points and 9 rebounds against [[Villanova Wildcats men's basketball|Villanova]], 25 points and 10 rebounds against [[La Salle Explorers men's basketball|La Salle]], then a career-game of 24 points, 26 rebounds and 9 assists against VMI. He then had 28 points against Carnegie Tech and 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against Penn State. He followed it up with 29 points against Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl, 35 points and 6 rebounds against [[Furman Paladins men's basketball|Furman]], 28 points against VMI, and then 25 points and 24 rebounds against [[Richmond Spiders men's basketball|Richmond]]. He followed up with 25 points against Penn State and 28 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists against Virginia Tech. He continued with 38 points against William & Mary, 40 points and 13 rebounds against [[St. John's Red Storm men's basketball|St. John's]], 31 points and 13 rebounds against William & Mary, and then 40 points and 7 rebounds against Pitt. He then had a season-high 42 points and 9 rebounds against Furman, then 26 points against Richmond.{{citations needed|date=March 2025}}

===Senior season===
In his final collegiate season, in 1957, Hundley averaged 23.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.<ref name=":2" /> He was a consensus first team All-American.<ref name=":4" /> He began his senior season with 23 points and 9 rebounds in the first game, 25 points and 13 rebounds in the second game, and 28 points and 12 rebounds in the third game of the season. In the next contest against Penn State, Hundley scored 17 points and totaled 16 rebounds. He then had 25 points and 10 rebounds in the 83–82 upset over the Duke Blue Devils. He then had consecutive games of 24 points, the first with 9 rebounds and the second with 12. In the January 5 game against Furman, Hundley scored a career-high 54 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the victory, a school record for points in a game. He followed the game up with a game of 32 points and then the following game with 34 points and 15 rebounds against Villanova. He then had three games of 21 points, 19 points and then 18 points. He then had a game of 30 points with 13 points against St. John's followed by a game of 34 points and 10 rebounds against VMI. He then had a five-game stretch of 32 points, 28 points, 23 points, 39 points, and 27 points and 20 rebounds.{{citations needed|date=March 2025}}

===Legacy===
Hundley holds a varsity school record with 54 points in a single game against [[Furman University|Furman]] and holds a freshman team record of 62 points.<ref name=":1" /> Over three varsity seasons, Hundley averaged 24.5 points per game, and totaled 2,180 career points, second only to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame guard [[Jerry West]]'s 2,309 points.<ref name=":12" /> He also averaged 10.6 rebounds per game over three years. During Hundley's varsity career, WVU had a won-loss record of 72–16 (.818), with three [[Southern Conference]] titles and three NCAA tournament appearances.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Jerry West |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/jerry-west/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> He scored more than 40 points in a game six times, which led to the Mountaineers scoring over 100 points in nine games.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Hundley was the fourth player in [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] history to score more than 2,000 points during his career—and he did it in three years, because freshman then could not play varsity basketball.<ref name=":0" /> He was a two-time, first team{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}  [[All-American]] and currently holds eight school records.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} As of 2025, he holds the school record for field goal attempts in a season and over a career; has three of the top ten  scoring averages per season; is second all-time in points, field goals, and free throws attempted and made (behind Jerry West); and is third all-time in points per game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Virginia Men's Basketball Leaders & Records - Season |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/west-virginia/men/leaders-and-records-season.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=West Virginia Men's Basketball Leaders & Records - Career |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/west-virginia/men/leaders-and-records-career.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 

He is one of only two Mountaineers to be drafted first overall in an [[NBA draft]], with Mark Workman going first overall to the [[Atlanta Hawks|Milwaukee Hawks]] five years earlier in the 1952 NBA draft.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Mark Workman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/workmma01.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Once on a trip back to West Virginia to play in a charity game at the [[WVU Coliseum]], constructed more than 10 years after he left WVU, Rod was said to have told Basketball Hall of Famer and fellow WVU alumnus [[Jerry West]]: "I built this building." West retorted, "Yeah but I paid it off."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?section=12920 |title=Archived copy |access-date=August 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201093813/http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?section=12920 |archive-date=February 1, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Hundley was also memorable in school history for his on-court antics. His in-game repertoire included trick shots, behind-the-back passes and spinning the ball on his finger.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-26 |title=October 26, 1934: Basketball Star Rod Hundley Born in Charleston |url=https://wvpublic.org/october-26-1934-basketball-star-rod-hundley-born-in-charleston/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=West Virginia Public Broadcasting |language=en-US}}</ref> He was famous for dribbling the ball behind his back, spinning the ball on his finger, rolling it down his arm, and even going around his back. He also often took hook shots at the free throw line and also would hang off the rim waiting for a lob pass from a teammate.<ref name="WVU :: Athletics"/> He was known to sit with fans in the stands and eat popcorn, instead of participating in time-out team huddles.<ref name=":0" /> He was nicknamed the "clown prince".<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=WVUToday |date=2015-03-30 |title=WVU legend Hot Rod Hundley has died |url=https://www.hampshirereview.com/article_75562c6e-d718-11e4-ba97-17e1ef20ddca.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Hampshire Review |language=en}}</ref>

==== WVU honors ====
In 1992, Hundley was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name=":1" /> In January 2010, WVU retired his number 33, making Hundley and West the only players in school history to be awarded the honor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/WVU/201001230510 |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629055518/http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/WVU/201001230510 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> On February 20, 2016, a bronze statue of him was unveiled outside the blue gate of the WVU Coliseum, joining the statue of West. In 2017, he was named an inaugural member of WVU's Mountaineer Legends Society.<ref name=":1" />

==Professional career==
In 1957, the [[Cincinnati Royals]] made Hundley the first pick of the [[NBA draft]] and immediately traded his rights to the [[Minneapolis Lakers]]. Hundley and [[Mark Workman]], who also attended West Virginia, ([[1952 NBA draft]]) are the only [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|No. 1 overall draft picks]] to come from the same high school.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-jabari-parker-bucks-nba-draft-20140626-story.html|title=Jabari Parker to Bucks at No. 2: 'Excited to represent Chicago'|author=Mike Helfgot|work=Chicago Tribune|date=June 26, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1957 NBA Draft |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1957.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=1952 NBA Draft |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1952.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Charleston High School, Charleston (WV) Basketball Players - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/highschool/teams/10497/Charleston-High-School-WV |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=basketball.realgm.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=HOT ROD HUNDLEY AND LUKE WALTON TO SIT IN FOR STU LANTZ AND MYCHAL THOMPSON FOR UPCOMING LAKERS GAMES |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/news/091208hundleywalton.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

Hundley played for the Lakers in [[Minneapolis]] and Los Angeles from 1957 until 1963, averaging 8.4 points per game and recording over 1,400 assists.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Hot Rod Hundley Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hundlho01.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He also played in two [[NBA All-Star Game|All Star]] games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1960 NBA All-Star Game Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1960.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1961 NBA All-Star Game Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1961.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> His best season came in the 1959–60 season, when he averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.<ref name=":7" /> On February 1, 1960, Hundley recorded a [[triple-double]], a feat even more notable in his era, with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hot Rod Hundley Triple Double 1960 |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=triple-double+hot+rod+hundley |website=Statmuse}}</ref> On February 28, he scored a career high 33 points in a loss against the [[Philadelphia Warriors]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hot Rod Hundley Career High 33 Points |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/career-high-points-hot-rod-hundley |website=Statmuse}}</ref> That postseason, Hundley and the Lakers nearly made it back to the [[NBA Finals]] for the second year in a row, but lost in a tough seven-game series to [[Bob Pettit]] and the [[St. Louis Hawks]] in the Western Division Finals, where Hundley averaged 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.<ref>{{cite web |title=1960 NBA Western Division Finals |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1960-nba-western-division-finals-lakers-vs-hawks.html |website=Basketball Reference}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1960 St. Louis Hawks vs. 1960 Minneapolis Lakers - Team Comparisons |url=https://www.landofbasketball.com/team_comparison/1960_hawks_vs_1960_lakers.htm |website=Land of Basketball}}</ref> The following year, during the [[1960-61 NBA season]], Hundley got teamed up with fellow Mountaineer legend [[Jerry West]], as he was drafted in that year's draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1960 NBA Draft |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1960.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1960-61 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1961.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1960, he was aboard the Minneapolis Lakers flight that crashed in an Iowa cornfield during a blizzard, with everyone surviving. After crashing, Hundley broke the silence by calling out "'I live to love again!'"<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Falk |first=Aaron |date=March 28, 2015 |title=Legendary Utah Jazz announcer ‘Hot Rod’ Hundley dies |url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2015/03/28/legendary-utah-jazz-announcer-hot-rod-hundley-dies/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>  

Hundley finished his six-year professional career at age 28 (in 1963) due to his bad knees and poor training habits and lifestyle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN Los Angeles: Photo Gallery |url=http://www.espn.com/losangeles/gallery/?id=4752944&image=19 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.espn.com}}</ref><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":14" /><ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Doug |date=2003-09-06 |title=Hot Rod: The man behind the voice |url=https://www.deseret.com/2003/9/6/19782763/hot-rod-the-man-behind-the-voice/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> His career totals were 3,625 points, 1,420 rebounds and 1,455 assists in his six seasons.<ref name=":7" />

==Broadcasting career==
After his retirement, Hundley moved to the broadcast booth, working four seasons for the [[Phoenix Suns]], where he worked with [[Al McCoy (sportscaster)|Al McCoy]]; and four seasons for the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]. The Lakers' [[Chick Hearn]] was his announcing mentor.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" /> In the early 1970s, he also teamed with [[Dick Enberg]]<ref name=":9" /> to call syndicated [[college basketball]] for [[TVS Television Network|TVS]]. Hundley was an NBA announcer for five years for [[NBA on CBS|CBS]], where he called four All-Star Games; he worked two All-Star Games on [[Cumulus Media Networks|ABC Radio]].

In 1974, Hundley became the first radio and television voice of the expansion [[New Orleans Jazz (NBA team)|New Orleans Jazz]]. Hundley continued as the voice of the Jazz until his retirement in 2009.<ref name=":8" /> He followed them to Salt Lake City in 1979, where he became as celebrated a broadcaster as he was a player. He was known for his rapid-fire style and sayings such as "from the parking lot" for a long-distance shot, or "with a gentle push and a mild arc and the old cowhide globe hits home" for a jump shot.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":10" />

For many years, Hundley's broadcasts were simulcast on both television and radio, but the league forced the Jazz to end this practice starting with the 2005–2006 season, when [[Craig Bolerjack]] took over television duties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oglesby |first=Jon |last2= |first2= |title=Bolerjack, Boone remember 'Hot Rod' Hundley |url=https://www.ksl.com/article/34021588/bolerjack-boone-remember-hot-rod-hundley |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.ksl.com |language=en}}</ref> ''Hot Rod'' continued to provide the radio voice for the Jazz for four more seasons.  As the decade wore on, nearly all NBA teams eventually moved radio broadcasters from court-side to perches high above the court, and the strain on Hundley's surgically replaced hips and knees became too much for him to bear. He announced his retirement on April 24, 2009, effective at the end of the season.<ref>[[Deseret News]], April 25, 2009, p. A4</ref> In 2010, the Jazz named its media center for him.<ref name=":10" />

After retirement, Hundley surfaced alongside [[Joel Meyers]] on [[KCAL-TV|KCAL's]] televised Lakers broadcasts as a fill-in color commentator for [[Stu Lantz]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-01-30 |title=Jazz dedicate press room to announcer Hundley |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4871250 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2000, Hundley graduated from WVU with a bachelor's degree, 43 years after leaving his alma mater without a degree to play in the NBA.<ref name=":8" /> In 1982, he was on the NCAA Silver Anniversary All-America Team for distinguished service.<ref name=":11" /> In 1992, he was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name=":1" /> He received the NBA's Distinguished Broadcaster award in 1994.<ref name=":11" /> In 2003, he received the [[Curt Gowdy]] Media Award from the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] – the first former professional player to achieve such an honor.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: The Curt Gowdy Media Award(s) |url=https://www.hoophall.com/awards/curt-gowdy-media-awards/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> He was the master of ceremonies at three Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Linda |date=2003-09-03 |title=Hundley to emcee Naismith rites again |url=https://www.deseret.com/2003/9/3/19782016/hundley-to-emcee-naismith-rites-again/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> In June 2004, he was voted into the Utah Broadcast Hall of Fame.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Antonik |first=John |date=2005-02-07 |title=Hundley, Kendrick to be Honored Saturday |url=https://wvusports.com/news/2005/2/7/7451_131441752265614999.aspx |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=West Virginia University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> He co-authored the book ''Hot Rod Hundley: You Gotta Love It Baby'' in 1998 with Tom McEachin;<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hundley |first=Hot Rod |title=Hot Rod Hundley: "You Gotta Love It, Baby" |last2=McEachin |first2=Tom |date=October 7, 1998 |publisher=Sagamore Pub LLC |isbn=9781571672438 |language=en}}</ref> [[Bill Libby]] also wrote a biographical book about Hundley, ''Clown: No. 33 in Your Program, No. 1 in Your Heart'', in 1970.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Libby |first=Bill |title=Clown: number 33 in your program, number 1 in your heart--: Hot Rod Hundley |date=January 1, 1970 |publisher=Cowles Books |isbn=0402125711 |language=en}}</ref>

A newspaper once incorrectly reported Hundley wrote a book entitled ''The Man With a Lot to Smile About'', and other sources have persisted in repeating the error.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

==Film appearances==
Hundley appeared in the 2006 movie ''[[Church Ball]]'' starring [[Fred Willard]] and [[Clint Howard]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Church Ball |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/646784/church-ball#credits |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref> He had also been in talks for a movie that would have showcased his early childhood and basketball career.

Hundley is the subject of "Hot Rod The Documentary, the Untold Story of Hot Rod Hundley." The documentary was production of Pikewood Creative.<ref name="wvumedicine.org"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bluegoldnews.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/hot-rod-hundleys-life-told-brilliantly-in-new-film/|title=Hot Rod Hundley's Life Told Brilliantly in New Film – WVU – West Virginia Mountaineers sports coverage – Blue Gold News|date=May 22, 2023|access-date=January 20, 2019|archive-date=January 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120095320/https://bluegoldnews.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/hot-rod-hundleys-life-told-brilliantly-in-new-film/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Hundley had three daughters with his wife, Flo Hundley, but he had not lived with her for over three decades at the time of her death in 2006 (though they remained married), and had not been involved with raising their children. In the documentary on Hundley's life, one of his adult daughters recognized that Hundley's own extremely difficult upbringing, and the absence of any guidance in his early life, were related to his later failings as a husband and father. One Utah columnist who wrote on Hundley over the years said Hundley had taken on his own father's bad qualities as a husband and father (though he did provide financial support to his wife and daughters that his own father never provided to him); and described Hundley's life from youth on as one filled with loneliness and sorrows, despite his flamboyant outer persona.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=Scott D. |date=April 6, 2018 |title=Hot Rod Hundley revealed in new film — legendary player and Jazz broadcaster; terrible husband and father |url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2018/04/06/hot-rod-hundley-revealed-in-new-film-legendary-player-and-jazz-broadcaster-terrible-husband-and-father/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> 

During the off-season, Hundley regularly conducted basketball clinics around the country and worked with charities in the Salt Lake City area until withdrawing from the public eye due to [[Alzheimer's disease]] in his final years. For a time, he also hosted the Hot Rod Hundley Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit the Salt Lake Shriners Hospital.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://fox13now.com/2015/03/27/hot-rod-hundley-dies-at-80/|title='Hot Rod' Hundley dies at 80|date=March 28, 2015|work=fox13now.com|access-date=December 28, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

Hundley died at the age of 80 in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] on March 27, 2015.<ref name="auto"/> After his death, the Jazz players wore a black stripe to honor him for the remainder of that season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Utah Jazz: Broadcasting colleagues remember Hot Rod Hundley |url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2015/03/30/utah-jazz-broadcasting-colleagues-remember-hot-rod-hundley/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

===NBA===
Source<ref name=bbr>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hundlho01.html|title=Hot Rod Hundley NBA stats|website=[[Basketball Reference]]|publisher=Sports Reference, LLC|accessdate=27 November 2023}}</ref>

====Regular season====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1957}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1957–58 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 65 || 17.8 || .318 || .642 || 2.9 || 1.9 || 7.0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1958}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 71 || 23.4 || '''.360''' || .752 || 3.5 || 2.9 || 9.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1959}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 73 || '''31.2''' || .358 || .744 || '''5.3''' || '''4.6''' || '''12.8'''
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1960}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1960–61 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| style="background:#CFECEC;"|'''79'''* || 27.6 || .351 || '''.753''' || 3.7 || 4.4 || 11.0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1961}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1961–62 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 78 || 19.1 || .340 || .654 || 2.6 || 3.7 || 5.5
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1962}}
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1962–63 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 65 || 12.1 || .336 || .706 || 1.6 || 2.3 || 4.0
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 431 || 22.2 || .347 || .721 || 3.3 || 3.4 || 8.4
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star
| 2 || 18.5 || .500 || 1.000 || 1.5 || 2.0 || 12.0
|}

====Playoffs====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1959 NBA playoffs|1959]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| style="background:#CFECEC;"|'''13'''* || 13.5 || '''.345''' || .857 || 1.8 || 1.5 || 4.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1960 NBA playoffs|1960]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 9 || '''37.4''' || .336 || .649 || '''6.8''' || '''6.1''' || '''11.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1961 NBA playoffs|1961]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1960–61 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| style="background:#CFECEC;"|12* || 23.9 || .297 || .690 || 3.4 || 3.8 || 6.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1962 NBA playoffs|1962]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1961–62 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 12 || 15.6 || .280 || .750 || 1.5 || 2.7 || 1.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1963 NBA playoffs|1963]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1962–63 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 7 || 4.9 || .300 || '''1.000''' || .9 || .7 || 1.3
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 53 || 19.2 || .320 || .716 || 2.8 || 3.0 || 5.1
|}

==Honors==
* In 1992, Hundley was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name="wvusports.com">https://static.wvusports.com/custompages/content/files/general/mbasketball_allamericans.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
* Hundley received the NBA's Distinguished Broadcaster award in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hailwv.com/2015/03/28/remembering-west-virginia-legend-hot-rod-hundley/|title=Remembering West Virginia Legend Hot Rod Hundley|date=March 28, 2015}}</ref>
* In 2003, Hundley received the [[Curt Gowdy]] Media Award from the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].
* In 2004, Hundley was inducted into the Utah Broadcast Hall of Fame.
* On January 23, 2010, Hundley's #33 Jersey was retired by West Virginia University. (After the halftime ceremony, Hundley took a basketball and made a hook shot to a standing ovation.)<ref name="wvusports.com1">{{cite web|url=http://wvusports.com/news/2016/1/25/29467_131466045178001878.aspx?path=mbball|title=Hot Rod Hundley Statue Dedication Set|website=West Virginia University Athletics|date=January 25, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="wvusports.com"/>
* Hundley was inducted into the [[Southern Conference Hall of Fame]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=211708137&DB_OEM_ID=4000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120093724/http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4000&ATCLID=211708137|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 20, 2019|title=Southern Conference Hall of Fame|website=Official Internet Home of the Southern Conference|date=March 27, 2018}}</ref>
* In 2016, a statue of Hundley was dedicated and placed outside the WVU Coliseum at West Virginia University.<ref name="wvusports.com1"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports|Biography}}
*{{Commons category-inline|Rod Hundley}}
{{basketballstats|bbr=h/hundlho01}}
*{{IMDb name|id=1739687|name=Hot Rod Hundley}}

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