Jayden Hunt begins his fourth season as a starter for Grayslake North knowing he can contribute in a number of ways.
Whatever Hunt is doing from moment to moment, there’s a good chance the 6-foot senior guard has a cheering section, led by his two younger brothers, Elijah, 10, and Christian, 6. Hunt cherishes their support.
“To have two younger brothers is great, and I love playing with them,” Hunt said. “I want people to see me as a role model, and they’re included in that.
“I love it when I hear them cheering. They’re always saying my name the loudest. It’s heartwarming, and I try to give them a show.”
Not that Hunt will be a one-man show for the Knights, whose returning players accounted for 80% of their scoring last season. In fact, having Hunt take a step back to ensure the type of balance this roster can produce has already been discussed.
“We just had a parent/coach meeting the other night, and that’s one of the things that’s expected of me, and I agree with what was said,” Hunt said. “To get three or four other guys scoring instead of me will benefit the team. That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
For Hunt, winning is paramount. Grayslake North, which went 10-21 overall and 5-9 in the Northern Lake County Conference last season, hasn’t finished over .500 since 2018-19.
“We don’t have any banners or awards in the hallway, and every other team in the school does,” Hunt said. “That’s weird to me and something we want to change. I’ve never been on a winning team, so that’s motivation for me to do whatever it takes to be that team.”
Sacrificing scoring still allows Hunt to showcase the skills that earned him a starting spot as a freshman. Like most young players, he began his varsity tenure as a complementary player, and he moved up the pecking order as a sophomore.
But Hunt started to unleash everything in his toolbox last season, and the results were plain to see. He averaged 18.0 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds.
“He started as this little scrawny freshman who had obvious skills,” Grayslake North coach Josh Feinzimer said. “But now his offensive game speaks for itself. He’s so quick, and his handle is so strong. He not only can get by guys on the dribble, but he uses screens really well. He’s a difference-maker.”
Hunt makes a difference at the other end of the court too.
“Early in his sophomore year, we noticed that he was losing guys on defense, so we watched film with him and challenged him to change,” Feinzimer said. “Now he locks his guy down and is a terror on the ball. He led us in charges taken last year.”
Hunt still looks back at that time as a turning point in his career and specifically remembers a game against Ridgewood early that season that was integral for him to become a true two-way player.
“I had a bad game where I wasn’t producing offensively, but after that, something ignited inside me,” he said. “I like playing defense now. Freshman and sophomore year, I didn’t. I actually prefer defense because it improves my confidence. Taking the ball away from the offense or forcing a bad pass — I love that.”
Hunt’s buy-in on defense is grounded in the same approach he uses to identify parts of his game that need improvement. His current focus is long-distance shooting, which he hopes to address with personal open gyms early in the morning twice a week.
“My 2-point field-goal percentage was good last year, but from 3-point range, it wasn’t where I want it to be,” Hunt said. “Since freshman year, it’s dropped, and if I want to play at the college level, I’ll need to improve on that.”
Hunt doesn’t need to improve his relationship with his younger brothers. He looks at the age gap between them in a positive light.
“It was a little weird at first, but as they’ve gotten older, I can have actual conversations with them,” Hunt said. “I think basketball has rubbed off on them. When the games finish, they come on the court to shoot. I know I’ll be proud of them.”
Their mother, Mimi Robinson, couldn’t be more proud of Hunt’s relationship with Elijah, who has Down syndrome.
“Because Elijah does things a little differently, he’s given Jayden an enormous amount of patience,” Mimi Robinson said. “Jayden pushes him to want to do things more normally, like playing Xbox or playing baseball outside.”
Hunt’s younger brothers even prefer him over babysitters when Mimi Robinson and the boys’ stepfather, Amard Robinson, aren’t home. Hunt is given weeks’ notice so he can make sure his calendar is clear.
“I notice how kids love him and gravitate toward him, and he has a beautiful bond with his brothers,” Mimi Robinson said. “He’s always been generous with people. I know I’m biased because I’m his mom, but Jayden is an amazing person, and we’ve always been very proud of him, no matter what he’s doing.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
