Ken Hunter still remembers the night he pulled a kitchen knife to stop his dad hitting his mom. What came next was even more extreme, although for anyone growing up in southwestern Detroit, it was normal. The court provided Ken with some solace, and he quickly grew into a top prospect, attending the same school where Jalen Rose had won a state title. When his football coach kicked his butt for skipping school, Ken also became a standout student, even while living off friends’ couches and with his grandma. A run-in with the law landed Ken in the courtroom, and seemingly heading for jail. But a mentor went all Good Will Hunting and convinced the judge to expunge his record if he served in the military. Once he got out, Ken picked up a ball for the first time in two years and played at LA Trade Tech. Feeling at ease for the first time in his, he helped turn a losing program into a winning one, including a statement win over East LA College. But wrestling with his roommate snapped something in Ken’s spine and he was instantly paralyzed. Falling back in with his OGs back in Detroit, Ken was so depressed he called his wife and said he wanted to die. But his college coach brought him back to the West Coast as an assistant, and taught him the coaching trade over 13 years. Then, fittingly, his time as a lead recruiter started where his playing days had dramatically ended: ELAC. Since then, he has worked closely with Coach John Mosley to lead young men to D1 scholarships and faith on the court and leadership off it – as shown on camera in Last Chance U Basketball on Netflix. He is also involved in many charitable causes throughout LA and back in Detroit, and is a devoted father of five, husband, and now grandfather. In this episode, Ken comes in hot about: ·       How his uncle shot his father in the head and what happened next ·       Why he turned to basketball for solace ·       How he turned paralysis into a blessing ·       Why he has such a heart for young men from inner cities ·       What drives he and Coach Mosley to deliver daily servant leadership Keep up with Ken on his Instagram feed @coach_ken_last_chance_u and follow ELAC basketball’s progress at https://www.elacathletics.com/sports/mbkb/coaches/index