Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Nevada [Exh] on October 17, 2025
![Nevada [Exh]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Futahutes.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2FNevadaAthletics_Navy.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
Men's Basketball
vs Nevada [Exh]
![Oregon [Exh]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Futahutes.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Foregon.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
Featuring the Runnin’ Utes: Hunter Erickson
2/15/2025 10:30 AM | Men's Basketball
The Utes guard is ready to contribute to a run down the final stretch of the conference season
Hunter Erickson is a Utahn through and through, playing for BYU, Utah and Salt Lake Community College during his collegiate career. Despite only starting one game in his two seasons with the Runnin' Utes, Erickson is a strength coming off the bench while hitting some clutch shots along the way.
Erickson was born and raised in Provo, attending Timpview High School and rapidly growing his game before college. In his senior season he was named 5A First-Team All-State by Deseret News, averaging 22.6 points and knocking down 55 triples. As a face of the program, Erickson credits his coaches for his success.
"I had a lot of coaches that believed in me and just put me in the opportunities to succeed and I was able to go out and take advantage of those great coaches," Erickson said.
Right out of high school, Erickson committed to BYU to continue his basketball career but first planned to serve a two-year mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Charlotte, N.C.
After two years of stepping away from basketball, it took a readjustment period to find his game again.
"The hardest part by far is just getting your legs back. A lot of people outside of Utah think it's an advantage to have two additional years to grow and whatnot, but there isn't any training. You're so focused on church things, and I think the hardest thing is just getting back. It just takes a minute to get the legs back and that endurance and explosiveness, but after a while it gets there again."
After two seasons with the Cougars, Erickson transferred to Salt Lake Community College to build his minutes and gain his rhythm back.
"It was big for me. My first two years at BYU, I didn't really play. I had minutes here and there, but it didn't play enough to develop my game and develop me. That year, SLCC just gave me the opportunity to put what I had learned in those last two years with practices and in the minutes that I did get. I had to be able to put that all together on the court and as a leader on a team, it was great for my career to be to get a little bit of that freedom again. Through it all, it was really fun, and I enjoyed it a lot."
Right out of SLCC, Erickson committed to play for Craig Smith and the Runnin' Utes. In his first season, Erickson tied three other Runnin' Utes most games played in a single season (37) and reached double-figures in four of the last six games on the season.
As a former Cougar and a current Runnin' Ute, the rivalry between the two programs is special for Erickson. In last season's matchup inside the Huntsman Center, Erickson knocked down an electrifying triple with a foul to convert on the four-point-play. In this year's first meeting between the two on Jan. 18, Erickson found the bottom of the net from deep on two occasions, one of which was drilled to tie the game in overtime.
"It's been super fun. Coming out of high school, I had relationships with both coaching staffs. I think once you get to know the people, especially in the program, it's a little deeper than just the rivalry. Once you get to know the people, it's just totally different. Having the opportunity to play at [BYU] was awesome as a native of Provo. I always liked Utah as I got older. Utah has a great program, a great history, and at the end of the day, it just came down to Coach Smith. I believe in him, and he's given me opportunity to be who I am and go play."
With another opportunity at his hometown team on the schedule, the final regular-season game of the year will prove to be another chance to notch a rivalry win for Erickson.
Before then, Erickson and the Runnin' Utes welcome in No. 17/20 Kansas into the Jon M. Huntsman Center for their first meeting since Dec. 13, 2014, and their third matchup in the two programs' history.
Erickson was born and raised in Provo, attending Timpview High School and rapidly growing his game before college. In his senior season he was named 5A First-Team All-State by Deseret News, averaging 22.6 points and knocking down 55 triples. As a face of the program, Erickson credits his coaches for his success.
"I had a lot of coaches that believed in me and just put me in the opportunities to succeed and I was able to go out and take advantage of those great coaches," Erickson said.
Right out of high school, Erickson committed to BYU to continue his basketball career but first planned to serve a two-year mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Charlotte, N.C.
After two years of stepping away from basketball, it took a readjustment period to find his game again.
"The hardest part by far is just getting your legs back. A lot of people outside of Utah think it's an advantage to have two additional years to grow and whatnot, but there isn't any training. You're so focused on church things, and I think the hardest thing is just getting back. It just takes a minute to get the legs back and that endurance and explosiveness, but after a while it gets there again."
After two seasons with the Cougars, Erickson transferred to Salt Lake Community College to build his minutes and gain his rhythm back.
"It was big for me. My first two years at BYU, I didn't really play. I had minutes here and there, but it didn't play enough to develop my game and develop me. That year, SLCC just gave me the opportunity to put what I had learned in those last two years with practices and in the minutes that I did get. I had to be able to put that all together on the court and as a leader on a team, it was great for my career to be to get a little bit of that freedom again. Through it all, it was really fun, and I enjoyed it a lot."
Right out of SLCC, Erickson committed to play for Craig Smith and the Runnin' Utes. In his first season, Erickson tied three other Runnin' Utes most games played in a single season (37) and reached double-figures in four of the last six games on the season.
As a former Cougar and a current Runnin' Ute, the rivalry between the two programs is special for Erickson. In last season's matchup inside the Huntsman Center, Erickson knocked down an electrifying triple with a foul to convert on the four-point-play. In this year's first meeting between the two on Jan. 18, Erickson found the bottom of the net from deep on two occasions, one of which was drilled to tie the game in overtime.
"It's been super fun. Coming out of high school, I had relationships with both coaching staffs. I think once you get to know the people, especially in the program, it's a little deeper than just the rivalry. Once you get to know the people, it's just totally different. Having the opportunity to play at [BYU] was awesome as a native of Provo. I always liked Utah as I got older. Utah has a great program, a great history, and at the end of the day, it just came down to Coach Smith. I believe in him, and he's given me opportunity to be who I am and go play."
With another opportunity at his hometown team on the schedule, the final regular-season game of the year will prove to be another chance to notch a rivalry win for Erickson.
Before then, Erickson and the Runnin' Utes welcome in No. 17/20 Kansas into the Jon M. Huntsman Center for their first meeting since Dec. 13, 2014, and their third matchup in the two programs' history.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballMeet the Runnin’ Utes Staff: Erick Schork
Thursday, August 28
Utah Basketball | Team Together - Episode 2
Thursday, August 21
Fan Fest 2025 Coaches and Players Interviews: Men's Basketball
Sunday, August 17
Meet the Runnin’ Utes Staff: Victoria Sun
Wednesday, July 23