Hunter Maldonado

Maldonado attended Vista Ridge High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a junior, he averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and two steals per game, helping lead Vista Ridge to a 20–7 record and a berth in the 4A state semifinals. Maldonado was named The Gazette 5A-4A Boys' Basketball Peak Performer of the Year.^[1] He scored 37 points in a loss to Pueblo West High School.^[2] Regarded as a two-star recruit, in June 2016, Maldonado committed to playing college basketball for Wyoming.^[3] He had received interest from several other Division I programs and a scholarship offer from Division II Colorado–Colorado Springs.^[2]

Maldonado averaged 5.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a freshman, making 19 starts.^[4] As a sophomore, Maldonado averaged 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in eight games. However, his season was ended by a sprained knee ligament and back spasms, and he took a medical redshirt.^[5] On November 5, 2019, he scored a season-high 32 points in a 54–40 win over Idaho State.^[6] Maldonado averaged 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and four assists per game as a redshirt sophomore, while shooting 42 percent from the field. He was a Third Team All-Mountain West selection by the league media.^[7] On December 12, 2020, he scored a season-high 30 points in a 93–88 win over Utah Valley.^[8] As a redshirt junior, Maldonado averaged 12.5 points per game, and led Wyoming with 6.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.^[9] On January 31, 2022, he scored a career-high 35 points in a 84–78 overtime win against Colorado State.^[10] Maldonado was named to the First Team All-Mountain West as a fifth-year senior.^[11]

On March 22, 2022, Maldonado declared for the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility,^[12] but later withdrew from the draft after receiving no interest from NBA teams.

On February 9, 2023, he scored 17 points in a 69–59 loss to UNLV and became the fifth player in program history to pass the 2,000-point threshold.^[13]