Nate Hinton

Nate Hinton's Biography

Nathaniel Robert Hinton was born on June 8, 1999 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He is an accomplished American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a team in the NBA G League.

Hinton’s journey to becoming a professional basketball player started at a young age. His love for the sport was evident when he began playing basketball for Forestview High School in Gastonia in his freshman year. He later transferred to Gaston Day School, located in the same city. But it was in his sophomore season at Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina that he began to truly shine. During this time, Hinton averaged 18 points, six rebounds, and four steals per game, leading his team to the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) 2A title game.

Following his successful sophomore season, Hinton returned to Gaston Day for his final two high school years. In his junior year, he continued to be a dominant force on the court, averaging a team-high 19.1 points per game. His stellar performance aided his team in reaching the NCISAA 2A semi-finals.

Hinton had a strong desire to excel both on and off the court. His tenacity and determination didn’t go unnoticed. After demonstrating impressive skill and sportsmanship during his junior year, he led Team Loaded NC to the Adidas Gauntlet final. This significant achievement grabbed the attention of several high-tier NCAA Division I programs. As a senior, he averaged 19.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and four steals per game, ensuring Gaston Day a NCISAA 2A runner-up finish. This earned him an NCISAA 2A All-State selection title and the title of Player of the Year by Gaston Gazette. Hinton’s high school career was fruitful, seeing him score an impressive 2,217 points in total.

Throughout this successful journey, Hinton proved that he was a valuable player that could be trusted on the court. Hinton’s high school performance thus attracted recruitments from college basketball programs, especially Houston. He was a distinguished four-star recruit, and ultimately committed to play at the University of Houston becoming the top recruit under the guidance of head coach Kelvin Sampson.

As a freshman at Houston, Hinton was the preseason Freshman of the Year in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Shortly after, he distinguished himself by recording a season-high of 19 points and nine rebounds in a victorious match against Memphis. His 16 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over Cincinnati helped Houston clinch the AAC regular season title. In his freshman year, Hinton averaged 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, and was subsequently selected to join the AAC All-Freshman Team.

In his sophomore year, Hinton’s performance excelled even further. He set new records at Fertitta Center with 16 rebounds and five steals in a single game, on top of scoring 20 points. With a seasonal average of 10.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, two assists, and 1.4 steals per game, he earned second-team All-AAC honors and a spot in the NABC All-District 24 first team. On May 18th, he announced his decision to hire an agent and enter the 2020 NBA draft, foregoing his remaining two years of college eligibility.

Unfortunately, Hinton went undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft. However, he was signed to a two-way contract by the Dallas Mavericks. His first NBA G League assignment was with the Long Island Nets. He then played for the Santa Cruz Warriors before being re-signed in August 2021. Later in the year, Hinton was waived by Mavericks and signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Indiana Pacers. Subsequently, he joined their G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, averaging 8.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 14 games. Following this stint, he signed a 10-day contract with the Pacers on December 30th and then inked a two-way contract with them on April 7, 2022.

Hinton’s career saw numerous journeys as he moved to the Cleveland Charge training camp roster in late 2022. Subsequently, on August 2, 2023, Hinton was brought on by the Houston Rockets. Although he was let go briefly on October 21, 2023, he was soon signed back on a two-way deal shortly after. He then signed a standard contract with the Rockets in July 2024 but was once again waived in October of the same year. Nevertheless, Hinton’s determination saw no end as he re-joined the Vipers by the end of October.

Outside the world of basketball, Hinton is a religious individual. His father, Dr. Benjamin Hinton, a pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gastonia, has significantly influenced his life since March 1991. Despite his tireless professional advancement, Hinton’s deep-rooted faith remains a constant cornerstone in his life, guiding him throughout his journey in the challenging world of professional basketball.