Travis Hunter deserves the attention he’s getting. Right from Week 1, the Buffs two-way phenom has given fans worthy highlights with his unreal catches. After winning their fourth season game against UCF, his fandom has spread further than his regular well-wishers, as he enticed one popular NBA star who even presented him with a gift. 

After enjoying the field spotlight at UCF, Travis Hunter won the interest of Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. The $203M NBA star sent his best regards to the Buffs’ versatile two-way star in the form of his creative ideas. Tagging @melo on his Instagram stories on September 30, Travis Hunter posted a picture of a cool black LaMelo Ball basketball sneaker with white and gold prints. He expressed his enthusiasm with a caption “omg 🔥🔥”

The shoe in the post is the PUMA x LAMELO BALL MB.01 Rare Reserve Stripes. The only difference is that Travis Hunter’s surprise has a tinge of the Buffs’ colors. This limited colorway is a product of LaMelo’s debut PUMA Hoops sneaker with NITROFOAM and PUMAGRIP features.

LaMelo Ball partnered with PUMA in 2020 and released his signature basketball shoes – the MB.01 the following year. The NBA star is known to be generous when it comes to handing out his signature shoes to deserving people. Last year, he provided his trademark sneakers to young kids who were learning basketball at training camp to motivate them. Earning the support of a fellow athlete who has a big heart is a win-win for Travis Hunter who’s now a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. 

Travis Hunter remains a solid Heisman contender

Travis Hunter is another game closer to being a potential Heisman winner! While he usually doesn’t talk about his rising stardom, he flashed the Heisman pose in the last game against UCF, something Deion Sanders would rather wish he didn’t. For the first game this season, Hunter fell short of 100-yards as he caught nine passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. He also contributed one interception on defense. 

In all of the five games played, Travis Hunter recorded 46 catches for 561 yards and six TDs. He currently holds +3000 odds for the Heisman which improved from +3500 from a week ago. His race for the Heisman is a very realistic scenario now as long as injuries don’t get in the way that he would have to miss games like last year. They still have seven solid regular games with three scheduled for October. Their upcoming game against No. 20 Kansas State on October 11 will be a game to watch out for.