“I am confident that our staff has added a future star in our profession. Cypheus’ abilities are exceeded only by his character and love for Western Kentucky,” said Horn. “He has a passion for young people and will be an outstanding role model for all of our players. I have no doubt that he will give the same great effort in his coaching career that he did during his playing days that made him — and Western — so successful.”
Bunton played two years at WKU, helping the Hilltoppers to a 46-17 (73%) overall mark, berths in the NCAA Tournament in each of his seasons, one Sun Belt Conference championship and one SBC Tournament title. The Toppers finished his junior season ranked in the top 25 of both the Associated Press and USA Today polls.
A 6-foot-6 forward, Bunton still ranks sixth all-time on the Hill with 80 blocks, while his 52 rejections as a senior remains the fifth-highest season total. And, he holds the school season record with 53 dunks that year — his 80 career dunks rank second all-time in school history.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to be able to come back to a program and school that I love, and also to be able to work under a person that I admire so much,” Bunton said. “I am committed, along with coach Horn, to getting Hilltopper Basketball back to the level it was at when we were players here.”
Bunton averaged 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest his final year, adding 40 steals and 34 assists as the Hilltoppers posted a 20-11 mark. He shot 53.9 percent from the floor while playing 28.6 minutes per contest, earning the E.A. Diddle Award, which is given to the player who best displays leadership, character, loyalty, ability and love of fellow man.
As a junior, he overcame a preseason wrist injury to appear in 27 games as Western defeated both Memphis State and second-seeded Seton Hall to advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. WKU would go on to a 26-6 finish as Bunton averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game to go along with 28 blocks, 26 assists and 12 steals. He shot 53 percent from the field that year.
Bunton brings a wealth of experience in addition to his time at Western, having played professionally nine seasons before serving as the head coach of the Louisville Legends AAU 17-and-under team last year. That includes two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association and another with the National Basketball Development League as well as overseas experience in four countries. Bunton was the Most Valuable Player of the Swedish Basketball League during the 1996-97 campaign, and he also earned MVP honors in the British Basketball League’s 2000 All-Star Game.
Bunton came to Western from Sullivan Junior College, where he helped the Executives to a 55-14 (79.7%) record and back-to-back Kentucky Junior College Athletic Conference championships during his two-year career — SJC also advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament his final season after winning NJCAA Region 7 Tournament. A two-time all-state and all-conference selection, Bunton averaged 12.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and three blocks per game as a sophomore.
He was a four-year letterwinner at Valley High School in Louisville, Ky., where he earned all-state and all-conference accolades as a senior. His uncle, Granville, lettered two years at Western as well, posting three games with 20 or more rebounds.
Bunton is a 1995 WKU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in recreation.
