The forward, who played for the Otago Nuggets this year, has joined the side as a development player for the coming Australian National Basketball League.
It follows a standout season in which he was named Finals Most Valuable Player after helping the Nuggets claim their first New Zealand NBL title.
Hunt (23) joins Nuggets team-mates Jarrod Kenny and Jordan Ngatai at the team, in what he said was a great opportunity.
The Taipans had been impressed by what they saw from Hunt with the Nuggets and head coach Mike Kelly felt he had the potential to become a fulltime ANBL player.
Hunt has been in Cairns for a week and a-half and while adjusting to the heat, he was enjoying it.
Having a pair of familiar faces had eased the transition, while he found the rest of the team had been good with helping him take the step up.
"It’s definitely a noticeable difference throughout the whole team, pretty much," Hunt told the Otago Daily Times.
"It’s been good trying to push myself to get to that level — watching the guys on the court when I’m off, seeing how they play and the little things they do that makes them that much better on that level."
Hunt returned to New Zealand this year after four
years at Southern Oregon University.
The 2.05m forward was drafted in the third round by the Nuggets for this year’s revamped NBL and quickly impressed.
His ability to score in multiple ways was notable and he finished the season averaging 19.6 points per game.
Alongside having great feet and touch in the post, he was dangerous in the pick and roll and also a threatening set shooter from deep.
However, he said scoring had been a much tougher challenge at the Taipans.
"I feel like the defensive rotations are way faster.
"You’re not going to be as open on the three and the help’s way better, so post-ups are a lot tougher.
"Obviously all around it’s a lot tougher to get your shots and play comfortably.
"It’s a good thing for the defence, but it’s pretty tough, that difference between the two levels."
The Taipans play preseason games on December 31 and January 9, before tipping off their season against the Brisbane Bullets on January 16.
Hunt was unsure whether he would be able to return for the New Zealand NBL, as the Australian league had not confirmed the draw for the second half of its season.
