Billy Preston (basketball) facts for kids
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Preston with the Cavs in the 2018 preseason
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 26, 1997 Redondo Beach, California, USA |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
| 2018 | Igokea |
| 2018 | Canton Charge |
| 2018–2019 | Erie BayHawks |
| 2019 | Texas Legends |
| 2019 | Illawarra Hawks |
| 2020 | Metropolitanos de Mauricio Baez |
| 2021–2022 | Cape Town Tigers |
| 2024 | Cape Town Tigers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Billy Dewon Preston Jr. (born October 26, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a power forward. Billy went to four different high schools, including Oak Hill Academy. He was considered one of the best young players in his class. He even earned a special honor called McDonald's All-American.
After high school, Billy planned to play college basketball at the University of Kansas. However, he was involved in a car accident on campus. No one was hurt, but the university needed to investigate the car. Because of this investigation, Billy could not play any games. After waiting for over two months, he decided to start his professional basketball career instead.
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High School Basketball Journey
Billy Preston grew up in Santa Ana, California. He went to several high schools to play basketball. These included St. John Bosco High School and Redondo Union High School. He also attended Prime Prep in Dallas, Texas. In 2016, he moved to Oak Hill Academy. During his last year at Oak Hill, he scored about 15.3 points per game. He also grabbed 9.2 rebounds per game.
In November 2016, Billy decided to play for Kansas. He had also visited other big schools. These included Syracuse, Indiana, and the University of Southern California.
Billy played in two important high school games. He scored ten points in the 2017 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. He also played in the 2017 Jordan Brand Classic, where he scored seven points.
College Plans and Challenges
Billy Preston was set to play for the Kansas Jayhawks. But on November 8, 2017, he was in a car accident on campus. No one was injured in the accident. However, the university began looking into the car's ownership. This investigation meant Billy could not play for the team.
On January 20, 2018, Billy decided to leave Kansas. He was frustrated because he could not play. Even though he played in some practice games, he never played in a regular season game for Kansas.
Starting a Professional Career
Playing in Europe
On January 20, 2018, Billy signed with Igokea Laktaši. This team plays in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He played his first professional game nine days later. He scored 2 points and had 2 assists in that game. On March 4, 2018, Billy left Igokea. He had a sore shoulder that kept hurting him.
After leaving Igokea, Billy decided to try for the 2018 NBA draft. He was one of many young players who entered the draft. He was also invited to the NBA Draft Combine. This event allows players to show their skills to NBA teams.
Time in the NBA G League
Billy was not chosen in the 2018 NBA draft. But he still got a chance with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played for their team in the 2018 NBA Summer League. On July 7, Billy signed a special contract with the Cavaliers. This was a two-way contract. It meant he would play for both the Cavaliers and their minor league team, the Canton Charge. However, he did not play any games for the Cavaliers. He was later released on December 2, 2018.
On December 16, 2018, Billy joined the Erie BayHawks. This team is also in the NBA G League. He played for them until February 8, 2019. Then, he was traded to the Texas Legends. He played for the Texas Legends for about a month.
Playing Around the World
After his time in the G League, Billy went to play in Australia. On December 9, 2019, he signed with the Illawarra Hawks. This team is part of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). He played only three games before leaving the team.
In 2019, Billy also played in the Dominican Republic. He joined a team called Metropolitanos de Mauricio Baez.
Success in Africa
In September 2021, Billy signed with the Cape Town Tigers. This team plays in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He helped them qualify for the 2022 BAL season. He averaged 16.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in the qualifying games. On April 12, 2022, Billy played his first BAL game. He scored 26 points, which was the most on his team.
Billy returned to play for the Cape Town Tigers again in March 2024. This was for the 2024 BAL season.
