Chris Lofton facts for kids
Chris Lofton
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| Free Agent | |
|---|---|
| Guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 27, 1986 Maysville, Kentucky |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Mason County (Maysville, Kentucky) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Tennessee (2004–2008) |
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2008–present |
| Career history | |
| 2008–2009 | Mersin BB |
| 2009 | Caja Laboral |
| 2009–2010 | Estudiantes |
| 2010–2011 | Iowa Energy |
| 2011–2012 | Lokomotiv Kuban |
| 2012 | Estudiantes |
| 2012–2013 | Lagun Aro GBC |
| 2013–2015 | Beşiktaş |
| 2015–2016 | Le Mans Sarthe |
| 2017 | Neptūnas Klaipėda |
| 2017–2018 | Le Mans Sarthe |
| 2019 | Seoul SK Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Christopher Franklin Lofton (born March 27, 1985) is an American professional basketball player. He is known for his amazing three-point shots and his strong spirit on the court. He played college basketball with the University of Tennessee Volunteers.
Contents
High School Hoops Star
Chris Lofton grew up in Maysville, Kentucky. He was a fantastic basketball player for the Mason County Royals, his high school team. In 2003, he led the Royals to win the State Championships! The very next year, he led them back to the championship game. Even though he was named "Mr. Basketball" for Kentucky in his senior year, some big colleges like Louisville and Kentucky didn't recruit him. But the University of Tennessee coach, Buzz Peterson, saw his talent. Chris decided to play for the Tennessee Volunteers, also known as the Vols.
College Career at Tennessee
Chris quickly made a name for himself at Tennessee. As a freshman, he was named to the third team All-America. On February 11, 2006, he set a school record by making 9 three-point shots in one game. He scored a career-high 33 points in that game against the University of Georgia. Later that year, on December 23, 2006, he scored even more, reaching 35 points in an exciting overtime win against the University of Texas. For the 2005–2006 season, Chris was chosen as a second team All-America.
In the 2006–07 season, Chris was the top scorer in his conference, averaging 20.8 points per game. He was named the SEC Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He led the Tennessee Volunteers to the Sweet 16 in the 2007 NCAA basketball tournament. He was again named Second-team All-American for that season. After the season, Chris attended a camp with basketball legend Kobe Bryant. He also tried out for the Pan Am USA team.
Instead of going to the 2007 NBA draft, Chris decided to stay at Tennessee for his senior year. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in November 2007! Sports Illustrated thought Tennessee would be one of the top teams in the country and picked Chris as a 1st Team All-American. On December 19, 2007, Chris broke Allan Houston's record for most three-point shots made at Tennessee. Houston had held the record with 346 three-pointers. On January 22, 2008, Chris broke another record, passing Pat Bradley to become the all-time leader in career three-pointers in the Southeastern Conference with 367. His last three-pointer in college came in the 2008 NCAA Tournament against Louisville. Chris was also selected to the Third Team All-America for his senior season.
Professional Basketball Journey
In July 2008, Chris Lofton began his professional career. He signed a one-year contract with Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi in the Turkish Basketball League. He had some incredible games there, scoring 47 points (with 13 three-pointers) in one game and an amazing 61 points (with 17 three-pointers) in another!
In June 2009, he was invited to play for the Boston Celtics summer league team. Later, he joined Spanish ACB League team Caja Laboral Baskonia. After a short time, he moved to another Spanish team, CB Estudiantes. In November 2010, he was picked 6th overall in the NBA D-League Draft by the Iowa Energy. However, he soon returned to Europe. In March 2011, he signed with Lokomotiv Kuban in Russia. He later returned to CB Estudiantes in Spain.
In August 2012, Chris signed with Lagun Aro GBC, but an injury to his left knee caused him to leave the team a month later. On August 17, 2013, he signed a one-year deal with Beşiktaş and extended his contract for another season in 2014. In 2017, he played for Neptūnas Klaipėda in the Lithuanian Basketball League. Later that year, he signed with Le Mans Sarthe in France. He has also played for the Seoul SK Knights in the KBL (Korean Basketball League).
Overcoming Challenges
After his 2007 college season, Chris faced a serious health challenge. He was diagnosed with cancer. He kept this private for a while, sharing it only with his coach, parents, and a few university officials. He underwent successful radiation treatments and surgery. Chris is now considered cancer-free and continues to inspire many with his strength and determination.
Awards and Accomplishments
- 2007 SEC Player Of The Year
See also
In Spanish: Chris Lofton para niños
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career 3-point scoring leaders
