DeAndre Liggins facts for kids
Liggins with the Cavaliers in 2017
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| No. 34 – Dijlah Al-Jamiea | |
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| Shooting guard / small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 31, 1988 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 209 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kentucky (2008–2011) |
| NBA Draft | 2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 53rd overall |
| Selected by the Orlando Magic | |
| Pro career | 2011–present |
| League | Iraqi Basketball Premier League |
| Career history | |
| 2011–2012 | Orlando Magic |
| 2012–2013 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2012–2013 | →Tulsa 66ers |
| 2013–2014 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2014 | Miami Heat |
| 2014 | →Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2014–2015 | Krasny Oktyabr |
| 2015 | Eisbären Bremerhaven |
| 2015–2016 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2016–2017 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2017 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2017–2018 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2018 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2018–2019 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2019 | Kolossos Rodou |
| 2019 | Fuenlabrada |
| 2020–2021 | London Lions |
| 2021–2022 | New Taipei Kings |
| 2022–2024 | Al-Ahli Jeddah |
| 2024–present | Dijlah Al-Jamiea |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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DeAndre Desmond Liggins (born March 31, 1988) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Dijlah Al-Jamiea in the Iraqi Basketball Premier League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
DeAndre Liggins was born in Chicago, Illinois. He started his high school basketball journey at George Washington High School in Chicago. For his final year of high school, he moved to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada.
Experts at Rivals.com thought Liggins was a very talented player. They ranked him as one of the best point guards in the country in 2008. He was also considered one of the top 30 players overall in his age group.
College Basketball Career
Liggins played college basketball for three years at the University of Kentucky. During his first two years, he usually came off the bench as a substitute player. This means he wasn't a starter but would come into the game to help his team.
In his junior year, his coach, John Calipari, decided to make him a starter. After this successful junior season, Liggins decided to enter the 2011 NBA draft. This is where professional basketball teams choose new players.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting in the NBA
On June 24, 2011, DeAndre Liggins was picked by the Orlando Magic in the NBA draft. He was the 53rd player chosen overall. He played his first NBA game for the Magic on February 20, 2012. In that game, he scored three points and grabbed two rebounds.
In July 2012, he played for the Magic again in the NBA Summer League. This is a special league where new players and young players get to show their skills.
Playing for the Thunder
Liggins then signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder on September 12, 2012. While with the Thunder, he also spent time playing for their minor league team, the Tulsa 66ers. This team is part of the NBA Development League, often called the D-League.
On January 13, 2013, Liggins started his first NBA game for the Thunder. He scored 11 points and had nine rebounds in that game. The Thunder won against the Portland Trail Blazers. He later played for the Thunder in the 2013 NBA Summer League. The Thunder decided to let him go on September 6, 2013.
Time with the Skyforce and Heat
In November 2013, Liggins joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This is another team in the NBA D-League. He was chosen to be an All-Star in the 2014 NBA D-League All-Star Game.
On February 25, 2014, Liggins signed a short contract with the Miami Heat. He played one game for the Heat, scoring 2 points. He then returned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce. On April 21, he was named the 2014 D-League Defensive Player of the Year. This award goes to the best defensive player in the league.
Playing Overseas
After his time in the NBA, Liggins played basketball in other countries. In October 2014, he signed with Krasny Oktyabr in Russia. He later played for Eisbären Bremerhaven in Germany in February 2015.
Return to the Skyforce and a Championship
On November 2, 2015, Liggins rejoined the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was named an All-Star again for the 2016 NBA D-League All-Star Game. However, he couldn't play due to an injury.
On April 13, he won the D-League Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time. He helped the Skyforce have an amazing season, winning 40 games and losing only 10. They went on to win the league championship! Liggins was also named to the All-NBA D-League Second Team and the All-NBA D-League All-Defensive First Team.
Back in the NBA with the Cavaliers
On September 26, 2016, Liggins signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played his first game for them on October 25, 2016. He helped the Cavaliers win against the New York Knicks. The Cavaliers later decided to let him go on April 9, 2017.
Short Stints with Other NBA Teams
After the Cavaliers, Liggins briefly played for the Dallas Mavericks in April 2017. He was then traded to several teams, including the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, but didn't play for them. He also signed with the Miami Heat again for a short time in October 2017.
In October 2017, Liggins was picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks. He played for them until January 2018. Then, he signed two short contracts with the New Orleans Pelicans in January 2018. He later signed a two-year deal with the Pelicans in February 2018. He was released by the Pelicans in August 2018.
More International Play and Recent Career
Liggins returned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce for a third time in October 2018. In March 2019, he signed with Kolossos Rodou in the Greek Basket League. Later that year, in August 2019, he signed with Montakit Fuenlabrada in Spain.
From 2020 to 2021, Liggins played for the London Lions in the British Basketball League (BBL). He had a great season, averaging 14.4 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. He also won several awards, including British Basketball League Team of the Year and Defensive Team of the Year in 2021. He was also named the MVP of the BBL Trophy Finals.
In December 2021, Liggins signed with the New Taipei Kings in Taiwan. From 2022 to 2024, he played for Al-Ahli Jeddah. As of 2024, he plays for Dijlah Al-Jamiea in Iraq.
See also
In Spanish: DeAndre Liggins para niños
