Denzel Valentine facts for kids
Valentine with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021
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| No. 45 – Pallacanestro Trieste | |||||||||||
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| Shooting guard | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | November 16, 1993 Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
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| High school | J. W. Sexton (Lansing, Michigan) | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | Michigan State (2012–2016) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall | ||||||||||
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |||||||||||
| Pro career | 2016–present | ||||||||||
| League | LBA | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| 2016–2021 | Chicago Bulls | ||||||||||
| 2017, 2019 | → Windy City Bulls | ||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Cleveland Cavaliers | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Utah Jazz | ||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Maine Celtics | ||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Sydney Kings | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Olimpia Milano | ||||||||||
| 2024–present | Pallacanestro Trieste | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Medals
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Denzel Robert "Bobby" Valentine (born November 16, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy's top basketball league, the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).
Valentine played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. During his senior year, he became the first player from Michigan State to be named the National Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He also won many other awards and was chosen as a unanimous First-Team All-American. The Chicago Bulls picked Valentine as the 14th overall player in the 2016 NBA draft.
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High School Basketball Days
Denzel Valentine went to J. W. Sexton High School. His father, Carlton Valentine, who also played for Michigan State, was his coach. Denzel played alongside Bryn Forbes, who later became his teammate at Michigan State.
In his sophomore year, Valentine helped Sexton reach the state championship game. He averaged about 11 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds per game. As a senior, he had impressive averages of 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. He led Sexton to a great 27–1 record. Valentine was named the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year and the Associated Press Class B Player of the Year.
College Career Highlights
After a good first year, Valentine received the Unsung Player Award from his Michigan State teammates. In his second year, he was recognized as an honorable-mention All-Big Ten player.
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As a junior, Valentine took on a bigger leadership role for the team. A memorable moment happened on Valentine's Day in 2015. He made the game-winning shot against Ohio State, scoring 17 points in that game. He earned several honors that year, including being named to the Orlando Classic All-Tournament Team.
On November 17, 2015, during his senior year, Valentine achieved a triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats: 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. This happened in Michigan State's win over the fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. He was only the fourth player in Michigan State history to get a triple-double.
Valentine was a finalist for many top college basketball awards. These included the Naismith Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award. He finished his 2015–16 regular season averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. He was named the Big Ten's Player of the Year.
Valentine's senior year was very successful. He won Michigan State's first College Basketball Player of the Year Award since Draymond Green in 2012. He also shined in the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player as Michigan State won its fifth championship. His strong performance in college greatly improved his chances for the NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Journey
Chicago Bulls (2016–2021)
On June 23, 2016, the Chicago Bulls chose Denzel Valentine as the 14th pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract with the Bulls in July 2016. Soon after, he hit a game-winning shot in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game.
In January 2017, Valentine scored a season-high 9 points against the Charlotte Hornets. On January 10, 2017, he set new career highs with 19 points and five three-pointers. On March 18, 2017, he achieved his first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds against the Utah Jazz. During his first year, Valentine also played for the Windy City Bulls, Chicago's minor league team.
On November 26, 2017, Valentine had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists against the Miami Heat. On March 17, 2018, he had an amazing game, scoring a career-best 34 points and making eight three-pointers against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, he had to miss the rest of that season due to a knee surgery. He also missed the entire 2018-2019 season because of an ankle injury.
Moving to New Teams (2021–Present)
Valentine signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers in September 2021. In January 2022, he was traded to the New York Knicks but was then waived. He quickly signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.
After his time with the Jazz, Valentine joined the Maine Celtics in January 2022. He played for them until 2023. In July 2023, he signed with the Sydney Kings in Australia for their 2023–24 season.
In March 2024, Valentine moved to Italy to play for Olimpia Milano. Most recently, in August 2024, he signed with Pallacanestro Trieste, where he currently plays in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Chicago | 57 | 0 | 17.1 | .354 | .351 | .778 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .5 | .1 | 5.1 |
| 2017–18 | Chicago | 77 | 37 | 27.2 | .417 | .386 | .745 | 5.1 | 3.2 | .8 | .1 | 10.2 |
| 2019–20 | Chicago | 36 | 5 | 13.6 | .409 | .336 | .750 | 2.1 | 1.2 | .7 | .2 | 6.8 |
| 2020–21 | Chicago | 62 | 3 | 16.7 | .373 | .331 | .941 | 3.2 | 1.7 | .5 | .1 | 6.5 |
| 2021–22 | Cleveland | 22 | 0 | 9.3 | .371 | .409 | — | 1.7 | .5 | .3 | .0 | 2.9 |
| 2021–22 | Utah | 2 | 0 | 9.0 | .500 | .333 | — | 2.0 | .0 | .5 | .0 | 2.5 |
| Career | 256 | 45 | 18.8 | .394 | .360 | .787 | 3.3 | 1.8 | .6 | .1 | 7.0 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Chicago | 4 | 0 | 5.5 | .333 | .250 | — | 2.0 | .5 | .0 | .3 | 1.3 |
| Career | 4 | 0 | 5.5 | .333 | .250 | — | 2.0 | .5 | .0 | .3 | 1.3 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Michigan State | 36 | 15 | 20.8 | .445 | .281 | .667 | 4.1 | 2.4 | .8 | .3 | 5.0 |
| 2013–14 | Michigan State | 38 | 33 | 29.4 | .408 | .377 | .677 | 6.0 | 3.8 | 1.0 | .3 | 8.0 |
| 2014–15 | Michigan State | 39 | 39 | 33.2 | .443 | .416 | .826 | 6.3 | 4.3 | .9 | .2 | 14.5 |
| 2015–16 | Michigan State | 31 | 30 | 33.0 | .462 | .444 | .853 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 1.0 | .2 | 19.2 |
| Career | 144 | 117 | 29.0 | .442 | .408 | .779 | 5.9 | 4.4 | .9 | .3 | 11.4 | |
Playing for Team USA
Valentine was part of the USA Basketball senior men's national team. He played in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada. The U.S. team won the bronze medal in that tournament. The next year, Valentine joined the USA Basketball Select Team. This team helped train the 2016 Rio Olympic team.
Personal Life and Interests
Denzel Valentine's parents are Carlton and Kathy Valentine. His older brother, Drew, also played college basketball. Drew is now a head coach at Loyola University in Chicago. Denzel considers fellow NBA player Draymond Green "like a big brother."
In April 2016, Denzel and his college coach, Tom Izzo, appeared as guests on the TV show Dancing With the Stars. Denzel Valentine is also a rapper and released his first album in February 2021.
Awards and Recognition
Valentine has received many awards throughout his basketball career.
University Awards
- George Alderton Male Athlete of the Year (Michigan State University Athlete of the Year)
National Player of the Year Awards
- AP – National Player of the Year
- NABC – National Player of the Year
- USA Today – National Player of the Year
- NBC Sports – National Player of the Year
- Sports Illustrated – National Player of the Year
- Senior CLASS Award Winner – Top Senior in the Nation
- CollegeInsider.com – Lute Olson National Player of the Year
- Julius Erving Award – Nation's Top Small Forward
All-American Awards
- AP – 1st Team All-American
- NABC – 1st Team All-American
- CBS Sports – 1st Team All-American
- ESPN – 1st Team All-American
- USBWA – 1st Team All-American
- Sporting News – 1st Team All-American
Big Ten and Regional Awards
- Big Ten Player of the Year (Media and Coaches)
- All-Big Ten 1st Team (Media and Coaches)
- Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player
- Big Ten's All Tournament Team
- USBWA – District V Player of the Year
See also
In Spanish: Denzel Valentine para niños
