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 weight | 96 kg (212 lb) | ||||||||||
| 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 Valentine (born November 16, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy. Denzel played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans.
As a senior in college, Denzel became the first player from Michigan State to be named the Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year. He also won many other awards, including NABC Player of the Year. In 2016, the Chicago Bulls picked him as the 14th player in the 2016 NBA draft.
Contents
Denzel Valentine's Early Basketball Days
High School Success and Family Ties
Denzel Valentine went to J. W. Sexton High School. His dad, Carlton Valentine, was his coach there. Carlton also played basketball for Michigan State. Denzel played with future college teammate Bryn Forbes in high school.
When he was a sophomore, Denzel helped Sexton reach the state championship game. He averaged about 11 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds per game.
In his senior year, Denzel was a star player. He averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. He led his team to an amazing 27–1 record. Denzel was named the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year. He was also the Associated Press Class B Player of the Year.
Becoming a College Basketball Star
Playing for Michigan State Spartans
After a great first year, Denzel won the "Unsung Player Award" from his teammates at Michigan State. As a sophomore, he was recognized as an honorable-mention All-Big Ten player.
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In his junior year, Denzel became a team captain. This was a bigger role for him. One special moment happened on Valentine's Day in 2015. He made the winning shot against Ohio State. He scored 17 points in that game.
Making History with a Triple-Double
On November 17, 2015, Denzel made history as a senior. He became only the fourth player at Michigan State to get a triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats. He scored 29 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and made 12 assists. This helped Michigan State beat the fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks.
Later, Denzel had a small knee surgery and missed a few weeks. But he came back strong in January 2016.
National Recognition and Awards
Denzel was named to many important watchlists for top college player awards. These included the Naismith Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
He finished his senior season averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Michigan State finished second in the Big Ten. On March 8, USA Today named Denzel the National Player of the Year. The Big Ten also named him their Player of the Year.
Denzel 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. He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player as Michigan State won the championship.
After his senior year, Denzel's basketball skills were noticed by many. He went from possibly not being drafted to becoming a potential top pick in the 2016 NBA draft.
Denzel Valentine's Professional Career
Starting with the Chicago Bulls (2016–2021)
On June 23, 2016, the Chicago Bulls picked Denzel as the 14th player in the 2016 NBA draft. He signed his first contract with the Bulls in July 2016. A few days later, he made a game-winning shot for the Bulls in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game.
In his first season, Denzel sometimes played for the Windy City Bulls. This is Chicago's minor league team. On January 10, 2017, he scored a career-high 19 points against the Washington Wizards. On March 18, 2017, he got his first "double-double" in the NBA. He had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
On November 26, 2017, Denzel had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists against the Miami Heat. On March 17, 2018, he had his best scoring night. He made eight 3-pointers and scored 34 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Denzel had some challenges with injuries during his time with the Bulls. He had knee surgery in April 2018. In September 2018, he hurt his ankle. This injury kept him out for the entire 2018-2019 season.
Moving to Other Teams (2021–Present)
In September 2021, Denzel signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In January 2022, he was traded to the New York Knicks but was then waived. Soon after, he signed a short contract with the Utah Jazz.
Later in January 2022, Denzel joined the Maine Celtics. He played for them until 2023. In July 2023, he signed with the Sydney Kings in Australia.
In March 2024, Denzel moved to Italy to play for Olimpia Milano. In August 2024, he signed with Pallacanestro Trieste, also in Italy.
Denzel Valentine's Basketball Stats
NBA Regular Season Stats
| 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 Playoff Stats
| 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 Stats
| 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 the National Team
Denzel was part of the USA Basketball team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada. His team won the bronze medal. The next year, he trained with the 2016 Rio Olympic team.
Denzel Valentine's Personal Life
Denzel'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 sees fellow NBA player Draymond Green as a "big brother."
In April 2016, Denzel and his college coach, Tom Izzo, were guests on the TV show Dancing With the Stars. Denzel is also a rapper and released his first album in February 2021.
Awards and Honors
University Awards
- George Alderton Male Athlete of the Year (Michigan State University)
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
- Lute Olson National Player of the Year
- Julius Erving Award – Nations 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
