Eric Bledsoe facts for kids
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Bledsoe with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Point guard / shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 9, 1989 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| High school | Parker (Birmingham, Alabama) |
| Listed weight | 97 kg (214 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kentucky (2009–2010) |
| NBA Draft | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall |
| Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder | |
| Pro career | 2010–present |
| Career history | |
| 2010–2013 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2012 | →Bakersfield Jam |
| 2013–2017 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2017–2020 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2020–2021 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2021–2022 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2022–2025 | Shanghai Sharks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Eric Bledsoe (born December 9, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He recently played for the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Eric usually plays as a point guard, which is like the team's main ball handler.
After playing one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, he was chosen by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010 NBA draft. He was the 18th player picked overall. Soon after, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Eric played for the Phoenix Suns for four years, from 2013 to 2017. Later, he joined the Milwaukee Bucks.
Contents
- Early Life and High School Basketball
- College Basketball Career
- Professional Basketball Journey
- Career Statistics
- About Eric's Family
- See also
Early Life and High School Basketball
Eric Bledsoe grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He went to Parker High School there. In his final year, he was a star player. He scored about 20 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and made 11 assists per game. He helped his team reach the state championship game. Experts thought he was one of the best point guards in the country.
College Basketball Career
Eric played one season of college basketball at Kentucky in 2009–10. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. He played in 37 games, starting 35 of them. He helped the Wildcats achieve an amazing 35–3 record. They even made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament.
Eric scored double-digit points 20 times that season. In one NCAA tournament game, he scored a career-high 29 points. He made eight three-pointers in that game, which was a Kentucky school record. Even though he was a natural point guard, he often played as a shooting guard. This was because he played alongside another talented freshman, John Wall.
After his great season, Eric decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his last three years of college eligibility.
Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers (2010–2013)
Before the draft, people noticed Eric's speed and ball-handling skills. He was also good at shooting three-pointers. The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted him 18th overall in the 2010 NBA draft. However, he was quickly traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
In his first season, he averaged 6.7 points and 3.6 assists. He started 25 games and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In his second year, the Clippers got Chris Paul, another great point guard. This meant Eric played fewer minutes, about 11 per game. His stats went down, and he even played a few games in the NBA Development League. But in his third season, his performance improved, even though he was still behind Chris Paul. Eric also took part in the 2013 All-Star Game's Slam Dunk Contest.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2013–2017)
Starting Strong in Phoenix
On July 10, 2013, Eric was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He joined the team with Caron Butler in a big trade. In his first game with the Suns, he scored 22 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 7 assists. The Suns won that game 104–91. In his second game, Eric made his first game-winning shot! It was an 87–84 home victory.
He scored a career-high 28 points in a game on December 13, 2013. He also got his first "double-double" with the Suns. This means he had double-digit numbers in two categories (16 points and 11 rebounds).
Dealing with Injuries
Towards the end of 2013, Eric hurt his left shin. This injury turned into a meniscus problem, which kept him out of games for almost two and a half months. He returned to play on March 12, 2014. He continued to start for the team for the rest of that season.
Big Contract and Triple-Doubles
On September 24, 2014, Eric signed a new five-year, $70 million contract with the Suns. In the first game of the 2014–15 season, he had 16 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.
On December 8, 2014, Eric achieved his first "triple-double." This means he had double-digit numbers in three categories: 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists. He got his second triple-double on December 23. On January 21, 2015, he scored a career-high 33 points. He also had 10 rebounds and 6 assists in that game.
More Injuries and Strong Comebacks
On October 31, 2015, Eric scored 33 points, almost tying his career high. On December 29, he had surgery on his left knee. This injury kept him out for the rest of the 2015–16 season.
He returned to the court on October 26, 2016. On November 2, he hit a game-winning three-pointer in overtime! This gave the Suns their first win of the season. On November 27, he scored a new career-high of 35 points. He had three straight games where he scored over 30 points in December 2016. This was a first for a Suns player since 2010.
On January 22, 2017, Eric scored a career-high 40 points. He also had 13 assists in that game. He even scored 41 points twice in just 11 days! This was a record for the Suns. On February 15, he got his third career triple-double. He finished the season with his best numbers for points and assists.
Joining the Milwaukee Bucks (2017–2020)
On November 7, 2017, Eric was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played his first game for the Bucks three days later. On November 22, he scored 30 points in a game against his old team, the Suns. On March 30, 2018, he scored 39 points in an overtime win. On April 9, 2018, he achieved his fourth career triple-double.
On February 27, 2019, he had 26 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds in an overtime win. On March 4, he signed a new four-year contract with the Bucks. At the end of the season, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. This means he was one of the best defensive players in the league.
In December 2019, Eric had a leg injury that kept him out for about two weeks. He helped the Bucks have the best record in the league for two years in a row. However, they did not make it to the NBA Finals.
Playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2020–2021)
On November 24, 2020, Eric was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. In his first game with the Pelicans, he scored 18 points.
Back with the Los Angeles Clippers (2021–2022)
On August 7, 2021, Eric was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal. Then, on August 16, he was traded back to the Los Angeles Clippers. On October 21, 2021, Eric played for the Clippers again for the first time since 2013. He scored 22 points in that game.
On February 4, 2022, Eric was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He reunited with his former teammate and now coach, Chauncey Billups. On March 28, Eric was ruled out for the rest of the season due to pain in his left Achilles tendon. He was released by the team on July 6, 2022, without playing a game for them.
Playing in China with the Shanghai Sharks (2022–2025)
On November 19, 2022, Eric signed with the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association. He played for them until 2025, winning the CBA Club Cup and being named the Final MVP in 2025.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | L.A. Clippers | 81 | 25 | 22.7 | .424 | .276 | .744 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 1.1 | .3 | 6.7 |
| 2011–12 | L.A. Clippers | 40 | 1 | 11.6 | .389 | .200 | .636 | 1.6 | 1.7 | .8 | .4 | 3.3 |
| 2012–13 | L.A. Clippers | 76 | 12 | 20.4 | .445 | .397 | .791 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | .7 | 8.5 |
| 2013–14 | Phoenix | 43 | 40 | 32.9 | .477 | .357 | .772 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 1.6 | .3 | 17.7 |
| 2014–15 | Phoenix | 81 | 81 | 34.6 | .447 | .324 | .800 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 1.6 | .6 | 17.0 |
| 2015–16 | Phoenix | 31 | 31 | 34.2 | .453 | .372 | .802 | 4.0 | 6.1 | 2.0 | .6 | 20.4 |
| 2016–17 | Phoenix | 66 | 66 | 33.0 | .434 | .335 | .847 | 4.8 | 6.3 | 1.4 | .5 | 21.1 |
| 2017–18 | Phoenix | 3 | 3 | 27.7 | .400 | .308 | .786 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .7 | 15.7 |
| Milwaukee | 71 | 71 | 31.5 | .476 | .349 | .795 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 2.0 | .6 | 17.8 | |
| 2018–19 | Milwaukee | 78 | 78 | 29.1 | .484 | .329 | .750 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 1.5 | .4 | 15.9 |
| 2019–20 | Milwaukee | 61 | 61 | 27.0 | .475 | .344 | .790 | 4.6 | 5.4 | .9 | .4 | 14.9 |
| 2020–21 | New Orleans | 71 | 70 | 29.7 | .421 | .341 | .687 | 3.4 | 3.8 | .8 | .3 | 12.2 |
| 2021–22 | L.A. Clippers | 54 | 29 | 25.2 | .421 | .313 | .761 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .4 | 9.9 |
| Career | 756 | 568 | 27.8 | .452 | .336 | .784 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 1.4 | .5 | 13.7 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | L.A. Clippers | 11 | 0 | 17.2 | .587 | .429 | .625 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.2 | .4 | 7.9 |
| 2013 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 0 | 16.2 | .500 | .111 | .667 | 2.5 | 3.0 | .3 | .5 | 6.5 |
| 2018 | Milwaukee | 7 | 7 | 32.1 | .440 | .318 | .700 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 | .9 | 13.6 |
| 2019 | Milwaukee | 15 | 15 | 28.3 | .411 | .236 | .706 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 1.1 | .4 | 13.7 |
| 2020 | Milwaukee | 9 | 9 | 29.7 | .388 | .250 | .808 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 1.2 | .7 | 11.7 |
| Career | 48 | 31 | 25.0 | .441 | .254 | .712 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 1.0 | .5 | 11.1 | |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Kentucky | 37 | 35 | 30.3 | .462 | .383 | .667 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 1.4 | .3 | 11.3 |
About Eric's Family
Eric Bledsoe's mother, Maureen Reddick, worked very hard to raise her three children by herself in Birmingham, Alabama. Eric has five children: two sons named Ethan and Emory, and three daughters named Eriauna, Norah, and Noor.
See also
In Spanish: Eric Bledsoe para niños
