JaKarr Sampson facts for kids
Sampson in 2014
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| No. 23 – Kuwait SC | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 20, 1993 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7.13 in) |
| Listed weight | 97 kg (214 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College | St. John's (2012–2014) |
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2014–present |
| League | Kuwaiti Division I Basketball League |
| Career history | |
| 2014–2016 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2014 | → Delaware 87ers |
| 2016 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2016–2017 | Iowa Energy |
| 2017–2018 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2017–2018 | → Reno Bighorns |
| 2018 | Windy City Bulls |
| 2018–2019 | Shandong Golden Stars |
| 2019 | Windy City Bulls |
| 2019 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2019–2021 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2019 | → Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2021–2022 | Virtus Bologna |
| 2022–2023 | Liaoning Flying Leopards |
| 2023–2024 | Beijing Royal Fighters |
| 2024–present | Kuwait SC |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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JaKarr Jordan Sampson (born March 20, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Kuwait SC in the Kuwaiti Division I Basketball League. JaKarr is known for being a great rebounder and shot-blocker. He is also very fast and has a long reach. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the St. John's Red Storm. He even won a national championship with Brewster Academy in 2012.
Contents
- High School Basketball Journey
- College Basketball Career
- Professional Basketball Journey
- Starting with the Philadelphia 76ers (2014–2016)
- Time with the Denver Nuggets (2016)
- Playing for the Iowa Energy (2016–2017)
- Joining the Sacramento Kings (2017–2018)
- Windy City Bulls and China (2018–2019)
- Back with the Chicago Bulls (2019)
- Indiana Pacers (2019–2021)
- Playing in Italy with Virtus Bologna (2021–2022)
- Playing in China (2022–2024)
- Current Team: Kuwait SC (2024–Present)
- Career Statistics
- About JaKarr's Life
- See also
High School Basketball Journey
JaKarr Sampson started his high school career at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. He played there from 2007 to 2010. In August 2010, he moved to Brewster Academy for his final year of high school.
In November 2010, he decided to play college basketball at St. John's University. During his senior year (2010–11), JaKarr averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. He helped Brewster Academy achieve an impressive 31–3 record. He was also named to the All-NEPSAC first team.
After the 2010–11 season, JaKarr was supposed to join St. John's. However, he couldn't attend college right away due to academic reasons. So, he returned to Brewster Academy for another year. In the 2011–12 season, he led Brewster to a national championship. He averaged 18.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was named the NEPSAC AAA Player of the Year. He also earned the Most Valuable Player award for the National Prep Championship. In March 2012, JaKarr confirmed his commitment to St. John's.
College Basketball Career
Freshman Year at St. John's
In his first year at St. John's, JaKarr Sampson was a standout player. He was named the 2013 Big East Rookie of the Year. He also made the Big East All-Rookie team. In 33 games, he played about 31.5 minutes per game. He averaged 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks.
Sophomore Season and NBA Draft
During his second year, JaKarr continued to play well. He scored 424 points and grabbed 202 rebounds. This brought his total college career points to 915 and rebounds to 420. He was recognized before the season as a Pre-season All-Big East second team player. In 33 games, he averaged 12.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks.
On March 24, 2014, JaKarr Sampson decided to enter the 2014 NBA draft. This meant he would leave college two years early to pursue a professional career.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with the Philadelphia 76ers (2014–2016)
JaKarr Sampson was not chosen in the 2014 NBA draft. However, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2014 NBA Summer League. On September 29, 2014, he officially signed with the 76ers. He also spent some time with their D-League team, the Delaware 87ers. He was with the 76ers until February 2016.
Time with the Denver Nuggets (2016)
On February 22, 2016, JaKarr signed with the Denver Nuggets. He played his first game with them the very next day. He recorded one rebound and one steal in 14 minutes. He was with the Nuggets until October 2016.
Playing for the Iowa Energy (2016–2017)
After a brief time with the Memphis Grizzlies, JaKarr joined the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League. He was an important player for them. In February 2017, he was chosen to be an All-Star for the 2017 NBA D-League All-Star Game.
Joining the Sacramento Kings (2017–2018)
On July 29, 2017, JaKarr Sampson signed a special "two-way contract" with the Sacramento Kings. This meant he would split his time between the Kings and their G-League team, the Reno Bighorns. On December 6, 2017, he had a career-high 16 rebounds in a game. He played 35 games with the Bighorns. There, he averaged 17.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.06 steals per game.
Windy City Bulls and China (2018–2019)
In September 2018, JaKarr signed with the Chicago Bulls for training camp. He later joined the Windy City Bulls, their G-League team. In December 2018, he went to China to play for the Shandong Golden Stars in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He returned to the Windy City Bulls in January 2019.
Back with the Chicago Bulls (2019)
On March 31, 2019, the Chicago Bulls signed JaKarr Sampson to a 10-day contract. He played four games with the Bulls. During this short time, he averaged an impressive 20 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Indiana Pacers (2019–2021)
In August 2019, JaKarr signed with the Indiana Pacers. He re-signed with them in November 2020. He played for the Pacers until 2021.
Playing in Italy with Virtus Bologna (2021–2022)
On September 27, 2021, JaKarr signed a two-year deal with Virtus Bologna in Italy. This team also plays in the EuroCup. In May 2022, Virtus Bologna won their first EuroCup championship. This win also qualified them for the EuroLeague.
Playing in China (2022–2024)
On September 23, 2022, JaKarr signed with the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played there until 2023. He then joined the Beijing Royal Fighters in 2023 and played with them until 2024.
Current Team: Kuwait SC (2024–Present)
Since 2024, JaKarr Sampson has been playing for Kuwait SC in the Kuwaiti Division I Basketball League.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Philadelphia | 74 | 32 | 15.3 | .422 | .244 | .670 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .5 | .4 | 5.2 |
| 2015–16 | Philadelphia | 47 | 18 | 14.7 | .426 | .176 | .639 | 2.7 | .6 | .2 | .3 | 5.1 |
| 2015–16 | Denver | 26 | 22 | 18.0 | .470 | .276 | .720 | 2.3 | .6 | .5 | .7 | 5.2 |
| 2017–18 | Sacramento | 22 | 6 | 15.6 | .543 | .500 | .625 | 3.5 | .4 | .4 | 1.0 | 4.7 |
| 2018–19 | Chicago | 4 | 0 | 31.8 | .537 | .357 | .810 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .8 | 20.0 |
| 2019–20 | Indiana | 34 | 12 | 13.9 | .591 | .154 | .667 | 2.6 | .6 | .5 | .4 | 4.6 |
| 2020–21 | Indiana | 29 | 4 | 10.9 | .496 | .200 | .655 | 2.7 | .1 | .1 | .5 | 4.6 |
| Career | 236 | 94 | 15.0 | .471 | .248 | .670 | 2.7 | .7 | .4 | .5 | 5.2 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Indiana | 4 | 0 | 12.5 | .625 | – | – | 3.3 | 1.0 | .5 | .0 | 5.0 |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | St. John's | 33 | 33 | 31.5 | .449 | .000 | .640 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 14.9 |
| 2013–14 | St. John's | 33 | 32 | 29.0 | .495 | .200 | .565 | 6.1 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 12.8 |
About JaKarr's Life
JaKarr Sampson's parents are Dawnette Epps and Darrel Sampson. He has two brothers named D. J. and Justin. When he was playing in college, people from his hometown of Akron, Ohio gave him the nickname SpongeBob Sampson.
See also
In Spanish: JaKarr Sampson para niños
