James Ennis III facts for kids
Ennis with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019
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| No. 1 – Kagoshima Rebnise | |
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| Small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 1, 1990 Ventura, California, U.S. |
| High school | Ventura (Ventura, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2013 / Round: 2 / Pick: 50th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 2013–present |
| League | B.League |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2014 | Perth Wildcats |
| 2014 | Piratas de Quebradillas |
| 2014–2015 | Miami Heat |
| 2015–2016 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2015–2016 | →Iowa Energy |
| 2016 | Iowa Energy |
| 2016 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2016–2018 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2018 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2018–2019 | Houston Rockets |
| 2019–2020 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2020–2021 | Orlando Magic |
| 2021 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2021–2022 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2022 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2022 | Hapoel Haifa |
| 2022–2023 | BC Samara |
| 2023 | Grises de Humacao |
| 2023–2024 | Shijiazhuang Xianglan |
| 2023–2024 | Al-Ahli Manama |
| 2025–present | Kagoshima Rebnise |
| Career highlights and awards | |
James Alfred Ennis III (born July 1, 1990) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Kagoshima Rebnise in Japan's B.League. James played college basketball for the Long Beach State 49ers. He was named the Big West Player of the Year in 2013.
After being picked by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2013 NBA draft, James played in Australia. He helped the Perth Wildcats win a championship in 2014. He then joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2014 with the Miami Heat. Over eight NBA seasons, he played for several teams. Since 2022, he has played basketball in different countries around the world.
Contents
- Growing Up and High School
- College Basketball Journey
- Professional Basketball Career
- Joining the NBA Draft
- Playing in Australia: Perth Wildcats (2013–2014)
- Short Stint in Puerto Rico (2014)
- First NBA Team: Miami Heat (2014–2015)
- Moving to Memphis Grizzlies (2015–2016)
- Playing for New Orleans Pelicans (2016)
- Return to Memphis (2016–2018)
- Playing for Detroit and Houston (2018–2019)
- Time with Philadelphia 76ers (2019–2020)
- Playing for Orlando Magic (2020–2021)
- Short Stints in the NBA (2021–2022)
- Playing Overseas Again (2022–Present)
- See also
Growing Up and High School
James Ennis III was born in Ventura, California. He grew up in a place called Westview Village. There, he and his five brothers and sisters loved to play basketball and soccer. They also enjoyed riding bikes and skateboarding.
When James was young, his family moved often. He even went to three different high schools in just his first year! Eventually, his family settled back in Westview Village. James graduated from Ventura High School in 2009.
College Basketball Journey
James started his college basketball career at Oxnard College in 2009. As a freshman, he was a top player. He scored about 19 points and grabbed 7.7 rebounds per game. This made him one of the best freshmen in the state.
For his second year, James played closer to home at Ventura College. He continued to play very well. He averaged over 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. In his two years of junior college, he scored more than 1,000 points. He scored double figures in almost all his games.
Playing for Long Beach State
In 2011, James joined the Long Beach State 49ers. He immediately became a starter. In his first year there, he averaged 10 points and 4.1 rebounds. He also helped his team with assists and steals.
In the 2012–13 season, James became the main player for the 49ers. He averaged 16.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He led his team to win another Big West championship. Because of his great play, he was named the Big West Player of the Year. He also received an honorable mention as an All-American.
In April 2013, James played in the Reese's College All-Star Game. He scored 13 points, helping his team win the game.
Professional Basketball Career
Joining the NBA Draft
On June 27, 2013, James Ennis III was picked in the 2013 NBA draft. The Atlanta Hawks chose him as the 50th player overall. His rights were then traded to the Miami Heat. He played for the Heat in the 2013 NBA Summer League.
The Heat wanted James to play for their minor league team first. However, they couldn't offer him enough money due to rules. James decided to play basketball overseas instead. This way, he could earn more money to support his family. He wanted to help his father, his mother, who had a disability, and his five siblings.
Playing in Australia: Perth Wildcats (2013–2014)
In August 2013, James signed with the Perth Wildcats in Australia. In his very first game, he scored 25 points. This was the most points ever scored by a Wildcat in their first game! He was named Player of the Month for October. He led the league by averaging 24 points per game.
The Wildcats started the season with eight wins in a row. They finished with the best record in the league. James helped them reach the NBL Grand Final. In Game 1 of the final series, he scored 30 points. The Wildcats went on to win the championship.
James was a top player in the NBL. He finished third in the MVP voting. He was also named to the All-NBL First Team. He played in all 33 games, averaging 21.2 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Short Stint in Puerto Rico (2014)
After playing in Australia, James went to Puerto Rico. He played for Piratas de Quebradillas. In 12 games, he averaged 16.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. He then returned to the U.S. for NBA tryouts.
First NBA Team: Miami Heat (2014–2015)
In July 2014, James signed with the Miami Heat. He played well in the 2014 NBA Summer League. He averaged 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.
James made his NBA debut on October 29, 2014. He scored 5 points and grabbed 2 rebounds. He had a great play with a dunk that excited the crowd. He scored a season-high 16 points in December. In April, he scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds in a game. He played in 62 games during his first NBA season. He averaged 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Moving to Memphis Grizzlies (2015–2016)
In November 2015, James was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He didn't play much for the Grizzlies at first. He spent most of the season playing in the NBA Development League for the Iowa Energy. In one game for the Energy, he scored a season-high 32 points.
Playing for New Orleans Pelicans (2016)
In March 2016, James signed a short contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played well right away. In his first game, he scored 13 points. He later scored a career-high 29 points in a game against the Chicago Bulls. In the Pelicans' last game of the season, he scored 28 points.
Return to Memphis (2016–2018)
In July 2016, James signed a new contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He returned to the team for a second time. He started in many games at the beginning of the season. He scored 15 points and had 6 rebounds in the first game. He also had a season-best game with 16 points and 10 rebounds against his old team, the Pelicans. He missed some games due to a calf injury. Overall, he averaged 6.7 points and 4 rebounds in 64 games.
Playing for Detroit and Houston (2018–2019)
In February 2018, James was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He scored 14 points in his first game for them. He later scored a season-high 21 points.
In July 2018, James signed with the Houston Rockets. He started in 22 games for the Rockets. He scored a season-high 19 points in November. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury.
Time with Philadelphia 76ers (2019–2020)
In February 2019, James was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He became an important player for the team. He helped them in the regular season and the playoffs. In one playoff game, he scored 13 points.
James re-signed with the 76ers in July 2019. In November 2019, he scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half of a game. He shot very well from the three-point line and free-throw line.
Playing for Orlando Magic (2020–2021)
In February 2020, James was traded to the Orlando Magic. He became a starter for the Magic. His arrival helped the team play better. He kept his starting spot when the NBA season restarted after the COVID-19 pandemic.
James re-signed with the Magic in November 2020. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury. In February 2021, he had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a game. He later set a new season high with 22 points in April.
Short Stints in the NBA (2021–2022)
In late 2021 and early 2022, James signed short 10-day contracts with a few NBA teams. He played two games for the Brooklyn Nets. He then played two games for the Los Angeles Clippers. Finally, he played three games for the Denver Nuggets.
Playing Overseas Again (2022–Present)
After his time in the NBA, James returned to playing basketball internationally.
- In March 2022, he signed with Hapoel Haifa in Israel.
- From 2022 to 2023, he played for BC Samara in Russia. He averaged 14.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
- In May 2023, he joined Grises de Humacao in Puerto Rico. He averaged 17.8 points and 8.0 rebounds.
- In July 2023, he played for Shijiazhuang Xianglan in China. He averaged over 30 points per game there.
- For the 2023–24 season, James played for Al-Ahli Manama in Bahrain. He helped them reach the final of a cup, scoring 30 points in a semi-final game. He returned to Xianglan for the 2024 season.
- As of January 2025, James Ennis III plays for Kagoshima Rebnise in Japan.
See also
In Spanish: James Ennis para niños
