James White (basketball) facts for kids
White with the New York Knicks
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| [[Minnesota Timberwolves|Minnesota Timberwolves]] | |
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| Player development coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 21, 1982 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| High school | Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7.13 in) |
| Listed weight | 98 kg (216 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 31st overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 2006–2020 |
| Coaching career | 2021–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2006–2007 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2006–2007 | →Austin Toros |
| 2007–2008 | Fenerbahçe |
| 2008–2009 | Anaheim Arsenal |
| 2009 | Houston Rockets |
| 2009–2010 | Spartak Saint Petersburg |
| 2010–2011 | Dinamo Sassari |
| 2011–2012 | Pesaro |
| 2012–2013 | New York Knicks |
| 2013–2014 | Reggiana |
| 2014–2015 | UNICS Kazan |
| 2015–2016 | Cedevita Zagreb |
| 2016–2017 | Petrochimi Bandar Imam |
| 2017–2018 | Reggiana |
| 2018–2019 | Benedetto Cento |
| 2019–2020 | Virtus Roma |
| As coach: | |
| 2021 | Houston Push (assistant) |
| 2022 | Sugarland Imperials |
| 2023–present | Minnesota Timberwolves (player development coach) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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James William White IV (born October 21, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He is now a player development coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James White is famous for being super athletic and for his amazing dunks. Since high school, his most well-known dunk has been the "between-the-legs" dunk, which he could do in many ways. He could also jump from the free throw line and dunk the ball with both hands!
People called him 'Flight' White because of his jumping skills. He was a runner-up in two big dunk contests. One was in high school, and the other was during the NCAA College Slam Dunk Contest in 2006.
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College Basketball Career
James White started his college basketball journey at the University of Florida. He played there for his first year, helping the team get a good record of 22 wins and 9 losses. He played in almost every game, starting a couple of times. On average, he scored 6.1 points and grabbed 2.9 rebounds per game.
After his first year, he moved to the University of Cincinnati. He had to sit out one season before he could play. For his next three years, he was a starter for the Bearcats. In his final year, he was a key player, averaging 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He also showed his athletic skills by joining the track and field team. He even qualified for national competitions in high jump and triple jump!
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting in the NBA
In 2006, James White was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA draft. His rights were then traded to the Indiana Pacers. He played in some preseason games for the Pacers but was later released.
Soon after, he signed a two-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs sent him to their minor league team, the Austin Toros, so he could get more playing time. He played well for the Toros, averaging 16.3 points per game.
On March 26, 2007, James White finally made his NBA debut with the Spurs. He scored 9 points in his first game. He even started a game on April 16, scoring a career-high 17 points. He was part of the Spurs team that won the NBA championship that year, and he received a championship ring!
Playing Overseas
After his time with the Spurs, James White moved to Europe. He signed with Fenerbahçe, a team in Turkey, in 2007. While there, he won the Turkish dunk contest in 2008, showing off his amazing dunking skills again.
Back to the NBA
In 2009, James White returned to the NBA. He played for the Anaheim Arsenal in the D-League before signing a short contract with the Houston Rockets. He later signed a longer deal with them. He was then traded to the Denver Nuggets but was released before the season started.
More Time in Europe
James White went back to playing in Europe. He joined Spartak St. Petersburg in Russia in 2009. In 2010, he played for an Italian team, Dinamo Sassari. He was the top scorer in the Italian League during the 2010–11 season, averaging 20.2 points per game. He then played for Scavolini Pesaro, another Italian team.
Another NBA Chance
On July 11, 2012, James White signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks. He played for the Knicks' Summer League team and later joined the main team. He was also assigned to the Erie BayHawks in the D-League for short periods.
In 2013, it was announced that James White would take part in the slam dunk contest at the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. He also scored a career-high 20 points that year. The Knicks later waived him in June 2013.
Finishing His Career Overseas
After his second time in the NBA, James White returned to Italy. He signed with Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia in 2013. He helped his team win the EuroChallenge title that season.
He then played for UNICS Kazan in Russia in 2014 and Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia in 2015, where he won the Croatian League and Cup. In 2016, he played for Petrochimi Bandar Imam in Iran.
BIG3 League Success
In the summer of 2017, James White joined the BIG3 league, which features 3-on-3 basketball with former NBA players. He played for a team called Trilogy.
Trilogy had an amazing season, winning every game and becoming the first-ever BIG3 champions! James White also won the Defensive Player of the Year award. He was part of Trilogy again when they won the 2021 BIG3 Championship, making him the first player to win two BIG3 titles. He continues to play for Trilogy and is now a team captain.
Career Statistics
Here are some of James White's basketball statistics from his time in the NBA and EuroLeague.
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07† | San Antonio | 6 | 2 | 22.8 | .439 | .286 | .800 | 3.3 | .8 | .5 | .2 | 8.3 |
| 2008–09 | Houston | 4 | 0 | 2.8 | .600 | .500 | .000 | .0 | .3 | .3 | .3 | 1.8 |
| 2012–13 | New York | 57 | 16 | 7.6 | .431 | .341 | .579 | .8 | .5 | .2 | .1 | 2.2 |
| Career | 67 | 18 | 8.7 | .438 | .340 | .676 | 1.0 | .5 | .3 | .1 | 2.7 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Houston | 5 | 0 | 2.4 | .333 | .500 | .000 | .2 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.4 |
| 2013 | New York | 4 | 0 | 2.3 | .500 | .000 | .000 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 9 | 0 | 2.3 | .385 | .250 | .000 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.2 | |
EuroLeague Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Fenerbahçe | 21 | 11 | 19.7 | .515 | .371 | .765 | 2.9 | 1.0 | .6 | .2 | 6.8 | 7.0 |
| 2014–15 | UNICS | 10 | 9 | 27.8 | .467 | .320 | .846 | 4.9 | .7 | .7 | .3 | 10.0 | 10.5 |
| Career | 31 | 20 | 22.3 | .494 | .350 | .800 | 3.5 | .9 | .6 | .2 | 7.8 | 8.2 | |
