Jodie Meeks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jodie Meeks

Meeks with the Washington Wizards in 2018
New Orleans Pelicans
Assistant coach
Personal information
Born	(1987-08-21) August 21, 1987 (age 37) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
High school	Norcross (Norcross, Georgia)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2006–2009)
NBA Draft	2009 / Round: 2 / Pick: 41st overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career	2009–2022
Coaching career	2022–present
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
2009–2010	Milwaukee Bucks
2010–2012	Philadelphia 76ers
2012–2014	Los Angeles Lakers
2014–2016	Detroit Pistons
2016–2017	Orlando Magic
2017–2018	Washington Wizards
2019	Toronto Raptors
2022	Raptors 905
As coach:
2022–2024	Birmingham Squadron (assistant)
2024–present	New Orleans Pelicans (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2019) Consensus second-team All-American (2009) First-team All-SEC (2009)
Career NBA statistics
Points	4,988 (9.3 ppg)
Rebounds	1,120 (2.1 rpg)
Assists	583 (1.1 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA AmeriCup Bronze 2022 Brazil

Orestes Jodie Meeks II (born August 21, 1987) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Jodie played college basketball for the University of Kentucky.

On January 13, 2009, he became famous for breaking the Kentucky single-game scoring record. He scored 54 points in a game against Tennessee. In the same game, he also broke the university's record for most three-pointers, making 10 shots from beyond the arc. Meeks won the 2019 NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. In 2024, Jodie Meeks was honored by being added to the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Jodie Meeks went to Norcross High School. He helped his team win their first state basketball championship in 2006. His coach was Eddie Martin. During his last year of high school, Meeks averaged 23.6 points per game. This means he scored that many points in each game during the regular season. In the state playoffs, he averaged even more, with 28.3 points per game.

Jodie was named the 2006 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year. He also received other awards, like the Gwinnett Daily Post Player of the Year. Experts like Rivals.com thought he was a top player. They ranked him as the 7th best shooting guard in the nation in 2006.

College Career Highlights

Jodie Meeks played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. He had a very successful time there.

Freshman Year Success

Jodie played his first college game on November 2, 2006. He scored 17 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and made 5 assists. He was named CBS/Chevrolet Player of the Game against Louisville. He scored a career-high 18 points in that game. He was also named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Week three times. He was chosen for the SEC All-Freshman team.

Sophomore Year Challenges

People had high hopes for Meeks in his second year. He scored 34 points in an exhibition game. However, an injury limited him to playing only 11 games that season. He was diagnosed with a sports hernia.

Junior Year Records and Awards

Jodie's junior year was amazing. On November 15, 2008, he scored 39 points in the first game of the season. On November 28, he scored 37 points in a tournament in Las Vegas. He even had more points than the entire Kansas State team at halftime!

On December 20, Meeks scored a new career-high of 46 points. This was against Appalachian State. He tied a record for most three-pointers in a game with 9. He also set a record for most points scored by a Wildcat in Freedom Hall. Two days later, he scored 32 points in just 28 minutes.

On January 13, 2009, Meeks broke Kentucky's single-game scoring record. He scored 54 points in a win against Tennessee. He also broke the record for three-pointers in that game, making 10 of 15 attempts. He was perfect from the free throw line, making all 14 shots.

On February 11, 2009, Meeks made a game-winning three-point shot. This happened with only 4.7 seconds left against the Florida Gators. He scored 45 points against the Arkansas Razorbacks on February 14. This was the most points ever scored by one player in that arena. Meeks also broke the record for most 3-pointers in a season at UK, with 117.

Jodie was named to the All-SEC First team. He was also named the USBWA District IV Player of the Year. He was recognized as a Second Team All-American by several groups. On May 10, 2014, Meeks returned to Kentucky to get his degree in business marketing. He kept taking classes during his off-seasons.

Professional Basketball Career

Jodie Meeks played for several teams in the NBA.

Milwaukee Bucks (2009–2010)

Meeks was chosen by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2009 NBA draft. He was the 41st player picked overall. He didn't get much playing time with the Bucks.

Philadelphia 76ers (2010–2012)

On February 18, 2010, Meeks was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He became the team's starting shooting guard. In one game, he scored 26 points, with 20 of those points coming in the first quarter! On March 27, 2012, Meeks scored a new career high of 31 points.

Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2014)

Meeks with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2013

Meeks signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 13, 2012. On November 30, he scored 21 points. He made a career-high seven three-pointers in that game. On March 9, 2014, Meeks scored an amazing 42 points. This was his highest score in a single game. It helped the Lakers win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Detroit Pistons (2014–2016)

On July 14, 2014, Meeks joined the Detroit Pistons. He missed the first 22 games of the 2014–15 season due to a back injury. He made his debut on December 12, 2014, scoring 12 points. On December 30, Meeks scored 34 points. He made nine three-pointers in that game. This was close to the team's record of ten three-pointers.

On October 30, 2015, Meeks had surgery on his right foot. He returned to play on April 13, 2016. He scored 20 points in the season's final game.

Orlando Magic (2016–2017)

On June 29, 2016, Meeks was traded to the Orlando Magic. He had another surgery on his right foot in July 2016. He finally played his first game for the Magic on December 2, 2016. He scored 10 points. On January 2, 2017, he scored a season-high 23 points. Later that month, he injured his thumb and needed surgery. He returned to play on March 20, 2017.

Washington Wizards (2017–2018)

Meeks with the Washington Wizards in 2018

Meeks signed with the Washington Wizards on July 12, 2017. On April 13, 2018, he was suspended for 25 games. On October 15, 2018, Meeks was traded back to the Milwaukee Bucks. He was later released by the Bucks.

Toronto Raptors (2019)

On February 20, 2019, Meeks signed a short contract with the Toronto Raptors. He later signed with them for the rest of the season. On March 30, 2019, he scored a season-high 14 points.

Meeks was part of the Raptors team that won the 2019 NBA Finals. They defeated the Golden State Warriors. After six games, Jodie Meeks became an NBA champion!

Raptors 905 (2022)

On January 10, 2022, Meeks signed with the Raptors 905. This team is part of the NBA G League. He played with them until March 18, 2022.

National Team Career

Jodie Meeks also played for the United States men's national basketball team. He represented his country in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Jodie Meeks became a coach. On September 15, 2022, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Birmingham Squadron. As of July 2025, he is an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans. He started this role in September 2024.

Player Style

Jodie Meeks was known for his offense. He was especially good at shooting three-point field goals. He was great at making these shots when his team was moving quickly down the court. He was also considered a good defensive player.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Jodie Meeks para niños