Julian Wright facts for kids
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| Power forward / center | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 20, 1987 Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 236 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas (2005–2007) |
| NBA Draft | 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall |
| Selected by the New Orleans Hornets | |
| Pro career | 2007–2022 |
| Career history | |
| 2007–2010 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2010–2011 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2012 | Austin Toros |
| 2012–2013 | Maccabi Rishon LeZion |
| 2013–2014 | Krasnye Krylia |
| 2014 | Panathinaikos |
| 2015 | Bnei Herzliya |
| 2015 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2015–2016 | Trento |
| 2016–2017 | Trabzonspor |
| 2017–2018 | Reggiana |
| 2018–2019 | Metropolitans 92 |
| 2020–2021 | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |
| 2021–2022 | Taichung Wagor Suns |
| 2022 | Plateros de Fresnillo |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright (born May 20, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of Kansas. Julian was known for his amazing athleticism and ability to play different positions on the court. He was even the top rebounder in the Israeli Basketball Premier League in 2014–15.
Contents
High School Basketball Journey
Julian Wright played basketball at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois. In his junior year, he helped his team, the Vikings, reach second place in the state tournament. They lost the championship game to a team led by future NBA player Shaun Livingston.
In 2005, Julian was chosen for the McDonald's All-American team. This means he was one of the best high school basketball players in the country! Experts rated him among the top ten players in his age group. At 6 feet 8 inches tall and 225 pounds, Julian was strong and super athletic. He could play many different roles on the court, like shooting guard, small forward, and power forward.
College Career at Kansas
Julian Wright joined the Kansas Jayhawks for the 2005–2006 college season. Even though he was a freshman, many thought he would be the best new player in the Big 12 Conference. He quickly earned a starting spot as a power forward. His speed and athleticism often helped him score easy baskets by running past defenders.
One exciting moment from his freshman year was in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game against the University of Texas. Julian made two fantastic slam dunks at the end of the game, helping Kansas win! He averaged 8.5 points per game that season. People praised him for helping his team in many ways, not just by scoring.
Julian was named to the All-Big 12 tournament team and the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. He earned these honors alongside other talented Kansas freshmen, Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers. In the 2007 tournament, he was again on the All-Tournament Team. Julian also got national attention for scoring 33 points in a game against the Missouri Tigers.
For his great play in the 2006–2007 season, Julian was named a third-team All-American. This is a big honor for a college basketball player. On April 9, 2007, Julian decided to enter the NBA draft, ending his college career.
Professional Basketball Journey
Julian Wright was picked 13th overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets. In his first year in the NBA, he averaged 3.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. He played for the Hornets until 2010.
On August 11, 2010, Julian was traded to the Toronto Raptors. After his time in the NBA, he continued his professional career in other leagues.
In February 2012, Julian joined the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League. He helped the team win the NBA D-League championship that year!
Julian then played for many teams around the world. In October 2012, he signed with Maccabi Rishon LeZion in Israel. In 2014–15, he was the best rebounder in the Israeli Premier League. He also played in Russia, Greece, Puerto Rico, Italy, and Turkey.
In 2017, Julian was named an All-Star in the Turkish League and even won the All-Star MVP award! He later played in France, Taiwan, and for the BIG3 league in 2022.
NBA Career Statistics
Here are Julian Wright's statistics from his time in the NBA:
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | New Orleans | 57 | 1 | 11.2 | .533 | .417 | .635 | 2.1 | .7 | .5 | .2 | 3.9 |
| 2008–09 | New Orleans | 54 | 19 | 14.3 | .466 | .095 | .567 | 2.8 | .8 | .6 | .4 | 4.4 |
| 2009–10 | New Orleans | 68 | 14 | 12.8 | .500 | .333 | .610 | 2.1 | .6 | .4 | .3 | 3.8 |
| 2010–11 | Toronto | 52 | 6 | 14.7 | .512 | .200 | .512 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .8 | .4 | 3.6 |
| Career | 231 | 40 | 13.2 | .499 | .262 | .584 | 2.3 | .8 | .6 | .3 | 3.9 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | New Orleans | 11 | 0 | 11.9 | .455 | .222 | .833 | 1.6 | .5 | .9 | .1 | 4.3 |
| 2009 | New Orleans | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | .429 | .000 | .500 | 1.5 | .5 | .0 | .3 | 2.0 |
| Career | 15 | 0 | 10.9 | .451 | .222 | .700 | 1.6 | .5 | .7 | .1 | 3.7 | |
About Julian's Life
Julian Wright grew up in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 2005.
Julian also enjoys bowling as a hobby! When he was at the University of Kansas, he would go bowling at least once a week. He even has his own bowling ball and special bowling shoes that are in his college team's colors, blue and crimson.
Awards and Special Moments
Julian Wright has received many awards and highlights throughout his basketball career:
High School
- McDonald's All-American (2005)
- Illinois Mr. Basketball (2005)
NBA
- Led the 2008 NBA Playoffs in Steal Pct. (meaning he was very good at stealing the ball)
See also
In Spanish: Julian Wright para niños
