Justin Patton facts for kids
| No. 23 – Liaoning Flying Leopards | |
|---|---|
| Center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 14, 1997 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| High school | Omaha North (Omaha, Nebraska) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 241 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Creighton (2016–2017) |
| NBA Draft | 2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 2017–present |
| League | CBA |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2017–2018 | →Iowa Wolves |
| 2018–2019 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2018–2019 | →Delaware Blue Coats |
| 2019–2020 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2019–2020 | →Oklahoma City Blue |
| 2020 | Wisconsin Herd |
| 2021 | Westchester Knicks |
| 2021 | Houston Rockets |
| 2021–2022 | Hapoel Eilat |
| 2022–2023 | Cholet Basket |
| 2023 | Shanxi Loongs |
| 2024 | Taipei Fubon Braves |
| 2024 | Indios de San Francisco |
| 2024 | Peristeri |
| 2024–present | Liaoning Flying Leopards |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Justin Nicholas Patton (born June 14, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Liaoning Flying Leopards in China. Justin is a tall player, usually playing as a center.
He played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays. In 2017, Justin was picked by the Chicago Bulls in the 2017 NBA draft. He was the 16th player chosen overall. Later, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has also played for other NBA teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2021–22, he was the top player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League for blocking shots.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Justin Patton was born in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother is Tora Patton. He has three siblings: Terrel Steen, Kendall Patton, and Raven Bryson. When he was in college at Creighton, he studied social work. He is also related to Donnie Johnson, who used to play basketball for Creighton.
High School Basketball
Justin went to Omaha North High School in Omaha, Nebraska. He also played basketball for a team called the Omaha Sports Academy Crusaders. This was part of the AAU circuit, which is for amateur athletes. Experts like Scout.com thought he was a very talented player. He was highly wanted by the Creighton University basketball team.
College Basketball Journey
Justin started at Creighton in 2015. His coach, Greg McDermott, decided that Justin should "redshirt" his first year. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in official games. The coach thought Justin needed more time to grow and learn the game. He also wanted Justin to learn about healthy eating and sleep.
In 2016, Justin played his first college game. He scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. On January 4, 2017, he scored his highest points in a game, getting 25 points against St. John's. He scored double-digit points in 13 games in a row.
During his first year, he won two big awards. He was named Big East Freshman of the Year. He was also chosen for the Second Team All-Big East. On April 5, 2017, Justin decided to leave college early to become a professional player. He signed with an agent to help him join the NBA.
Professional Basketball Career
Minnesota Timberwolves (2017–2018)
The Chicago Bulls picked Justin as the 16th player in the 2017 NBA draft. But on the same night, his rights were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. This trade also involved star player Jimmy Butler. Justin signed with the Timberwolves on July 4, 2017.
He was supposed to play in the 2017 NBA Summer League. However, he got a foot injury and needed surgery. This kept him from playing for a while. Justin finally played his first NBA game on April 1, 2018, against the Utah Jazz. He scored two points in that game.
Justin spent most of his first year playing for the Iowa Wolves. This team is part of the G League, which is like a development league for the NBA. He started in 38 games, averaging 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He had another foot surgery in April 2018 and again in September 2018.
Philadelphia 76ers (2018–2019)
On November 12, 2018, Justin was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. This trade also included Jimmy Butler. Justin played in 3 games for the 76ers. On April 3, 2019, the 76ers decided to release him from the team.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020)
Justin signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder on August 13, 2019. While playing for the Oklahoma City Blue (their G League team), he had an amazing game. On January 14, 2020, he scored 45 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and made 9 assists. He also blocked 6 shots in that game!
He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on January 24, 2020, but was released the next day.
Wisconsin Herd (2020)
On February 20, 2020, Justin joined the Wisconsin Herd. He played seven games for them before the season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He averaged 12 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game.
Later in 2020, he signed with the Detroit Pistons and then was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was released by both teams without playing in an official game. He also signed a training camp deal with the Milwaukee Bucks but was released before the season started.
Westchester Knicks (2021)
On January 11, 2021, Justin was picked by the Westchester Knicks in the G League draft.
Houston Rockets (2021)
On February 19, 2021, the Houston Rockets signed Justin to a "two-way contract." This kind of contract lets a player switch between an NBA team and its G League team. He was released by the Rockets on April 3.
Hapoel Eilat (2021–2022)
On August 26, 2021, Justin signed with Hapoel Eilat, a team in Israel. In the 2021–22 season, he was the best player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League for blocking shots, averaging 1.6 blocks per game.
Playing in Europe and Asia (2022–Present)
Since 2022, Justin has played for several teams around the world:
- On August 3, 2022, he signed with Cholet Basket in France.
- On September 1, 2023, he joined the Shanxi Loongs in China.
- On January 14, 2024, he signed with the Taipei Fubon Braves in Taiwan, but was released in March.
- On June 13, 2024, he played for the Indios de San Francisco de Macorís in the Dominican Republic.
- On August 7, 2024, he signed with Peristeri in Greece.
- On December 31, 2024, he signed with the Liaoning Flying Leopards in China, where he plays now.
Career Statistics
| 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 |
NBA Games
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Minnesota | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | .500 | — | — | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| 2018–19 | Philadelphia | 3 | 0 | 7.0 | .286 | .000 | .500 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .7 | .0 | 1.7 |
| 2019–20 | Oklahoma City | 5 | 0 | 4.8 | .400 | .250 | — | 1.0 | .4 | .0 | .0 | 1.8 |
| 2020–21 | Houston | 13 | 6 | 19.0 | .414 | .265 | .750 | 3.8 | 1.1 | .9 | 1.1 | 5.4 |
| Career | 22 | 6 | 13.8 | .404 | .250 | .667 | 2.7 | .9 | .7 | .6 | 3.9 | |
NBA G League Games
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Iowa | 38 | 28 | 23.1 | .476 | .300 | .764 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 12.7 |
| 2018–19 | Delaware | 11 | 2 | 18.5 | .500 | .167 | .625 | 5.6 | 1.6 | .9 | 2.0 | 8.7 |
| Career | 49 | 30 | 22.1 | .480 | .286 | .735 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 11.8 | |
College Games
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Creighton | 35 | 34 | 25.3 | .676 | .533 | .517 | 6.2 | 1.2 | .9 | 1.4 | 12.9 |
Player Skills
Justin Patton is a tall player, standing 7 feet (2.13 meters) tall and weighing 250 pounds (113 kg). He has a long arm span of 7 feet 2.5 inches. When he first started playing at Creighton, he was known for his defense.
He is very good at running towards the basket and finishing plays. His ability to pass the ball has even been compared to famous player Vlade Divac. Justin can play well above the rim, meaning he can jump high for dunks and rebounds. Sometimes, he has trouble getting into the best position for rebounds. He can also be a bit late to challenge shots, which can sometimes lead to fouls.
See also
In Spanish: Justin Patton para niños
