Khris Middleton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Khris Middleton

Middleton at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
No. 22 – Milwaukee Bucks
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1991-08-12) August 12, 1991 (age 33) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
High school	Porter-Gaud (Charleston, South Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
College	Texas A&M (2009–2012)
NBA Draft	2012 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career	2012–present
League	NBA
Career history
2012–2013	Detroit Pistons
2012	→Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2013–present	Milwaukee Bucks
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2021) NBA Cup champion (2024) 3× NBA All-Star (2019, 2020, 2022) Second-team All-Big 12 (2011)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Team

James Khristian Middleton (born August 12, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Khris is a three-time NBA All-Star. He won an NBA championship with the Bucks in 2021. That same year, he also won a gold medal with Team USA at the Summer Olympics.

Middleton went to high school at the Porter-Gaud School in his hometown. He played college basketball for the Texas A&M Aggies from 2009 to 2012. He was recognized as one of the best players in his college conference.

He joined the 2012 NBA draft after his junior year. The Detroit Pistons picked him as the 39th overall player. He didn't play much for the Pistons at first. He also spent some time in the NBA Development League. In 2013, Middleton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He quickly became an important player for them. He was first chosen as an All-Star in 2019. In 2021, Middleton helped the Bucks win their first NBA championship since 1971.

Early life

Khris Middleton was born on August 12, 1991. His parents are James and Nichelle Middleton. He grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He has an older sister named Brittney. His cousin, Josh Powell, also played in the NBA. Another cousin, Kenny Manigault, played college basketball.

Middleton played basketball for the Cyclones at Porter-Gaud School. In his junior year, he was named state player of the year. He scored 21 points and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game. He won the award again in his senior year. He led his team to the state title game. He was named Most Valuable Player of the Porter-Gaud Holiday Classic.

ESPN ranked him as one of the top basketball players in his age group. They said he was the best shooter at his position. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He chose to go to Texas A&M. He liked the college town and the coaches.

College career

Freshman year

Khris Middleton's college basketball career started slowly. But he had to take on a bigger role. This happened after a teammate got injured. On February 3, 2010, he scored 16 points. This helped Texas A&M win a close game against Missouri. In an NCAA tournament game, he scored 19 points. His team, the Aggies, finished the season with 24 wins and 10 losses. Overall, he averaged 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Sophomore year

As a sophomore, Middleton became a key player. He led his team in scoring with 14.3 points per game. He also got 5.2 rebounds per game. He scored more than 10 points in 27 games. He had a career-high 31 points in a win against Arkansas. This earned him "Player of the Week" honors.

His team went 24–9 that season. They played in the NCAA Tournament. Middleton was chosen for the All-Big 12 Second Team. This meant he was one of the best players in his college conference.

Junior year

Before his junior season, the head coach left. A new coach, Billy Kennedy, took over. Middleton decided to stay with the Aggies. He was even on the watchlist for a major college award.

However, his team had a tough season. Many players got injured, including Middleton. He missed 12 games because of a knee injury. He still averaged 13.2 points per game. On April 9, 2012, Middleton decided to enter the NBA draft. He thanked Texas A&M for his time there.

Professional career

Detroit Pistons (2012–2013)

2012–13 season: Rookie season

The Detroit Pistons picked Khris Middleton in the 2012 NBA draft. He was the 39th player chosen overall. He signed his first contract with the Pistons in August 2012. He also played some games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. This was a team in the NBA Development League. He played in 27 games for the Pistons as a rookie. He averaged 6.1 points per game.

Milwaukee Bucks (2013–present)

2013–14 season: Sophomore season

On July 31, 2013, Middleton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He quickly became an important player for them. He played in all 82 games that season. He started in 64 of those games. He averaged 12.1 points per game. On December 6, 2013, he scored a career-high 29 points. This helped the Bucks win against the Washington Wizards.

2014–15 season: First playoff appearance

On December 15, 2014, Middleton made a game-winning shot. The Bucks were down by one point against the Phoenix Suns. He hit a tough shot as time ran out. The Bucks won 96–94. On March 7, 2015, he scored a career-high 30 points. He helped the Bucks win against the Washington Wizards. He became known as a strong "3-and-D" player. This means he is good at shooting three-pointers and playing defense.

2015–16 season: New contract

On July 9, 2015, Middleton signed a new contract with the Bucks. It was a five-year deal worth $70 million. This was a big pay raise for him. On December 29, 2015, he scored a career-high 36 points. He tied this career high again on April 10, 2016. He also made eight three-pointers in a game. This was the most by a Bucks player in years.

2016–17 season: Injury and surgery

On September 21, 2016, Middleton had a hamstring injury. He needed surgery and missed six months of playing. He returned on February 8, 2017. He scored five points in his first game back. On March 17, 2017, he scored a season-high 30 points. He helped the Bucks win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

2017–18 season: Breakthrough

Middleton goes for a layup in 2018.

On November 1, 2017, Middleton scored a career-high 43 points. This was in a game against the Charlotte Hornets. On November 22, 2017, he scored 40 points. This helped the Bucks win in overtime against the Phoenix Suns. On January 20, 2018, he got his first triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three stats: 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. In the playoffs, he scored 31 points in Game 1. He also had 32 points in Game 7.

2018–19 season: First All-Star selection

On October 22, 2018, Middleton made 7 of 8 three-pointers. He finished with 30 points against the New York Knicks. On January 31, 2019, Middleton was chosen as an Eastern Conference All-Star. This was his first time being an All-Star. He was the first player from the G League to become an All-Star. On March 28, he scored a season-high 39 points. This helped the Bucks win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

2019–20 season: Career high in scoring

After the 2018–19 season, Middleton signed a new contract. It was a five-year, $178 million deal. On January 28, 2020, Middleton set a new career high. He scored 51 points in a win against the Washington Wizards. He dedicated this game to Kobe Bryant, who had passed away two days before. On January 30, 2020, he was named an All-Star again. He scored 40 points in another game against the Wizards. In the playoffs, the Bucks lost to the Miami Heat. Middleton scored a playoff career-high 36 points in one game.

2020–21 season: Championship season

The next season, Middleton continued to be a key player. He averaged 20.4 points and 5.4 assists per game. In the playoffs, the Bucks played the Heat again. In Game 1, Middleton made a game-winning shot in overtime. He finished with 27 points. The Bucks won that series.

In the Conference semi-finals, he scored 38 points. This was a playoff career-high. He also had 10 rebounds and 5 assists. In the Conference Finals, he tied his career-high with 38 points. He led the Bucks to the NBA Finals. This was their first time since 1974. In Game 4 of the Finals, he scored 40 points. This helped defeat the Phoenix Suns. In Game 6, Middleton made important shots in the final minutes. The Bucks won the series 4–2. This gave Middleton his first NBA championship.

2021–22 season: Season-ending injury

In the first game of the 2021–22 NBA season, Middleton scored 20 points. He also had 9 rebounds. On November 1, Middleton tested positive for COVID-19. He missed eight games. When he returned, he tied Ray Allen for the most three-pointers in Bucks history. In the next game, he passed Allen. On January 22, 2022, he scored a season-high 34 points. On February 3, he was chosen as an All-Star again. On March 6, Middleton scored a season-high 44 points.

On April 20, Middleton got a knee injury. This sidelined him for the rest of the playoffs. The Bucks won their first round series. But they lost in the next round to the Celtics.

2022–23 season: Comeback

On December 3, 2022, Middleton returned to play. He had missed the first twenty games of the season. He was recovering from wrist surgery. He scored 17 points in his first game back. In December and January, he missed more games due to knee soreness. On February 4, 2023, he scored 24 points. On March 13, he scored a season-high 31 points. On March 27, he scored a season-high 34 points. In the playoffs, Middleton scored 33 points in Game 1. He also had 33 points in Game 5.

2023–24 season: Playoff career high in scoring

On July 6, 2023, Middleton signed a new contract with the Bucks. It was a three-year, $102 million deal. On November 20, he passed Sidney Moncrief. He became the fourth-all-time leading scorer for the Bucks. On January 22, 2024, he passed Glenn Robinson. He became the third-all-time leading scorer for the Bucks. In February and March, he missed 16 games. This was because of an ankle sprain. On March 24, Middleton recorded his second career triple-double. He had 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. On April 26, Middleton scored a playoff career-best 42 points. This was in an overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers.

2024–25 season

Over the summer, Middleton had surgery on both ankles. He was expected to be ready for the new season. However, he missed the first game. He returned to play on December 6, 2024.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal life

Khris Middleton is a Christian. His cousin, Josh Powell, also played in the NBA. Josh won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

On July 7, 2015, Middleton wrote about the Charleston church shooting. He grew up in Charleston, and the event affected him deeply. His grandmother knew some of the people who died. He had even met one of the victims, Cynthia Graham Hurd. He wrote that the community was staying strong.

On April 23, 2019, Middleton and his girlfriend welcomed their first daughter. He flew back to Milwaukee right after a playoff game to be there.

On March 13, 2020, Middleton made a big donation. He matched Giannis Antetokounmpo's $100,000 donation. This money helped staff at the Fiserv Forum. They couldn't work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also

In Spanish: Khris Middleton para niños

• List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders