Kyle Anderson (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kyle Anderson

Anderson with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021
No. 1 – Golden State Warriors
Power forward / small forward
Personal information
Born	(1993-09-20) September 20, 1993 (age 31) New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American / Chinese
High school	Paterson Catholic (Paterson, New Jersey) St. Anthony (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
College	UCLA (2012–2014)
NBA Draft	2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	2014–present
League	NBA
Career history
2014–2018	San Antonio Spurs
2014–2015	→Austin Spurs
2018–2022	Memphis Grizzlies
2022–2024	Minnesota Timberwolves
2024–present	Golden State Warriors
Career highlights and awards
Third-team All-American – AP, SN (2014) First-team All-Pac-12 (2014) Second-team All-Pac-12 (2013) Pac-12 tournament MOP (2014) McDonald's All-American (2012) First-team Parade All-American (2012)

Kyle Forman Anderson (born September 20, 1993) is an American-Chinese professional basketball player. He plays for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also known by his Chinese name, Li Kai'er (simplified Chinese: 李凯尔; traditional Chinese: 李凱爾; pinyin: Lǐ Kǎi'ěr).

Kyle played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. He was honored as an All-American in his second year. In 2014, he was chosen in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

Kyle is nicknamed "Slow Mo" because of his calm playing style. He learned to handle the ball like a point guard when he was young. But his height also allowed him to play as a forward. In high school, Kyle led his teams to two state championships. He was named the state's best player in his senior year. In 2023, Kyle became a Chinese citizen. He played for the Chinese national team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Kyle Anderson was born in New York City on September 20, 1993. He grew up in New Jersey. Kyle started playing basketball at age three. His father, a former college player and high school coach, taught him to be a point guard. Even though Kyle was tall, his dad wanted him to learn all basketball skills. He played with older kids, which helped him develop great ball-handling and passing skills.

Kyle started high school at Paterson Catholic High School. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall, so coaches often had him play closer to the basket. After two years, his school closed. He then moved to St. Anthony High School. Overall, Kyle's high school teams had an amazing record of 119 wins and only 6 losses. At St. Anthony, his teams were undefeated for two years in a row.

In his senior year, Kyle was the "heart and soul" of his team. He led them in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks. The Star-Ledger newspaper named him their state Player of the Year. He was also recognized nationally as a Parade All-American and a McDonald's All-American. Despite all his success, Kyle was known for being humble.

College Career at UCLA

Anderson dunks against Oregon during the 2014 Pac-12 tournament

On September 19, 2011, Kyle decided to play college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. He chose UCLA because their coach, Ben Howland, had a good record of helping point guards succeed in the NBA. Kyle was one of the top new players for the Bruins.

In his first year, Kyle mostly played as a power forward. He averaged 9.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He was one of the few players in his conference to rank high in both rebounds and assists. He was named to the All-Pac-12 second team.

Kyle returned to UCLA for his second year, which he expected to be his last. A new coach, Steve Alford, moved Kyle back to his natural position as a point guard. Kyle played with more confidence and improved his shooting. On November 22, 2013, he achieved a rare "triple-double" with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. This was the first triple-double for UCLA since 1995.

Anderson in 2014

Kyle was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 Pac-12 tournament. UCLA won the tournament, their first conference title in six years. In the championship game, Kyle had 21 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. He averaged 14.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game that season. He was called "the nation's top triple-double threat." Kyle was the first player in his conference to get 200 rebounds and 200 assists in one season. He was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

Professional Basketball Career

San Antonio Spurs (2014–2018)

Anderson with the San Antonio Spurs in 2017

After his second year of college, Kyle decided to enter the 2014 NBA draft. Many thought his calm playing style might not work in the fast-paced NBA. But the San Antonio Spurs, who had just won the NBA championship, chose him as the 30th overall pick.

Kyle signed with the Spurs on July 12, 2014. He played in the Summer League to get ready. In his first NBA season (2014–15), he played in 33 games. He also spent time with the Austin Spurs in the NBA Development League (now G League) to get more playing experience. He was named the D-League Player of the Month in February 2015.

In the 2015 NBA Summer League, Kyle was named the league's MVP. He became a regular player for the Spurs in the 2015–16 season, playing in 78 games. He had his first "double-double" (double figures in two stats) with 15 points and 10 rebounds in the final game of that season.

Kyle continued to play for the Spurs in 2016–17. In 2017–18, he became a starter for much of the season. He set new career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. His defense also improved a lot.

Memphis Grizzlies (2018–2022)

After the 2017–18 season, Kyle signed a four-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies wanted him for his ability to handle the ball and make plays. In November 2018, he had a career-high 13 rebounds in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

In January 2019, Kyle missed some games due to an ankle injury. Later, he had surgery on his right shoulder. This surgery required him to learn how to shoot again. He worked hard to recover for the next season.

In 2020–21, Kyle had a great start to the season. He set a new career high with 28 points in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. He also improved his three-point shooting. Kyle started 69 games that season, mostly playing at power forward. He also set a team record with six steals in a playoff game against the Utah Jazz.

In the next season, Kyle often came off the bench. He had a career-high six steals against the Boston Celtics. In the playoffs, he became a starter again for some games.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2022–2024)

On July 8, 2022, Kyle signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In December, he scored 15 points and had a season-high 12 assists against the Utah Jazz.

In April 2023, Kyle had a disagreement with a teammate during a game. In his first season with the Timberwolves, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.

Golden State Warriors (2024–present)

On July 6, 2024, Kyle Anderson was traded to the Golden State Warriors. This was part of a big trade involving six different NBA teams.

National Team Career

Kyle has played for USA Basketball teams in the past. In 2012, he played for the USA team in the Nike Hoop Summit. This event features top American high school players against international players.

In 2023, Kyle announced he would play for the Chinese national team. On July 24, 2023, he officially became a Chinese citizen. He then played for China in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Player Profile: "Slow Mo" Style

Anderson is nicknamed "Slow Mo" after his deliberate style.

When Kyle was in high school, people thought he could play almost any position on the court. Some even compared his skills to basketball legend Magic Johnson. His high school coach said Kyle was like a "modern-day Magic Johnson" because he could play point guard and help everyone score.

Kyle is 6 feet 9 inches tall with a long wingspan (7 feet 3 inches). It's rare for someone his size to run an offense like a point guard. He can play close to the basket or further out. He is also great at rebounding and starting fast breaks by himself. Opponents often find him difficult to guard.

Kyle plays at a calm, deliberate speed. He is not as fast as some other players, but he is very smart on the court. He knows how to change his speed and trick opponents. His calm style earned him the nickname "Slow Mo" when he was in eighth grade. This nickname has stayed with him ever since. His defense has also improved a lot in the NBA. He uses his long arms and smart plays to guard different positions.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Awards and Achievements

NBA

• Las Vegas Summer League MVP (2015)
• All-NBA Las Vegas Summer League First Team (2015)

Anderson holding the 2014 Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player award

College

• Associated Press third-team All-American (2014)
• Sporting News third-team All-American (2014)
• First-team All-Pac-12 (2014)
• NABC first-team All-District 20 (2014)
• USBWA first-team All-District IX (2014)
• UCLA Most Valuable Player (2014)
• Pac-12 tournament Most Outstanding Player (2014)
• Las Vegas Invitational Most Valuable Player (2014)
• Second-team All-Pac-12 (2013)
• Pac-12 All-Freshman team (2013)

Anderson with St. Anthony in 2011

High school

• The Star-Ledger New Jersey Player of the Year (2012)
• 2× New Jersey Tournament of champions (2011–2012)
• 2× New Jersey Non-Public B state title (2011–2012)
• First-team Parade All-American (2012)
• McDonald's All-American (2012)
• Jordan Brand Classic (2012)
• The Star-Ledger All-Sophomore/Freshman third team (2009)
• IS8/Nike Spring H.S. Classic Freshman of the Tournament (2009)

Personal Life and Family History

Kyle Anderson is the son of Kyle Sr. and Suzanne Anderson. His grandfather, Clifton Anderson, played college football and then professionally in the National Football League (NFL) in the 1950s.

Kyle's maternal grandmother grew up in Jamaica. Her father was Chinese and married a Jamaican woman. They lived in Jamaica among the Chinese Jamaicans. After learning about his family history, Kyle visited China in 2018. He met distant relatives in the city of Shenzhen.

See also

In Spanish: Kyle Anderson para niños

• Naturalized athletes of China