Michael Kidd-Gilchrist facts for kids
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Kidd-Gilchrist in 2024
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| No. 14, 9 | ||||||||||||||
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| Small forward / power forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | September 26, 1993 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| High school | St. Patrick (Elizabeth, New Jersey) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Kentucky (2011–2012) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Bobcats | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2012–2020 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2020 | Charlotte Bobcats / Hornets | |||||||||||||
| 2020 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Michael Anthony Edward Kidd-Gilchrist Jr. (born September 26, 1993) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was chosen second overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2012 NBA draft. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the University of Kentucky from 2011 to 2012.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Somerdale, New Jersey. His mother, Cindy Richardson, and stepfather, Vincent Richardson, raised him. Michael's father passed away before Michael's third birthday.
He attended St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This school was known for its strong basketball program. Michael was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Experts like ESPN.com and Rivals.com ranked him as a top player.
In July 2010, Michael helped the USA team win a gold medal. This was at the FIBA U-17 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. His senior year at St. Patrick High School was featured in an HBO documentary called Prayer for a Perfect Season.
High School Achievements
- Co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game (2011)
- Mr. Basketball USA (2011)
- USA Today All-USA First Team (2011)
- Parade All-American Fourth Team (2011)
- USA Today All-USA Second Team (2010)
- Parade All-American Second Team (2010)
College Basketball Career
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist decided to play for the University of Kentucky on April 14, 2010.
In his first game for Kentucky in the 2011–12 season, he started and scored 15 points. In his second game, against the 11th-ranked Kansas team, he scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
He had a great game against the 5th-ranked North Carolina team. He led Kentucky with 17 points and 11 rebounds. This was his first "double-double" (double digits in two stats) in college. Against the 4th-ranked Louisville team, he had an amazing game. He scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. This helped Kentucky win 69–62.
College Awards and Honors
- NCAA champion (2012)
- Second team All-American (2012)
- First team All-SEC (2012)
- All-SEC Freshman team (2012)
- All-SEC Defensive team (2012)
- NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (2012)
Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Charlotte Bobcats / Hornets (2012–2020)
Starting Strong in the NBA (2012–2013)
In April 2012, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist decided to enter the 2012 NBA draft. On June 28, he was picked second overall by the Charlotte Bobcats. He signed his first professional contract with them on July 7, 2012.
In only his fifth NBA game, on November 10, 2012, he scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds. This helped Charlotte beat the Dallas Mavericks for the first time ever. He had another game with 25 points and 12 rebounds on December 19, 2012. He was one of only a few players in NBA history to have two such games before turning 20. On May 14, 2013, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. This means he was one of the best new players in the league.
Dealing with Injuries (2013–2015)
During the 2013–14 season, Michael missed 19 games because of injuries. He still managed to score a season-high 16 points three times.
In the 2014–15 season, he missed 14 of the first 20 games due to rib and foot injuries. When he was not playing, the Hornets struggled. He returned in December and played very well in January. He averaged 11.4 points and 9.4 rebounds that month. He later missed more games due to a hamstring strain and a sprained ankle. Even with injuries, he averaged his personal bests in points (10.9) and rebounds (7.6).
More Injuries and Career Highs (2015–2017)
On August 26, 2015, Kidd-Gilchrist signed a new four-year contract with the Hornets. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in October 2015. This kept him out for four months. He returned in January 2016 but then injured his shoulder again in February. This second injury required surgery, and he missed the rest of the season.
In the first game of the 2016–17 season, Michael had 23 points and 14 rebounds. These were his season-highs. He played in 81 games that season, which was almost every game. He finished the year with good stats, including 9.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He also improved his free-throw shooting.
Last Seasons in Charlotte (2017–2020)
Michael missed the first three games of the 2017–18 season for personal reasons. He returned on October 25, 2017. On November 15, 2017, he scored a season-high 22 points.
In the 2018–19 season, he missed some games due to an ankle injury. For most of his career, he had started almost every game. But in this season, he came off the bench for 61 of his 64 games. He averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in less playing time.
In June 2019, he had surgery for a groin strain. On February 8, 2020, the Hornets and Kidd-Gilchrist agreed to end his contract.
Time with the Dallas Mavericks (2020)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist joined the Dallas Mavericks on February 11, 2020. He played his first game with them on February 21, helping them win against the Orlando Magic.
On November 28, 2020, he signed with the New York Knicks. However, he was released on December 19. In 2023, Michael shared that he had to stop playing basketball due to chest pain. He was diagnosed with a heart condition related to COVID-19. He later filed a lawsuit regarding his insurance coverage.
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 Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Charlotte | 78 | 77 | 26.0 | .458 | .222 | .749 | 5.8 | 1.5 | .7 | .9 | 9.0 |
| 2013–14 | Charlotte | 62 | 62 | 24.2 | .473 | .111 | .614 | 5.2 | .8 | .7 | .6 | 7.2 |
| 2014–15 | Charlotte | 55 | 52 | 28.9 | .465 | — | .701 | 7.6 | 1.4 | .5 | .7 | 10.9 |
| 2015–16 | Charlotte | 7 | 7 | 29.3 | .541 | .429 | .690 | 6.4 | 1.3 | .4 | .4 | 12.7 |
| 2016–17 | Charlotte | 81 | 81 | 29.0 | .477 | .111 | .784 | 7.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.2 |
| 2017–18 | Charlotte | 74 | 74 | 25.0 | .504 | .000 | .684 | 4.1 | 1.0 | .7 | .4 | 9.2 |
| 2018–19 | Charlotte | 64 | 3 | 18.4 | .476 | .340 | .772 | 3.8 | 1.0 | .5 | .6 | 6.7 |
| 2019–20 | Charlotte | 12 | 0 | 13.3 | .340 | .294 | .778 | 2.9 | .8 | .0 | .3 | 4.0 |
| 2019–20 | Dallas | 13 | 0 | 9.3 | .308 | .000 | .800 | 2.5 | .3 | .2 | .2 | .9 |
| Career | 446 | 356 | 24.6 | .474 | .272 | .715 | 5.4 | 1.2 | .7 | .7 | 8.4 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Charlotte | 4 | 4 | 22.8 | .519 | .000 | .600 | 6.5 | 1.5 | .0 | .5 | 8.5 |
| 2020 | Dallas | 6 | 0 | 9.2 | .286 | .222 | .667 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | .2 | 2.3 |
| Career | 10 | 4 | 14.6 | .439 | .200 | .625 | 3.2 | .9 | .1 | .3 | 4.8 | |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Kentucky | 40 | 39 | 31.1 | .491 | .255 | .745 | 7.4 | 1.9 | 1.0 | .9 | 11.9 |
Personal Life and Family Connections
Michael's father passed away on August 11, 1996. Michael used to watch the movie The Lion King almost every day with his father. He still watches it once a week to remember him. Michael chose April 14, 2010, to commit to the University of Kentucky. This date would have been his father's 44th birthday.
Michael's father played basketball with Milt Wagner at Camden High in 1981. Milt Wagner's son, former NBA player Dajuan Wagner, is Michael's cousin.
On July 7, 2011, Michael announced that he had legally changed his last name to Kidd-Gilchrist. He did this to honor his uncle, Darrin Kidd, who was also very important to him. Darrin Kidd passed away on the day Michael was supposed to sign his letter to play at the University of Kentucky.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has a stutter. He used to feel anxious when speaking in front of the media because of it. However, he has worked hard to manage his stutter and his anxiety.
Advocacy for Stuttering Awareness
Because he stutters, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist decided to help others who stutter. In 2021, he started a non-profit organization called Change & Impact. This group aims to improve healthcare access and resources for people who stutter. It also works to change how people view stuttering through awareness and education.
One of Michael's big achievements is helping pass a bill in Kentucky. This bill expands healthcare access for people who stutter. The Governor of Kentucky signed it into law in 2024. Michael is also working to pass similar bills in Pennsylvania and California.
Besides his work on laws, Michael travels around the country. He leads a "Change & Impact Stuttering Awareness Tour." He visits colleges, hospitals, and support groups. He connects with speech-language experts and with children, teens, and adults who stutter.
Through his advocacy, Michael has met with many important people. This includes senators, US representatives, and state representatives. He has also visited over 60 universities and many children's hospitals.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist para niños
