Nassir Little facts for kids
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Little with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022
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| Chiba Jets | |
|---|---|
| Power forward / small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 11, 2000 Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | North Carolina (2018–2019) |
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 2019–present |
| League | B.League |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2023 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2023–2024 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2024–2025 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2025–present | Chiba Jets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Nassir Shamai Little (born February 11, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Chiba Jets in Japan's B.League. Nassir was one of the best high school players in his class. He led his high school team, Orlando Christian Prep, to win two state championships in Florida. He then played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. After one year, he was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft.
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Early Life and High School Success
Nassir Little started his high school basketball journey at Oakleaf High School. He played there for his first two years, from 2014 to 2016. After that, he moved to Orlando Christian Prep. He played his junior and senior years there. During these years, he helped his team win two Florida state championships in a row.
Becoming a High School Star
Nassir really shined in 2018. He played in the McDonald's All-American Game, which features the best high school players. He scored 28 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in that game. His amazing performance helped his team win. He was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the game.
He also won the MVP award at the Jordan Brand Classic. He scored 24 points in just 25 minutes. This made him one of only two players ever to win MVP at both major high school All-American games. The other player was LeBron James, a famous NBA star. Experts like Rivals ranked Nassir as the second-best high school player in 2018.
College Basketball Journey
Nassir Little decided to play college basketball for North Carolina. He officially joined the team on October 4, 2017. His first game for the Tar Heels was on November 6, 2018. He scored 7 points and helped his team win against Wofford.
He had his best college game against Virginia Tech. He scored 23 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 3 assists. North Carolina won that game with a score of 103–82. After his first year, Nassir decided to leave college early. He chose to enter the 2019 NBA draft. Many people thought he would be picked in the first round.
Professional Basketball Career
Nassir Little began his professional career in the NBA. He played for two different teams before moving to Japan.
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2023)
On June 20, 2019, the Portland Trail Blazers picked Nassir Little. He was the 25th player chosen in the 2019 NBA draft. He officially signed with the Blazers on July 1, 2019.
On February 1, 2021, Nassir had his best game with the Blazers. He scored 30 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 2 blocks. In January 2022, he had a shoulder injury. He needed surgery and missed the rest of that season. He also had another surgery in May 2022.
In October 2022, Nassir signed a new contract with the Trail Blazers. It was a four-year deal. In April 2023, he had another surgery on his stomach area.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
On September 27, 2023, Nassir Little was traded to the Phoenix Suns. This trade involved three teams. He moved to the Suns along with Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkić, and Keon Johnson. This trade sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. It also sent Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, Deandre Ayton, and a future draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Nassir played for the Suns until August 27, 2024, when the team decided to release him.
Playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce (2024–2025)
After leaving the Suns, Nassir Little signed with the Miami Heat on September 24, 2024. However, he was released by the Heat in October. On October 28, he joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This team plays in the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the NBA. He played 32 games for the Skyforce. He averaged about 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Joining the Chiba Jets (2025–Present)
On July 16, 2025, Nassir Little signed with the Chiba Jets. This team is part of the Japanese B.League. He is now playing basketball in Japan.
Career Highlights and Statistics
Nassir Little has played in many professional basketball games. Here are some of his career averages:
- In the NBA regular season, he played 237 games. He averaged 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
- In the NBA playoffs, he played 7 games. He averaged 1.7 points and 0.3 rebounds per game.
- In college, he played 36 games for North Carolina. He averaged 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
See also
In Spanish: Nassir Little para niños
