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Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel - 2018 NBA Summer League.png
Noel in 2018
Free agent
Center / power forward
Personal information
Born (1994-04-10) April 10, 1994 (age 31)
Malden, Massachusetts, U.S.
High school
Listed height 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College Kentucky (2012–2013)
NBA Draft 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the New Orleans Pelicans
Pro career 2013–present
Career history
2013–2017 Philadelphia 76ers
2017–2018 Dallas Mavericks
2018–2020 Oklahoma City Thunder
2020–2022 New York Knicks
2022–2023 Detroit Pistons
2023 Brooklyn Nets
Career highlights and awards
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team (2015)
  • First-team All-SEC (2013)
  • SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
  • SEC All-Defensive Team (2013)
  • SEC Rookie of the Year (2013)
  • SEC All-Freshman Team (2013)
  • First-team Parade All-American (2012)

Nerlens Noel (born April 10, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nerlens plays as a center or power forward. He was one of the best high school basketball players in 2012.

Nerlens Noel's Early Life and High School Basketball

20110110 Nerlens Noel (profile) at Hoop Hall Classic
Noel at the Hoop Hall Classic in 2011

Nerlens Noel was born in Malden, Massachusetts, near Boston. His parents moved there from Haiti. He spent his first two years of high school at Everett High School.

After his second year, he moved to Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire. He repeated his second year at Tilton. He later changed his graduation year back to 2012. In his final year, he averaged 12.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game.

How Nerlens Became a Top High School Player

Experts like ESPN and Scout.com rated Noel as the number one player in his class. SLAM magazine ranked him number two. He was chosen to play in important games like the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit and the 2012 Jordan Brand Classic.

Noel also played AAU basketball with Michael Carter-Williams, who later became his teammate. Before he graduated, The New York Times wrote about him. They said he was one of the best shot blockers of his time. However, his offensive skills needed more work.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Nerlens Noel
C
Everett, Massachusetts The Tilton School 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Apr 11, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN grade: 98
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 1   Rivals: 2, 1 (C)  ESPN: 1
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

College Basketball Career at Kentucky

Nerlens-Noel
Noel playing for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2012

In April 2012, Noel decided to play NCAA Division I basketball at the University of Kentucky. He announced his decision on TV by showing the UK logo shaved into his hair. Fans and media had high hopes for him. They wanted him to be as good as Anthony Davis. Davis had just led the Kentucky Wildcats to a national championship.

Key Games and Records at Kentucky

In his third game on November 16, 2012, Noel scored 15 points. He also had 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, and 4 steals. On January 12, 2013, he had 15 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

On January 29, 2013, Noel set a new school record for Kentucky. He made 12 blocks in a game against Ole Miss. The previous record was 9 blocks. Even though he only scored two points, the opposing coach said Noel "was the difference in the game."

Injury and Awards

On February 12, 2013, Noel suffered a serious injury. He tore a ligament in his left knee while blocking a shot. This injury ended his season. Before the injury, many thought he would be the first player picked in the 2013 NBA draft. Despite his injury, Noel decided to enter the draft on April 15, 2013.

Noel received many awards for his college performance. These included SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named to the SEC First Team and SEC All-Freshman Team. He was recognized for his community service too.

Nerlens Noel's Professional NBA Journey

Starting with the Philadelphia 76ers (2013–2017)

Noel was expected to be a top pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He was chosen sixth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. However, his draft rights were soon traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. This trade happened because teams were worried about his knee injury.

Noel officially joined the 76ers on July 12, 2013. He signed his contract on September 24, 2013. He missed his entire first season to recover from his knee surgery.

Nerlens Noel with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015
Noel as a 76er in 2015

Noel played for the 76ers in the 2014 NBA Summer League. He made his NBA debut on October 29, 2014. In that game, he scored 6 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and made 3 blocks. On January 30, he had 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 6 blocks in a win.

Noel played in the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge. On February 20, he had 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and a career-high 9 blocks. A week later, he became only the third 76ers rookie to get 100 blocks in a season.

In October 2016, Noel needed knee surgery and missed many games. He returned to play on December 11. On January 24, 2017, he scored a season-high 19 points.

Playing for the Dallas Mavericks (2017–2018)

On February 23, 2017, Noel was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He played his first game for the Mavericks two days later. He scored 9 points and had 10 rebounds. On March 3, 2017, he had 15 points and tied his career high with 17 rebounds.

In October 2017, Noel scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds in a game. In December 2017, he had surgery for a thumb injury. He missed 42 games but returned in February 2018.

Time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2018–2020)

Nerlens Noel - 2018 NBA Summer League
Noel at the 2018 NBA Summer League.

Noel signed a two-year contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 6, 2018. On October 28, 2018, he had 20 points and 15 rebounds in a win. On December 31, he scored 15 points in just 15 minutes. In January 2019, he left a game after a hard fall and missed three games due to a concussion.

Joining the New York Knicks (2020–2022)

On November 25, 2020, Noel signed a one-year contract with the New York Knicks. He played his first game for the Knicks on December 23. On January 15, 2021, he recorded a season-high 6 blocks. On March 21, he scored a season-high 13 points and had 10 rebounds.

The Knicks made the playoffs in 2021 for the first time since 2013. Noel had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals in a playoff game. The Knicks lost their series in five games.

On August 11, 2021, the Knicks re-signed Noel for three years. On November 5, he grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds. He played his last game of the 2021–22 season on February 7. He did not play again that season due to a foot injury.

Detroit Pistons (2022–2023) and Brooklyn Nets (2023)

On July 11, 2022, Noel was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He played his first game for the Pistons on October 31. On February 28, 2023, he left the Pistons.

On March 6, 2023, Noel signed a short-term contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He later signed with the Sacramento Kings on July 21, 2023, but was released on September 12, 2023.

College Statistics

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012–13 Kentucky 24 24 31.9 .590 .529 9.5 1.6 2.1 4.4 10.5

Nerlens Noel's Family Life

Noel's parents moved from Haiti in 1990. He has two older brothers and one younger sister. Both of his older brothers played college football. His oldest brother, Jim, played for Boston College. His other brother, Rodman, played for North Carolina State.

See also

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