Omari Spellman facts for kids
-0_2.jpg)
Spellman with Zenit Saint Petersburg in October 2024
|
|
| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 21, 1997 Cleveland, Ohio |
| Nationality | American / Lebanese |
| High school |
|
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 285 lb (129 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Villanova (2017–2018) |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
| 2018–2019 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2018–2019 | →Erie BayHawks |
| 2019–2020 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2020 | Iowa Wolves |
| 2021 | Erie BayHawks |
| 2021–2023 | Anyang KGC / Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters |
| 2024–2025 | Zenit Saint Petersburg |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Omari Rasulala Spellman (born July 21, 1997) is a professional basketball player from America and Lebanon. He recently played for Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. Before that, he played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats. With Villanova, he helped his team win a national championship in 2018. Omari Spellman was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks as the 30th player in the 2018 NBA draft.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Omari Spellman was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He started high school in New York at Middletown High School. After a few months, he moved to Hoosac School. There, he had to start in 8th grade again.
Later, Spellman went to North Royalton High School in Ohio. In his second year, he scored about 22 points and grabbed nearly 10 rebounds in each game. Before his third year, he decided to attend the MacDuffie School in Massachusetts.
For his final year of high school, Spellman played at St. Thomas More in Connecticut. During his senior year (2015–16), he averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game. Even though he was not named a McDonald's All-American, he was picked to play in the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic. In that game, he scored 12 points and had 15 rebounds.
Experts thought Spellman was a top player from the 2016 high school class. ESPN ranked him as the 16th best player overall. He was also ranked 5th among power forwards. When he wasn't playing basketball, he enjoyed writing poetry.
College Basketball Career
Omari Spellman had to take a "redshirt" year when he first started college. This meant he couldn't play in games during his first year. He needed to improve his academic standing. He was very upset when he first heard the news.
During his redshirt year, Spellman worked hard to get healthier. He lost a lot of weight, going from 300 pounds to 245 pounds. He also focused on eating better foods.
When he finally played as a redshirt freshman, he was very good at shooting three-pointers. He made 44.6 percent of his three-point shots, which was the best on his team. He scored a career-high 27 points in a game against Temple. In a big tournament game against West Virginia, he had 18 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks.
Overall, he averaged about 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. His team, Villanova, won the national championship that year. After the season, Spellman decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Career
Atlanta Hawks (2018–2019)
On June 21, 2018, the Atlanta Hawks chose Omari Spellman as the 30th player in the 2018 NBA draft. He was one of four Villanova players picked that year. Spellman officially joined the Hawks team on July 1, 2018.
Sometimes, players are sent to the NBA G League to get more playing time. On December 30, 2018, Spellman was sent to the Hawks' G League team, the Erie BayHawks. He played his first G League game the next night. He scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in that game.
Golden State Warriors (2019–2020)
On July 8, 2019, Spellman was traded to the Golden State Warriors. He was traded for another player named Damian Jones and a future draft pick.
Iowa Wolves (2020)
On February 6, 2020, Spellman was traded again, this time to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was traded along with D'Angelo Russell and Jacob Evans. In return, the Warriors received Andrew Wiggins and a draft pick.
After this trade, Spellman was sent to the Timberwolves' G League team, the Iowa Wolves. On March 8, he had a "triple-double" with the Wolves. This means he got at least 10 in three different stats: 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. He did not play any games for the Timberwolves' main team.
Erie BayHawks (2021)
On November 24, 2020, Spellman was traded to the New York Knicks. He was traded for Ed Davis. However, on January 7, 2021, the Knicks decided to let him go.
On January 26, 2021, Spellman signed with the Erie BayHawks again. This team is part of the NBA G League.
Anyang KGC / Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters (2021–2023)
Spellman played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2021 NBA Summer League. This is a special league where new players and young players get to show their skills.
On August 31, 2021, Spellman signed to play for Anyang KGC in the Korean Basketball League (KBL). In March 2023, his team, Anyang KGC, played in the East Asia Super League (EASL) tournament. They won the gold medal, and Spellman was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Champions Week. In May 2023, he also won his first KBL championship. His contract with the team ended on December 12.
Zenit Saint Petersburg (2024–2025)
On July 31, 2024, Spellman signed with Zenit Saint Petersburg. This team plays in the VTB United League in Russia. His contract with them ended on January 21, 2025.
National Team Career
On April 18, 2023, Omari Spellman became a citizen of Lebanon. After that, he joined the Lebanon men's national basketball team. This means he can play for Lebanon in international basketball games.
Personal Life
Omari Spellman has a younger brother named Arashma Parks. Arashma plays basketball as a forward for Temple University. Omari also has a younger sister, Taiyier Parks. She plays basketball as a forward for Michigan State.
See also
In Spanish: Omari Spellman para niños
