P. J. Tucker facts for kids
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Tucker with the Houston Rockets in 2019
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward / small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 5, 1985 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| High school | William G. Enloe (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Texas (2003–2006) |
| NBA Draft | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35th overall |
| Selected by the Toronto Raptors | |
| Pro career | 2006–present |
| Career history | |
| 2006–2007 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2007–2008 | Hapoel Holon |
| 2008–2010 | BC Donetsk |
| 2010 | Bnei HaSharon |
| 2010–2011 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| 2011 | Montegranaro |
| 2011 | Piratas de Quebradillas |
| 2011–2012 | Brose Bamberg |
| 2012–2017 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2017 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2017–2021 | Houston Rockets |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2021–2022 | Miami Heat |
| 2022–2023 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2023–2025 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2025 | New York Knicks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Anthony Leon "P.J." Tucker Jr. is a professional basketball player from the United States. He was born on May 5, 1985. He last played for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). P.J. is known for being a strong defender throughout his career. He won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns. Tucker also won championships and awards in other countries. He was the 2008 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP and Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP. He also won the Israeli Super League title in 2008 with Hapoel Holon. In 2012, he won the German League and the German Cup with Brose Bamberg.
Contents
- Early Life and College Basketball
- Professional Basketball Journey
- Starting with the Toronto Raptors (2006–2007)
- Playing Overseas (2007–2012)
- Back to the NBA: Phoenix Suns (2012–2017)
- Return to Toronto (2017)
- Houston Rockets (2017–2021)
- Milwaukee Bucks (2021)
- Miami Heat (2021–2022)
- Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)
- Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2025)
- New York Knicks (2025)
- Career Statistics
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and College Basketball
P.J. Tucker went to William G. Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2003, he was named North Carolina Player of the Year. His jersey number was later retired by the school.
He played three seasons at the University of Texas at Austin. During his college career, he scored 1,169 points. He also grabbed 714 rebounds and made 170 assists. In his junior year, Tucker was named a second-team All-American. He also won the Big 12 Player of the Year award in 2006.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with the Toronto Raptors (2006–2007)
The Toronto Raptors picked Tucker as the 35th player in the 2006 NBA draft. He signed a two-year contract with them in July 2006.
In January 2007, the Raptors sent Tucker to the Colorado 14ers. This team was part of the NBA Development League. He was called back to the Raptors in February but sent back to the 14ers in March. The Raptors then let Tucker go in March 2007. He played a total of 83 minutes in his first NBA season.
Playing Overseas (2007–2012)
After leaving the Raptors, Tucker played basketball in other countries.
Success in Israel
In the 2007–08 season, Tucker played for Hapoel Holon in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He helped his team win the league title, ending Maccabi Tel Aviv's long winning streak. He was also the MVP of the Israeli Premier League Finals in 2008.
Time in Ukraine
For the 2008–09 season, Tucker joined BC Donetsk in the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague. He helped the team reach third place in their first season. He also became a Ukrainian SuperLeague All-Star.
Return to Israel and Italy
In March 2010, Tucker returned to Israel and played for Bnei HaSharon. In August 2010, he signed with Aris BC in Greece. He later played for Sutor Basket Montegranaro in Italy in April 2011.
German Championship with Brose Bamberg
In July 2011, Tucker signed with Brose Baskets Bamberg in Germany. He helped his team win the German championship in 2012. He also won the Finals MVP award that year.
Back to the NBA: Phoenix Suns (2012–2017)
In 2012, P.J. Tucker signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns. In his first game back in the NBA, he scored 10 points. On November 23, 2012, he scored a career-high 15 points. He started most of the Suns' games for the rest of the 2012–13 NBA season.
On February 8, 2014, Tucker had 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. He was the first Suns player since 2007 to achieve these numbers. On April 6, Tucker scored a new career-high of 22 points.
In July 2014, he re-signed with the Suns for three years. He played in all 82 games for the Suns in the 2015–16 season. This made him the only player on the team to do so. On March 14, 2016, he scored a career-high 23 points. He then topped that with 24 points on April 7.
In September 2016, Tucker had back surgery. He returned for the start of the season but played a bench role. He later returned to the starting lineup due to an injury to another player.
Return to Toronto (2017)
On February 23, 2017, Tucker was traded back to the Toronto Raptors. This was his first time playing for the Raptors since 2007. In his first game back, he had 10 rebounds and nine points.
On April 15, 2017, Tucker made his NBA playoff debut. This was after playing 418 regular season games. The Raptors won their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. They then faced the Cleveland Cavaliers and were swept 4–0. In Game 4, Tucker had 14 points and 12 rebounds in his first playoff start.
Houston Rockets (2017–2021)
On July 6, 2017, Tucker signed a four-year contract with the Houston Rockets. In his first game for the Rockets, he scored 20 points. On March 30, 2018, he made a career-high five 3-pointers.
In the 2018 playoffs, Tucker set new career highs in scoring. He scored 15 points in a first-round win. He then scored 19 points in a second-round win. In the Western Conference Finals, he scored 22 points in a game against the Golden State Warriors. The Rockets lost the series in seven games.
On January 7, 2019, Tucker made a career-high seven 3-pointers. He scored a season-high 21 points in that game. In March 2021, Tucker and the Rockets agreed that he would stop playing for the team.
Milwaukee Bucks (2021)
On March 19, 2021, Tucker was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played a key role in the Bucks' playoff run. On June 10, 2021, he helped limit Kevin Durant's scoring in a big win. In Game 4, Tucker scored 13 points and added seven rebounds. The Bucks won that series in seven games.
The Bucks then advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. On July 20, 2021, Tucker and the Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns in Game 6. This marked his first NBA Championship. It was also the first championship for the Milwaukee Bucks since 1971.
Miami Heat (2021–2022)
On August 7, 2021, Tucker signed with the Miami Heat. On December 13, he tied his career-high with 23 points. He also grabbed 9 rebounds and had 5 assists in that game.
Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)
On July 6, 2022, Tucker signed a three-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. On February 25, 2023, he recorded a season-high 16 rebounds.
Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2025)
On November 1, 2023, the Los Angeles Clippers acquired Tucker in a trade. He was traded along with James Harden and Filip Petrušev. Before the start of the 2024–25 season, the Clippers announced that Tucker would not be with the team. On February 1, 2025, Tucker was traded to the Utah Jazz. He was then traded to the Toronto Raptors on February 6, 2025, in a five-team trade. The Raptors waived him on February 28, 2025.
New York Knicks (2025)
On March 10, 2025, the New York Knicks signed Tucker to a 10-day contract. He signed another 10-day contract on March 20. He was waived by the team on March 30. On March 31, he signed a two-year deal with the Knicks. This made him eligible for the playoffs. On June 12, 2025, Tucker shared his plan to play his 15th NBA season. On June 29, 2025, it was reported that the Knicks would not keep Tucker for the next season.
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 |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Toronto | 17 | 0 | 4.9 | .500 | — | .571 | 1.4 | .2 | .1 | .0 | 1.8 |
| 2012–13 | Phoenix | 79 | 45 | 24.2 | .473 | .314 | .744 | 4.4 | 1.4 | .8 | .2 | 6.4 |
| 2013–14 | Phoenix | 81 | 81 | 30.7 | .431 | .387 | .776 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .3 | 9.4 |
| 2014–15 | Phoenix | 78 | 63 | 30.6 | .438 | .345 | .727 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 | .3 | 9.1 |
| 2015–16 | Phoenix | 82* | 80 | 31.0 | .411 | .330 | .746 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.3 | .2 | 8.0 |
| 2016–17 | Phoenix | 57 | 17 | 28.5 | .415 | .338 | .792 | 6.0 | 1.3 | 1.5 | .2 | 7.0 |
| Toronto | 24 | 4 | 25.4 | .406 | .400 | .688 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 1.3 | .2 | 5.8 | |
| 2017–18 | Houston | 82* | 34 | 27.8 | .390 | .371 | .717 | 5.6 | .9 | 1.0 | .3 | 6.1 |
| 2018–19 | Houston | 82* | 82* | 34.2 | .396 | .377 | .695 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.6 | .5 | 7.3 |
| 2019–20 | Houston | 72 | 72 | 34.3 | .415 | .358 | .813 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .5 | 6.9 |
| 2020–21† | Houston | 32 | 32 | 30.0 | .366 | .314 | .783 | 4.6 | 1.4 | .9 | .6 | 4.4 |
| Milwaukee | 20 | 1 | 19.8 | .391 | .394 | .600 | 2.8 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 2.6 | |
| 2021–22 | Miami | 71 | 70 | 27.9 | .484 | .415 | .738 | 5.5 | 2.1 | .8 | .2 | 7.6 |
| 2022–23 | Philadelphia | 75 | 75 | 25.6 | .427 | .393 | .826 | 3.9 | .8 | .5 | .2 | 3.5 |
| 2023–24 | Philadelphia | 3 | 3 | 22.1 | .400 | .400 | — | 4.7 | .0 | 1.0 | .7 | 2.0 |
| L.A. Clippers | 28 | 7 | 15.0 | .356 | .367 | 1.000 | 2.5 | .6 | .5 | .2 | 1.6 | |
| 2024–25 | New York | 3 | 1 | 19.3 | .429 | .500 | – | 2.7 | .0 | .3 | .3 | 3.0 |
| Career | 886 | 667 | 28.2 | .425 | .366 | .750 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .3 | 6.6 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Toronto | 10 | 1 | 25.1 | .367 | .321 | .625 | 5.7 | 1.1 | .6 | .3 | 5.0 |
| 2018 | Houston | 17 | 17 | 33.5 | .481 | .467 | .667 | 6.5 | 1.3 | .6 | .8 | 8.9 |
| 2019 | Houston | 11 | 11 | 38.7 | .455 | .456 | .826 | 7.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 | .7 | 11.4 |
| 2020 | Houston | 12 | 12 | 34.5 | .398 | .373 | — | 7.2 | 1.5 | 1.1 | .3 | 7.9 |
| 2021† | Milwaukee | 23* | 19 | 29.6 | .388 | .322 | .750 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | .1 | 4.3 |
| 2022 | Miami | 18 | 18 | 28.3 | .495 | .451 | .688 | 5.7 | 1.8 | .8 | .3 | 7.9 |
| 2023 | Philadelphia | 11 | 11 | 26.7 | .373 | .350 | .667 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | .3 | 4.9 |
| 2024 | L.A. Clippers | 2 | 1 | 15.3 | .667 | .750 | — | 1.5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 5.5 |
| 2025 | New York | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | — | — | — | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 105 | 90 | 30.3 | .436 | .404 | .722 | 5.7 | 1.4 | .9 | .4 | 6.9 | |
Personal Life
P.J. Tucker's full name is Anthony Leon Tucker Jr. His father called him "Pop Junior," which led to his nickname P.J. He lived in Germany for part of his childhood. This was because his father was serving in the Army there.
Tucker married his long-term girlfriend, Tracey, in 2010. They have three children together.
Love for Sneakers and Fashion
P.J. Tucker is a big fan of sneakers. He owns thousands of pairs of shoes. He stores them in different places across the country. In 2016, SLAM magazine called Tucker the top sneaker collector in the NBA. This was because of both the number and quality of his shoes. Some of his collection includes rare shoes made for other NBA players.
In 2020, Tucker worked with eBay to help them sell more shoes. He showed off hundreds of his best pairs in something called the 'Sneaker Loft'. This collection included a rare pair of Nike SB Dunk Ben & Jerry's "Chunky Dunky" shoes. He bought these on eBay for $2,000. Tucker learned about eBay from a college teammate.
In a 2021 interview, Tucker talked about his love for fashion. He said he likes to dress up every day. He believes that if he looks good, he plays good. He feels that his appearance and performance are connected.
See also
In Spanish: P. J. Tucker para niños
