Rakeem Christmas facts for kids
Christmas with Syracuse in 2013
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| No. 25 – Amartha Hangtuah | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 1, 1991 Irvington, New Jersey, U.S. |
| High school |
|
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Syracuse (2011–2015) |
| NBA Draft | 2015 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36th overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Pro career | 2015–present |
| League | IBL |
| Career history | |
| 2015–2017 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2015–2017 | →Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2017 | Galatasaray |
| 2018 | New Zealand Breakers |
| 2018 | Henan Shedianlaojiu |
| 2019 | Capitanes de Arecibo |
| 2019 | Magnolia Hotshots |
| 2019–2020 | Ormanspor |
| 2020 | Mets de Guaynabo |
| 2020–2021 | Yulon Luxgen Dinos |
| 2022 | Plaza Fernando Valerio |
| 2022 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2022 | Cocodrilos de Caracas |
| 2023 | Marineros de Puerto Plata |
| 2023 | Santos de San Luis |
| 2024 | Biguá |
| 2024 | Marineros de Puerto Plata |
| 2023 | Santos de San Luis |
| 2024–present | Amartha Hangtuah |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Rakeem Haleek Christmas (born December 1, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Amartha Hangtuah team in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL).
Before becoming a professional, Rakeem played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange team for four seasons. In 2015, he was chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 36th player in the 2015 NBA draft.
After being drafted, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then to the Indiana Pacers. He played two seasons with the Pacers. During this time, he also played for their minor league team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, in the NBA G League. After leaving the Pacers, he played for teams in different countries, including Turkey, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
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Rakeem's High School Basketball Journey
Rakeem Christmas went to Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 2007 to 2009. Before his junior year, he moved to Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.
During his junior year, he averaged 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game. In his senior year, he averaged 11.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game.
Basketball experts thought highly of him. Scout.com ranked him as the #21 player in his class of 2011. Rivals.com ranked him as the #27 player. He was also named to the Class A first team as a junior.
Rakeem's College Basketball Career
Rakeem Christmas decided to play basketball for Syracuse on August 6, 2010. This was after his junior year in high school. He started playing for the Syracuse team in the 2011–12 season. He played and contributed to the team for all four seasons he was there.
His final season (2014–15) was his best. He averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.
College Career Highs
Rakeem had some amazing games in college:
- Blocks: 6 blocks against Loyola on November 25, 2014.
- Rebounds: 16 rebounds against Hampton on November 16, 2014.
- Points: 35 points against Wake Forest on January 13, 2015.
Rakeem's Professional Basketball Career
Indiana Pacers (2015–2017)
On June 25, 2015, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked Rakeem Christmas as the 36th player in the 2015 NBA draft. His draft rights were then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Later, on July 23, 2015, his rights were traded again to the Indiana Pacers. Four days after that, he officially signed with the Pacers.
During the 2015–16 season, Rakeem spent most of his time playing in the NBA Development League (now called the G League) for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. This league helps players develop their skills. On January 29, 2016, he was chosen to be an All-Star in the NBA D-League.
Rakeem made his first NBA game appearance in the Pacers' last game of the 2015–16 season. He scored four points in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks. In the 2016–17 season, he played in 29 games for the Pacers. He also continued to play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. On July 7, 2017, the Pacers decided to release him from their team.
Galatasaray (2017)
On August 17, 2017, Rakeem Christmas signed with a Turkish basketball team called Galatasaray. He played for them during the 2017–18 season. However, on November 11, 2017, he left the team.
New Zealand Breakers (2018)
On January 8, 2018, Rakeem joined the New Zealand Breakers team for the rest of their 2017–18 season. In 12 games, he averaged 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Magnolia Hotshots (2019)
On July 18, 2019, news came out that the Magnolia Hotshots team had added Rakeem Christmas to their roster.
Ormanspor (2019–2020)
On August 21, 2019, another Turkish team, OGM Ormanspor, announced that Rakeem Christmas had joined their team.
Yulon Dinosours (2020–2021)
On November 3, 2020, the Yulon Luxgen Dinos team announced that Rakeem Christmas had joined them.
Cangrejeros de Santurce (2022)
On January 1, 2022, Rakeem signed with the Cangrejeros de Santurce team in the BSN league.
Santos del Potosí (2023)
On August 5, 2023, the Santos del Potosí team announced that Rakeem Christmas had joined their roster. He was later released by the team on November 3, 2023.
Amartha Hangtuah (2024–present)
In December 2024, Rakeem Christmas joined the Amartha Hangtuah team. This team plays in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL).
Rakeem's NBA Statistics
Rakeem played in 30 NBA games during his career. He averaged 2.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks per game.
Rakeem's Personal Life
Rakeem Christmas was born on December 1, 1991. When he was two years old, he and his mother, Landra Hamid, moved to St. Croix. Sadly, his mother passed away when she was 28 years old due to kidney failure. After her death, Rakeem stayed in St. Croix and was raised by his grandmother, Evelyn Hamid.
When he was 13, he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to live with his aunt, Amira Hamid, who became his legal guardian.
While at Syracuse University, Rakeem became an honorary member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity during his second year. He is believed to be the first player in Syracuse men's basketball history to finish his college degree in just three years.
Rakeem Christmas was married to Jasmine Jordan, who is the daughter of famous basketball legend Michael Jordan. Their son, Rakeem Michael Christmas, was born in May 2019. In 2024, he welcomed his second child with his girlfriend.
See also
In Spanish: Rakeem Christmas para niños
