Ray Spalding facts for kids
Spalding being defended by Virginia Tech
|
|
| No. 21 – Hapoel Be'er Sheva | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 11, 1997 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| High school | Trinity (Louisville, Kentucky) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Louisville (2015–2018) |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 2 / Pick: 56th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| League | Israeli Basketball Premier League |
| Career history | |
| 2018–2019 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2018–2019 | →Texas Legends |
| 2019 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2019–2020 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2020 | Charlotte Hornets |
| 2020 | →Greensboro Swarm |
| 2021 | Houston Rockets |
| 2021 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2022–2024 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2024 | Osos de Manatí |
| 2024–present | Hapoel Be'er Sheva |
Raymond Mark Spalding (born March 11, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Ray played college basketball for Louisville. He was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Ray Spalding is the son of Raymond Brooks and Gerri Spalding. He grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. Ray played many sports when he was younger. These included lacrosse, soccer, and even fencing. Of course, he also played basketball.
Ray went to Trinity High School in Louisville. His coach there was Mike Szabo. Before his last year of high school, Ray scored 34 points in a special tournament. This made many colleges interested in him. He decided to play for the Louisville Cardinals. He wanted to become a well-known player in his hometown.
College Basketball Journey
When Ray joined Louisville, his coach, Rick Pitino, was very excited. He said Ray had a lot of potential. For his first two years, Ray often started games from the bench. This means he was a substitute player.
As a sophomore, he averaged 5.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. After that season, Ray saw how hard his teammate Donovan Mitchell worked. Mitchell became an NBA player. Ray decided to work just as hard.
In December 2017, Ray had a great game against Grand Canyon. He scored 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. On January 16, 2018, he scored a career-high 23 points. He also had 12 rebounds in a tough game against Notre Dame.
As a junior, Ray started most games. He averaged 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. He helped his team win 22 games that season. Ray was also recognized as an Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference player. After this successful season, Ray decided to enter the NBA draft. He hired an agent, which meant he would not play his final year at Louisville.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the NBA Draft
On June 21, 2018, Ray Spalding was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was the 56th player chosen in the NBA Draft. Soon after, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He signed his first professional contract on July 20, 2018.
Ray played his first NBA game on October 17, 2018. He played for one minute against the Phoenix Suns. This was his only game with the Dallas Mavericks. For most of his time with the Mavericks, he played for their minor league team. This team was called the Texas Legends. They play in the NBA G League. On January 31, 2019, Ray left the Mavericks team.
Playing for the Phoenix Suns
On February 20, 2019, Ray signed a short contract with the Phoenix Suns. He later signed a longer contract with them on March 3. On March 9, he got his first rebound in an NBA game. He played for only 3 minutes.
A week later, Ray had one of his best games with the Suns. He scored 8 points and had 4 rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans. On April 5, Ray started his first NBA game. He had an amazing game with 21 points and 13 rebounds. This is called a "double-double." The Suns won that game in overtime.
Time in the G League
After playing for the Suns, Ray continued his career in the NBA G League. He played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He also had short times with the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets. For the Hornets, he played for their G League team, the Greensboro Swarm. He scored 15 points in his first game for the Swarm.
Ray returned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2022. He played for them until 2024.
Recent Teams
In April 2024, Ray signed with the Osos de Manatí. This team plays in Puerto Rico. Later in 2024, he joined Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel. This is where he plays now.
Career Statistics
Here are some of Ray Spalding's basketball statistics. They show how he performed in games.
NBA Regular Season
| Season | Team | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes Per Game | Field Goal % | 3-Point % | Free Throw % | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | Steals Per Game | Blocks Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Dallas | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | – | – | – | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 0.0 |
| 2018–19 | Phoenix | 13 | 3 | 11.3 | .532 | .000 | .333 | 3.7 | .4 | .7 | .6 | 4.2 |
| 2020–21 | Houston | 2 | 0 | 9.5 | .500 | .000 | .000 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Total | 16 | 3 | 10.4 | .529 | .000 | .286 | 3.3 | .3 | .6 | .6 | 3.6 |
NBA G League Regular Season
| Season | Team | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes Per Game | Field Goal % | 3-Point % | Free Throw % | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | Steals Per Game | Blocks Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Texas | 29 | 26 | 30.1 | .514 | .231 | .568 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 15.9 |
| Total | 29 | 26 | 30.1 | .514 | .231 | .568 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 15.9 |
College Statistics
| Season | Team | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes Per Game | Field Goal % | 3-Point % | Free Throw % | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | Steals Per Game | Blocks Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Louisville | 30 | 6 | 17.5 | .560 | .333 | .500 | 4.3 | .5 | .9 | .7 | 5.6 |
| 2016–17 | Louisville | 34 | 8 | 19.2 | .590 | .000 | .545 | 5.5 | .8 | .6 | .9 | 5.9 |
| 2017–18 | Louisville | 36 | 34 | 27.6 | .543 | .263 | .640 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 12.3 |
| Total | 100 | 48 | 21.7 | .557 | .240 | .579 | 6.3 | .9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 8.1 |
Images for kids
-
Ray Spalding being defended by Virginia Tech
See also
In Spanish: Ray Spalding para niños
