Talen Horton-Tucker facts for kids
Horton-Tucker in 2020
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 25, 2000 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Simeon (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 234 lb (106 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Iowa State (2018–2019) |
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall |
| Selected by the Orlando Magic | |
| Pro career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2022 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019–2020 | →South Bay Lakers |
| 2022–2024 | Utah Jazz |
| 2024–2025 | Chicago Bulls |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Talen Jalee Horton-Tucker (born November 25, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, Horton-Tucker played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Talen Horton-Tucker was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a neighborhood called Uptown. His parents are Shirley Horton and Marlin Tucker. For elementary school, Talen went to St. Matthias Elementary School in Chicago. His No. 5 jersey was even retired there, which is a big honor!
Talen played high school basketball at Simeon Career Academy. He helped his team, the Wolverines, win three City Championships in a row. He was considered a top player by ESPN. In October 2017, he decided to play college basketball for Iowa State. He chose them over other well-known schools like Illinois and Xavier.
College Basketball Career
Talen Horton-Tucker played one year of college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones. On November 20, 2018, he had an amazing game against Illinois. He scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, which were his best numbers in college.
As a freshman, Talen averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He played about 27 minutes in each game. After his first year, Talen decided to enter the 2019 NBA draft. This meant he was ready to try and play professional basketball.
Professional Basketball Journey
Joining the NBA: Los Angeles Lakers (2019–2022)
On June 20, 2019, Talen Horton-Tucker was picked by the Orlando Magic in the NBA draft. He was the 46th player chosen overall. However, on the same night, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers gave the Magic a future draft pick and some money for him.
Talen signed with the Lakers on July 13, 2019. He also spent some time playing for the South Bay Lakers. This team is part of the NBA G League, which helps players develop their skills. Talen made his first NBA appearance on December 8, 2019, playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the 2020 NBA season, the Lakers were doing very well. Talen got to play more, especially when the team had already secured the best record in their conference. He even started in the last regular season game. On September 12, 2020, he scored 9 points in a playoff game. This helped the Lakers win against the Houston Rockets and move closer to the championship.
Talen Horton-Tucker became an NBA champion when the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Finals. They defeated the Miami Heat in six games. At 19 years and 322 days old, he was one of the youngest players ever to win an NBA championship!
In the 2020–21 season, Talen became a regular player for the Lakers. He had some great games, scoring 17 points against the Houston Rockets on January 10, 2021. He also scored 17 points against the Denver Nuggets on February 4. On March 15, he set new personal bests with 18 points and 10 assists against the Golden State Warriors.
In October 2021, Talen had surgery on his right thumb. This kept him from playing for about a month. In April 2022, he scored a career-high 40 points in a game against the Golden State Warriors. During the 2021–22 season, he averaged 10 points and 2.7 assists per game for the Lakers.
Playing for the Utah Jazz (2022–2024)
On August 25, 2022, Talen Horton-Tucker was traded to the Utah Jazz. He joined the Jazz along with Stanley Johnson. In return, the Lakers received Patrick Beverley. Talen played his first game for the Jazz on October 19, scoring three points.
On March 29, 2023, Talen had another amazing game. He scored a new career-high of 41 points in a win against the San Antonio Spurs. He continued to play for the Jazz until 2024.
Joining the Chicago Bulls (2024)
On September 5, 2024, Talen Horton-Tucker signed with the Chicago Bulls. This brought him back to his hometown team.
Career Statistics
Talen Horton-Tucker has played in the NBA for several seasons. Here are some of his statistics:
NBA Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019–20 |
L.A. Lakers | 6 | 1 | 13.5 | .467 | .308 | .500 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | .2 | 5.7 |
| 2020–21 | L.A. Lakers | 65 | 4 | 20.1 | .458 | .282 | .775 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .3 | 9.0 |
| 2021–22 | L.A. Lakers | 60 | 19 | 25.2 | .416 | .269 | .800 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .5 | 10.0 |
| 2022–23 | Utah | 65 | 20 | 20.2 | .419 | .286 | .750 | 3.2 | 3.8 | .6 | .4 | 10.7 |
| 2023–24 | Utah | 51 | 11 | 19.8 | .396 | .330 | .807 | 2.4 | 3.5 | .9 | .4 | 10.1 |
| 2024–25 | Chicago | 58 | 0 | 12.5 | .457 | .336 | .735 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .4 | .2 | 6.5 |
| Career | 305 | 55 | 19.5 | .427 | .299 | .771 | 2.6 | 2.8 | .8 | .4 | 9.2 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |
L.A. Lakers | 2 | 0 | 8.5 | .500 | .400 | — | 2.5 | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | 7.0 |
| 2021 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | 0 | 12.0 | .458 | .200 | .600 | 3.5 | .5 | .3 | .0 | 6.5 |
| Career | 6 | 0 | 10.8 | .472 | .300 | .600 | 3.2 | .3 | .5 | .0 | 6.7 | |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Iowa State | 35 | 34 | 27.2 | .406 | .308 | .625 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .7 | 11.8 |
See also
In Spanish: Talen Horton-Tucker para niños
