Troy Baxter Jr. facts for kids

Troy Leonard Baxter Jr. was born on March 5, 1996. He is an American professional basketball player. He recently played for the Calgary Surge team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for three different teams: the UNLV Runnin' Rebels, Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, and Morgan State Bears.

High School Basketball Journey

Troy Baxter Jr. went to Oldsmar Christian School in Oldsmar, Florida. His skills really improved when he played for Team Breakdown in the Under Armour Association in 2015. On May 1, 2015, Baxter decided to play college basketball for the South Florida Bulls.

During his senior year (2015–16), Baxter averaged 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He was considered a top player, ranked 90th in the ESPN 100. In 2016, Baxter won the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk Contest. Later, on September 1, 2016, he decided to play for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels instead.

College Basketball Career

Playing for UNLV (2016–2017)

During his first year at UNLV, Baxter averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He felt he wasn't playing as much as he hoped. Also, the team only won four games in their conference. Because of this, on March 30, 2017, Baxter announced he would leave UNLV.

Time at Florida Gulf Coast (2017–2019)

On June 20, 2017, Baxter decided to join the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. He had to sit out the 2017–18 season due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer rules. Baxter used this time to practice hard, treating every practice like a real game. He believes this helped him become a better basketball player.

In the 2018–19 season, Baxter averaged 7.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. On April 5, 2019, he said he would enter the 2019 NBA draft. However, he didn't hire an agent, which meant he could still return to college. Baxter chose to go back to college after realizing his chances in the draft weren't great. He then decided to transfer again.

Years at Morgan State (2019–2021)

Baxter wanted to transfer to a team with coaches who had helped players reach the National Basketball Association (NBA). He picked the Morgan State Bears because their head coach, Kevin Broadus, had coached 12 future NBA players.

In the 2019–20 season, Baxter averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. His 1.9 blocks per game were the second highest in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

During the 2020–21 season, Baxter averaged 15.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He was chosen for the All-MEAC First Team and the All-Defensive Team. He also won the 2021 Great Clips Slam Dunk Championship. This made him the first player to win slam dunk titles in both high school and college! On August 9, 2021, Baxter was named the MEAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year for his excellent work in academics and other activities.

Professional Basketball Career

After the 2021 NBA draft, where he was not chosen, Baxter joined the Chicago Bulls for the 2021 NBA Summer League. On October 15, 2021, he signed with the Bulls but was released the very next day. Baxter then joined the Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League. He played for several G League teams in 2022, including the Wisconsin Herd, Grand Rapids Gold, and Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

In May and June 2022, Baxter played eight games for Indios de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic. In October 2022, he played three games for Deportivo San José in South America. From November to December 2022, he played four games in Lebanon for Antranik. In January 2023, he moved to Mongolia to play for Khatsaga.

On April 4, 2023, Baxter signed with the Canterbury Rams for the 2023 New Zealand NBL season. He helped them win the 2023 NZNBL championship.

In November 2023, Baxter played three games for Trouville in Uruguay. On February 15, 2024, he joined the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League. He played two games before being released on February 29. He then joined the Westchester Knicks on March 14, 2024, playing two more games.

Baxter also played for the Manawatu Jets in the 2024 New Zealand NBL season before being released on May 15, 2024. On May 28, 2024, he signed with the Calgary Surge in Canada, but was released on June 5.

About Troy Baxter Jr.

Troy Baxter Jr. is the son of Dianna and Troy Baxter Sr. He has a daughter who was born in June 2020. Baxter looks up to LeBron James as his idol. He admires LeBron for his work on and off the court.