Wendell Carter Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wendell Carter Jr.

Carter at the 2017 McDonald's All-American Game
No. 34 – Orlando Magic
Center / power forward
Personal information
Born	(1999-04-16) April 16, 1999 (age 26) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
High school	Pace Academy (Atlanta, Georgia)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2017–2018)
NBA Draft	2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	2018–present
League	NBA
Career history
2018–2021	Chicago Bulls
2021–present	Orlando Magic
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-ACC (2018) ACC All-Freshman Team (2018) Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year (2017) McDonald's All-American (2017)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States FIBA U17 World Cup Gold 2016 Spain National team

Wendell Andre Carter Jr. (born April 16, 1999) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.

High School Basketball Career

Wendell Carter Jr. went to Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. In his second year, he was a star player. He scored about 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds per game. He also blocked over 4 shots per game. His team, the Knights, had a great record of 27 wins and 3 losses. They won a regional championship in Georgia.

In the summer of 2015, Wendell played for his AAU team, the Georgia Stars. They won the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Peach Jam championship. Wendell was even named Co-MVP of the tournament. After this, he earned several awards, including Georgia Region 6 AA Player of the Year.

Junior Year Success

During his third year (2015–16), Wendell continued to shine. He averaged 21.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. In the state finals, he scored 30 points and had 20 rebounds. This helped Pace Academy win the 2016 Georgia Class AA state Championship. He was recognized as an All-American and the Georgia Class AA Player of the Year.

In 2016, Wendell also played for Team CP3, an AAU team sponsored by NBA star Chris Paul. He averaged 16.8 points and 10.2 rebounds on the Nike EYBL Circuit.

Senior Year and National Recognition

As a senior, Wendell averaged 22.7 points, 15.5 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks. He led the Knights to another state championship, winning the Georgia Class 3A title in March 2017. He received many top honors, including Georgia All-Classification Player of the Year. He also earned first-team All-America honors.

Wendell played in major high school all-star games. These included the Jordan Brand Classic, Nike Hoop Summit, and the McDonald's All-American Game. In the McDonald's game, he scored 10 points, had 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Carter finishing a dunk at the 2017 McDonald's All-American Game

Off the court, Wendell was named the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. This award goes to student-athletes who show great character, leadership, and academic success. He had a 3.8 GPA in high school.

Wendell was considered a top basketball recruit. He was ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in his high school class. In July 2017, he was named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship. He chose to play college basketball at Duke University.

College Basketball at Duke

Carter with Duke in 2018

Before his first year at Duke, Wendell Carter Jr. was expected to be a key player. He was set to play alongside Marvin Bagley III. He was also named to several important preseason watch lists for top college players.

On November 18, he scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a win. A few days later, he was named ACC Rookie of the Week. He continued to play well, often getting "double-doubles" (scoring double digits in two different stats, like points and rebounds). On December 20, 2017, he scored a career-high 27 points against Evansville.

Wendell earned his second ACC Rookie of the Week award in December. He had many strong games throughout the season. He scored 21 points against Pittsburgh and 23 points with 12 rebounds against Wake Forest.

For the season, Wendell averaged 13.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He had one of the best first-year seasons for a big player in Duke's history. He finished second all-time for Duke freshmen in rebounds (335) and blocked shots (76). He also had 16 double-doubles.

After Duke's season ended, Wendell decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft. He was named to both the Second Team All-ACC and the ACC All-Freshman teams.

Professional NBA Career

Chicago Bulls (2018–2021)

On June 21, 2018, the Chicago Bulls picked Wendell Carter Jr. as the seventh overall player in the NBA draft. He officially signed with the Bulls on July 3, 2018.

He made his NBA debut on October 18, scoring 8 points. A few days later, he set new career highs with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. On October 31, 2018, Wendell scored a season-high 25 points. He later broke that record on November 30 with 28 points against the Detroit Pistons. In March 2019, he had surgery on his left thumb and missed the rest of the season.

Orlando Magic (2021–present)

On March 25, 2021, Wendell Carter Jr. was traded to the Orlando Magic. He joined the Magic along with Otto Porter. In return, the Bulls received Nikola Vučević and Al-Farouq Aminu, plus two future draft picks.

On October 16, 2021, Wendell signed a new four-year contract with the Magic. On March 20, 2022, he scored a career-high 30 points in a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2022–2023 Season Highlights

Wendell matched his career-high of 30 points on November 1, 2022, again against the Oklahoma City Thunder. On December 11, he scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over the Phoenix Suns. He also had 21 points and 8 rebounds in a close victory against his former team, the Chicago Bulls, on December 18.

2024–2025 Season Contract

On October 7, 2024, Wendell and the Magic agreed to a new three-year contract extension.

National Team Experience

Wendell Carter Jr. has played for the United States U17 national team. He competed in the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup. His team won the gold medal at this event. He was also named to the All-Tournament Team, recognizing him as one of the best players in the competition.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

College

Personal Life and Family

Wendell's father, Wendell Sr., played professional basketball in the Dominican Republic. He also played college basketball at Delta State University. His mother, Kylia Carter, played basketball at the University of Mississippi.

See also

In Spanish: Wendell Carter para niños