Kendrick Nunn

Kendrick Melvin Nunn (born August 3, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague.

He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.

Nunn verbally committed to Texas A&M before his junior year in August 2011, but about two months later he announced his de-commitment from that school and intent to reopen his recruiting process.

His father, Melvin, explained that Kendrick felt he had committed prematurely and wished to explore all his options.

On September 15, 2012, after his official visit to Illinois, Nunn committed to play there under head coach John Groce.

Nunn played three seasons at the University of Illinois, where he was named to the 2013–14 Big Ten All-Freshman team.

As a freshman at the University of Illinois, Nunn played for the Fighting Illini in all 35 games of their 2013–14 season and started in the last 12.

He debuted as a starter on February 9, 2014, against Penn State, finishing the contest with 19 points and helping the team snap an eight-game losing streak.

Nunn tied his career-high on February 19, with 19 points, to lead the Illini to a 62–49 victory at Minnesota; for this performance, he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week five days later.

On the heels of wins over Nebraska and Michigan State, in which Nunn averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, he repeated as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on March 3.

At season's end, Nunn made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team selected by the coaches.

He was dismissed from the Illini after the 2015–16 season, and had to sit out a season after transferring to Oakland University due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer rules.

Nunn was a co-captain of the 2015–16 Fighting Illini team.

Nunn was dismissed from the Illinois basketball team on May 24, 2016, after pleading guilty to a charge of misdemeanor battery two months earlier.

About a month later, he transferred to Oakland University, where he had the opportunity to revitalize his career with the Golden Grizzlies.

As required by NCAA transfer rules, Nunn sat out his first year there, relegated to the bench for the 2016–17 season.

While playing in the Golden Grizzlies' 2017–18 campaign, Nunn earned Horizon League Player of the Week on November 13 and did so again on December 18 and January 22.

As a senior, Nunn led the NCAA Division I in three-point shooting, with an average of 4.47 three-point field goals made per game; and he finished second in scoring to Trae Young, with 25.9 points per contest.

He won the 2018 Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Year award at Oakland after leading the nation in three-point shots made per game.

After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, Nunn spent the 2018–19 season with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League.

On February 28, 2018, Nunn was voted the Horizon League Player of the Year and also earned First Team All-League honors.

His 4.47 three-point shots per game average was a school single-season record.

Nunn's 84 three-point shots made was a Horizon League single-season record for conference games.

After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, Nunn signed a partially guaranteed contract with the Golden State Warriors; it guaranteed him at least a spot on their Summer League roster and an invitation to their fall camp, as well as some money.

The Warriors ultimately declined to take him on, releasing him on October 12.

He was then added to the roster of their G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

In his November 4 professional debut for the team, Nunn recorded 15 points in a 118–108 win versus the Northern Arizona Suns.

On November 10, he scored 32 points off the bench against the Iowa Energy.

Despite starting in only one of 49 games, he averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks across 29 minutes per contest.

In April 2019, he signed with the Miami Heat and reached the 2020 NBA Finals.

He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

In August 2021, Nunn signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

However, he missed the entire 2021–22 season with a knee injury.

In January 2023, he was traded to the Washington Wizards.

Nunn attended Simeon Career Academy in Chicago.

As a freshman, he received his first basketball scholarship offer from Rick Majerus, then the head coach at Saint Louis University.

Nunn listed among the schools he was considering Illinois, Marquette, Memphis, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and UCLA.

During his senior season, Simeon honored his contribution by retiring his jersey, No. 20, along with that of fellow senior standout Jabari Parker, No. 22.

Nunn and Parker joined Derrick Rose, Bobby Simmons, and Benji Wilson as the only Wolverine basketball players to have their jersey numbers retired.

Nunn helped lead Simeon to four Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state titles.