Brandon Boston Jr.
Brandon Elliot Boston Jr. (born November 28, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
.jpg.webp) Boston with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022 | |
| No. 4 – Los Angeles Clippers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard / small forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 28, 2001 Norcross, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College | Kentucky (2020–2021) |
| NBA draft | 2021: 2nd round, 51st overall pick |
| Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies | |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–present | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2021–2023 | →Agua Caliente / Ontario Clippers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
High school career
Boston originally attended Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia before transferring to Sierra Canyon School in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth in 2019. He played alongside LeBron James' son Bronny James and Dwyane Wade's son Zaire Wade.[1] In his final season at Norcross, he averaged 18.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.[2]
He was selected to play in the 2020 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.[3] He was also selected to play in the 2020 Jordan Brand Classic.[4]
Recruiting
A five-star recruit, Boston committed to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky.[5][6]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Boston Jr. SG |
Norcross, GA | Sierra Canyon School (CA) | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Jul 27, 2019 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 96 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 5 247Sports: 6 ESPN: 7 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
College career
In his college debut on November 25, 2020, Boston posted 15 points and seven rebounds in an 81–45 win over Morehead State.[7] He scored 21 points in the season finale win against South Carolina. As a freshman, he averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. On March 20, 2021, Boston declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[8]
Professional career
Los Angeles Clippers (2021–present)
Boston was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 51st pick by the Memphis Grizzlies, then traded to the Los Angeles Clippers via the New Orleans Pelicans.[9][10]
Boston was assigned to the Clippers' NBA G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, for their G League season opener. Boston helped the Ontario Clippers win the G League Winter Showcase championship in 2022, earning Showcase Cup MVP honors after scoring 21 points in the final.[11]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | L.A. Clippers | 51 | 0 | 14.9 | .385 | .306 | .819 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .5 | .3 | 6.7 |
| 2022–23 | L.A. Clippers | 22 | 1 | 11.3 | .418 | .414 | .763 | 1.4 | .9 | .4 | .0 | 6.5 |
| Career | 73 | 1 | 13.8 | .394 | .329 | .800 | 1.9 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | 6.7 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | L.A. Clippers | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | – | – | – | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | – | – | – | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |
Personal life
After a workout with Kentucky teammate Terrence Clarke on April 22, 2021, Clarke was involved in a car crash in Los Angeles, California.[12] Clarke, driving by himself, was killed while Boston, in the car behind of Clarke, witnessed the crash with his father and Clarke's mother.[13][14]
He also keeps a dollar bill in his shoe during games.[15]
References
- Fattal, Tarek (July 19, 2019). "Sierra Canyon basketball adds second 5-star recruit in less than 24 hours, BJ Boston from Georgia". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
- "Norcross 5-star Brandon Boston joining star-studded LA powerhouse Sierra Canyon". 15 October 2023.
- "Sierra blaze's smoke pushed toward cities". Los Angeles Daily News. September 10, 2007.
- Roberts, Ben (February 14, 2020). "Jordan Brand Classic rosters are out. How many Kentucky basketball recruits made it?". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
- "Kentucky lands Boston, No. 7 recruit for 2020". ESPN.com. July 27, 2019.
- Media, Field Level (27 July 2019). "Kentucky lands five-star guard, former Norcross star Brandon Boston". Gwinnett Daily Post.
- "No. 10 Kentucky rolls past Morehead State 81-45 in opener". ESPN. November 26, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- Borzello, Jeff (March 20, 2021). "Kentucky's Brandon Boston Jr. becomes third Wildcat to declare for NBA draft". ESPN. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- "Pelicans acquire Valančiūnas and Graham in three-team trade with Grizzlies and Hornets". NBA.com. August 7, 2021.
- "Pelicans complete trade with Clippers". NBA.com. August 7, 2021.
- Irving, Kyle (December 23, 2022). "2022 G League Winter Showcase roundup: Results, stats, top performances, prize money from tournament". Sporting News. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
- "Sources: UK men's basketball player Terrence Clarke dies in Los Angeles". WKYT. 23 April 2021.
- "Kentucky's Terrence Clarke reportedly involved in fatal crash in Los Angeles". Saturday Down South. 22 April 2021.
- McBride, Jessica (2021-04-23). "Video Shows Terrence Clarke Fatal Car Crash Scene". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- "Why BJ Boston keeps a dollar in his shoe during games". 7 November 2020.