Malik Fitts

Malik Jahmal Fitts (born July 4, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Ontario Clippers of the NBA G League. He previously played for the Boston Celtics.[1] He played college basketball for the South Florida Bulls and the Saint Mary's Gaels.

Malik Fitts
Fitts with Saint Mary's in 2020
No. 6 – Ontario Clippers
PositionPower forward
LeagueNBA G League
Personal information
Born (1997-07-04) July 4, 1997
Lynwood, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school
College
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021Agua Caliente Clippers
2021Los Angeles Clippers
2021–2022Utah Jazz
2021–2022→Salt Lake City Stars
2022Boston Celtics
2022→Maine Celtics
2022–presentOntario Clippers
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-WCC (2020)
  • Second-team All-WCC (2019)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Early life and high school career

Fitts grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, California and began playing basketball at the age of four, idolizing Kobe Bryant.[2] He attended Damien High School.[3] He helped lead the school to a CIF Division III state title as a senior and averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds per game, earning First Team All-Inland Valley honors.[4] Fitts opted to complete a postgraduate year at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. While at Brewster, he committed to play college basketball at South Florida over offers from DePaul, Bradley, Nevada and Hawaii.[5]

College career

Fitts began his collegiate career at South Florida. He saw significant playing time as a freshman, playing in 27 games and starting 18 while averaging 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.[6] He was named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week after a 29-point, 11-rebound performance against Memphis.[7] Following the end of the season Fitts announced he would be leaving the program.[8]

Fitts transferred to Saint Mary's College of California, sitting out one year per NCAA transfer rules. He became an immediate starter for the Gaels the following season, averaging 15.2 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per game and was named second team All-West Coast Conference (WCC).[9] As a redshirt junior, Fitts was a focal point on the team's offense alongside Jordan Ford.[10] Fitts scored a career high 30 points and added eight rebounds in an 86–80 win over San Francisco on February 2, 2019.[11] Fitts hit 5 of six three point attempts and scored 28 total points in Saint Mary's 89–77 win over California on December 14, 2019.[12] He set a career high with 14 rebounds along with 17 points in a 66–60 win over San Diego on February 6, 2020.[13] At the conclusion of the regular season, Fitts was named to the First Team All-WCC.[14] As a junior, Fitts averaged 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. After the end of the season, Fitts announced that he was entering the 2020 NBA draft and signing with an agent, forgoing his final season of eligibility.[15]

Professional career

Agua Caliente Clippers (2021)

After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Fitts signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.[16] He was waived by the team on December 14 after appearing in two preseason games.[17] On February 4, 2021, he signed with the Agua Caliente Clippers,[18] appearing in 14 games and averaging 11.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists.[19]

Los Angeles Clippers (2021)

On April 9, 2021, Fitts signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.[19]

Utah Jazz (2021–2022)

On September 28, 2021, Fitts signed with the Utah Jazz.[20] His contract was converted to a two-way deal on October 16. He split time between the Jazz and their NBA G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.[21] On January 13, 2022, Fitts was waived by the Jazz.[22]

Boston Celtics (2022)

On February 23, 2022, Fitts signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics.[23] He signed a second 10-day contract on March 5.[24] Fitts signed a two-year contract on March 15.[25] The Celtics reached the 2022 NBA Finals, but were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in 6 games.

On July 9, 2022, Fitts was traded, alongside Nik Stauskas, Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Juwan Morgan and a 2023 first-round pick, to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon.[26] On July 14, Fitts was waived by the Pacers.[27]

Ontario Clippers (2022–present)

On October 24, 2022, Fitts joined the Ontario Clippers training camp roster.[28]

Career statistics
Legend
  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
2020–21 L.A. Clippers 303.7.333.500–1.0.0.0.01.0
2021–22 Utah 705.0.222.500–1.4.0.0.0.9
2021–22 Boston 803.5.600.500–.9.6.0.01.9
Career 1804.1.409.500–1.1.3.0.01.3

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022 Boston 901.8.7501.000—.2.0.0.0.9
Career 901.8.7501.000—.2.0.0.0.9

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 South Florida 271824.4.395.338.5384.61.1.7.47.4
2017–18 Saint Mary's Redshirt Redshirt
2018–19 Saint Mary's 343330.7.475.406.7707.6.91.1.215.2
2019–20 Saint Mary's 343434.2.472.408.7997.11.21.4.416.5
Career 958530.2.458.392.7456.51.11.1.313.5

Personal life

Fitts grew up in a Christian family, and his father is a pastor.[2]

References
  1. "Celtics Sign Kelan Martin and Malik Fitts to 10-Day Deals". Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  2. Kalbrosky, Bryan; Rude, Jacob (November 2, 2020). "NBA prospect Malik Fitts on being an underdog and board man getting paid". Rookie Wire. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. "Malik Fitts gives Damien more star power heading to Friday's Division III state championship game". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  4. "Chino Hills junior Lonzo Ball leads Daily Bulletin All-Inland Valley boys selections". Chino Hills Daily Bulletin. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  5. Gardner, Michelle (October 1, 2015). "Former Damien star Malik Fitts commits to South Florida". InsideSoCal.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  6. Murray, Chris (April 19, 2017). "USF transfer Malik Fitts takes official visit to Nevada". Reno Gazette-Journal. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  7. Knight, Joey (February 6, 2017). "USF freshman Malik Fitts honored by AAC". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  8. Benach, Tito (March 22, 2017). "Report: Forward Malik Fitts leaving USF basketball program". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  9. "Saint Mary's Basketball: Malik Fitts most important Gael for 2019-20". 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  10. "St. Mary's Jordan Ford, Malik Fitts named to All-WCC first team". San Francisco Chronicle. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  11. "Saint Mary's gets 30 from Malik Fitts, holds off USF". The Mercury News. February 2, 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  12. "Jordan Ford, Malik Fitts lead St. Mary's past Cal". San Francisco Chronicle. December 14, 2019. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  13. "Fitts, Ford lead Saint Mary's past San Diego 66–60". APNews.com. February 6, 2020. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  14. "WCC Announces 2019-20 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  15. "Malik Fitts to bypass last year of eligibilty [sic], signs with agent". Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  16. Swanson, Miriam (November 18, 2020). "Clippers deal for Luke Kennard, trading away Landry Shamet and Rodney McGruder". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  17. Gauruder, Dana (December 14, 2020). "Clippers Waive Ky Bowman, Malik Fitts, Jordan Ford". HoopsRumors.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  18. "Agua Caliente Clippers announce roster for 2021 NBA G League season". NBA.com. February 4, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  19. "LA Clippers Sign Malik Fitts To 10-Day Contract". NBA.com. April 9, 2021. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  20. "Utah Jazz sign Marques Bolden and Malik Fitts". NBA.com. September 28, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  21. Todd, Sarah (October 16, 2021). "Malik Fitts earns two-way deal with the Utah Jazz". Deseret News. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  22. "Utah Jazz Waive Malik Fitts". Utah Jazz. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  23. Boston Celtics [@celtics] (February 23, 2022). "We have signed forwards Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to 10-day contracts" (Tweet). Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. "Boston Celtics on Twitter: "We have signed forwards Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to their second 10-day contracts."". Twitter. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  25. "Celtics Sign Malik Fitts". NBA. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  26. "Pacers Announce Trade With Boston Celtics". NBA. July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  27. "Pacers Waive Four Players". NBA.com.
  28. "Ontario Clippers Announce Training Camp Roster for 2022-23 NBA G League Season". oursportscentral.com. October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
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