BIO: Xavier Munford was born in Hillside, New Jersey and attended Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. As a senior in 2009/10, he helped the Grey Bees to a 26–1 record, and the No. 2 national ranking, while averaging 12 points per game.
Xavier Munford made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 29 years of age. He scored 27 points in his first game.
After making their maiden Finals appearance the year prior, South East Melbourne looked to go one step further. The Phoenix’s first move was re-signing coach Simon Mitchell (one year deal), who then went about retaining the majority of the team’s local core, locking in Kyle Adnam, Ryan Broekhoff, Izayah Le’Afa and Mitch Creek re-signing.
Although both Keifer Sykes (to NBA) and Yanni Wetzell (to New Zealand) would exit the club, they would be replaced by Tohi Smith-Milner (via Melbourne), Zhou Qi, a member of the Chinese national team and imports Zach Hankins and Xavier Munford.
South East Melbourne started the season on fire, winning three of its first four games, with Qi (11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks) making it extremely difficult for opposing team’s to score inside and Munford (16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals) proving to be a more than adequate replacement for Sykes.
The combination of a short-term injury to Qi and Hankins yet to play a game due to a knee cartilage injury resulted in coach Simon Mitchell bringing in import Brandon Ashley (8.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) as a replacement for Hankins.
The Phoenix had no problems scoring this year, with Mitch Creek (20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals) leading the team in scoring and South East Melbourne finishing in the top three highest-scoring teams in the league (87.7 points per game).
Then, due to COVID interruptions, several of their games had to be postponed, forcing the team into a 28 day hiatus where they were unable to play a single game, leaving them a little bit rusty, to say the least, and they were blown out by Brisbane (84-100) in their first game back.
It wouldn’t take long for South East Melbourne to return to their previous form however, winning eight of their next eleven games to sit second on the ladder (11-5) around the halfway mark of the season.
South East Melbourne saw their season backflip from here on, going on a four-game losing streak, losing to the Hawks twice, the Kings and United. The downfall of South East Melbourne coincided with the season-ending shoulder injury of Ryan Broekhoff (11.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals), but even with a favourable schedule across the last month of the season, the Phoenix still struggled to get wins, suffering defeats by Adelaide, Cairns, and Melbourne which ended South East Melbourne’s chances of reaching the playoffs.
It was a disappointing second half of the season for the Phoenix, as they managed to win only six out of their last 14 games, the only high point being a overtime win over Perth (102-100) that ended the Wildcat’s 35-year playoff streak.
Xavier Munford played one season in the NBL. He averaged 16.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 26 NBL games.
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 30 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 26 | 713.3 | 432 | 103 | 113 | 15 | 88 | 31 | 7 | 58 | 57 | 162 | 356 | 46% | 31 | 94 | 33% | 77 | 95 | 81% | 54% | 50% | 27 | Totals | 26 | 713 | 432 | 103 | 113 | 15 | 88 | 31 | 7 | 58 | 57 | 162 | 356 | 45.5% | 31 | 94 | 33.0% | 77 | 95 | 81.1% | 54% | 50% | 27 |
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 30 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 26 | 27.4 | 16.6 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 6.2 | 13.7 | 46% | 1.2 | 3.6 | 33% | 3.0 | 3.7 | 81% | 54% | 50% | 27 | Total | 26 | 27.4 | 16.6 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 6.2 | 13.7 | 45.5% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.0% | 1.2 | 3.6 | 81.1% | 54% | 50% | 27 |
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 27 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
Played for USA during the FIBA World Cup Qualifying window in 2022.
Munford went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.
On November 1, 2014, Munford was selected by the Maine Red Claws in the third round of the 2014 NBA Development League Draft. He was later traded to the Bakersfield Jam on draft night.
On November 14, he made his professional debut in a 127–125 loss to the Texas Legends, recording seven points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 10 minutes. He appeared in 51 games for Bakersfield in 2014/15, averaging 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
In July 2015, Munford joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2015 NBA Summer League. On November 2, he returned to the Jam. On January 29, 2016, he was named in the West All-Star team for the 2016 NBA D-League All-Star Game. In 42 games for the Jam in 2015–16, he averaged 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
On March 16, 2016, Munford signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies to help the team deal with numerous injuries. Memphis had to use an NBA hardship exemption in order to sign him as he made their roster stand at 18, three over the allowed limited of 15. The next day, he made his NBA debut in a 96–86 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, recording two points, one rebound and two steals in 11 minutes off the bench. On March 27, he signed a second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies. On April 1, he had a 12-point game against the Toronto Raptors. On April 7, he signed a multi-year contract with the Grizzlies.
On June 25, 2016, the Grizzlies parted ways with Munford after they declined to exercise their team option on his contract for the 2016/17 season.
In July 2016, Munford re-joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On September 26, 2016, he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, but was later waived on October 12 after appearing in two preseason games.
On November 12, he was acquired by the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA Development League.
In 2016, he played 18 games for the Memphis Grizzlies including four playoff games.
After playing for FC Barcelona in 2017, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018 for another six NBA games and averaged 24.4 points for their D-League team the Wisconsin Herd.
Munford appeared in two games during the 2017 NBA Summer League for the Golden State Warriors.
On October 5, 2017, Munford signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. Seven days later, he was waived by the Bucks.
On October 15, 2017, the Greensboro Swarm traded Munford and a 2018 second-round pick to the Bucks affiliate Wisconsin Herd for their 2017 and 2018 first-round selections.
On January 7, 2018, Munford signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
On January 28, 2019, the Wisconsin Herd announced that they had signed Munford.
On October 26, 2019, Munford was named to the training camp roster of the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. Munford scored 34 points and had seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in a win against the Erie BayHawks on January 25, 2020.
On March 4, Munford posted 36 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 124–108 loss to the Long Island Nets. During the 2019–20 season, Munford averaged 17.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game.
On February 3, 2017, Munford signed with FC Barcelona Lassa through the end of the season, with the club noting his arrival would help relieve pressure on an injury-hit roster after Alex Renfroe went down, and he joined a guard group that included Renfroe, Tyrese Rice and Juan Carlos Navarro under coach Giorgos Bartzokas.
His minutes were limited, appearing in five EuroLeague games (34 total minutes) and six Liga ACB games (43 total minutes), and Barcelona announced on June 8, 2017 that he and Renfroe would not continue into the 2017–18 season.
On December 23, 2018, Munford was reported to have signed with the Fujian Sturgeons in China and debuted the same day with 28 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and one block in a 106–95 win over the Shanghai Sharks, shooting 10-of-19 from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range, before it was later reported he was replaced by Eugene Jeter after five days.
Across three CBA games with Fujian, he totaled 57 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists, which equated to 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
On August 2, 2020, Munford signed with Frutti Extra Bursaspor in Turkey’s top league, and during the 2020–21 season he played 30 Turkish Super League games and 10 EuroCup games.
In Turkish league play he averaged 13.4 points and 3.4 assists in 25.2 minutes per game, and in EuroCup play he averaged 13.4 points, 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 28.0 minutes, playing alongside Bursaspor teammates such as Perry Jones III, Marial Shayok and Lamar Peters.
Munford later moved to Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv, and in the 2022–23 EuroCup he appeared in 17 games, totaling 262 points and 61 assists, while also sharing the roster with imports such as Jordan McRae and Chris Horton.
In 2024–25, Munford had a brief spell with Reyer Venezia in Italy, logging one EuroCup appearance (10 points in 29 minutes) and one LBA appearance (five points in 10 minutes) while on a roster that included Jordan Parks and Rodney McGruder.
He then returned to Israel with Hapoel Holon in 2025, joining a squad that included guards Derrick Walton Jr and Jordan McRae.
Xavier Munford began his college career at Miami Dade College in 2010–11, where he averaged 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals across 32 games, while also shooting 39.0% from three (72-of-184).
That freshman season at Miami Dade saw Munford collect major JUCO recognition as the FCSAA Newcomer of the Year and a First Team All-NJCAA Region 8 selection, quickly establishing him as a high-volume perimeter scorer and primary creator.
Munford transferred to Iowa Western Community College for 2011–12 and again produced as a featured guard, averaging 16.6 points per game while leading the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) in scoring, and he also hit 90 threes on 37.0% shooting (90-of-241).
His 2011–12 season at Iowa Western included a 24–9 team record and a run to the NJCAA Region 11 finals, with Munford’s individual résumé capped by NJCAA Division I All-American selection and ICCAC All-Region honours.
Following that JUCO stretch, Munford signed to continue his career at Rhode Island, stepping into an immediate lead role for the Rams in the Atlantic 10 and becoming one of the league’s most consistent perimeter scorers over his two Division I seasons.
As a junior in 2012–13, Munford averaged 17.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 29 games while ranking third in the Atlantic 10 in scoring and fourth in the league in minutes at 35.4 per game, and that production earned him a place on the USBWA All-District I team.
That 2012–13 season featured multiple headline performances, including two 30+ point games, with a career-high 33 points at Auburn where he knocked down eight threes and buried a desperation buzzer-beating triple to force a second overtime, before Rhode Island closed out a double-OT road win.
Munford carried his profile into 2013–14 as the Atlantic 10’s top returning scorer and was named to the A-10 Preseason Second Team, setting the stage for another high-minute, high-usage season as Rhode Island’s primary offensive option.
As a senior in 2013–14, Munford averaged 16.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals across 32 games while playing 35.6 minutes per contest, and he became the fastest player in Rhode Island history to reach 1,000 career points, getting there in his 59th game as a Ram.
That 1,000-point milestone came in a March 1, 2014 win over Richmond, when Munford entered needing 15 points and hit the mark on a layup with 8:09 remaining, finishing the game with 15 points alongside four assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
- NBA D-League All-Star (2016)
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