Jason Spurgin
April 30, 2024
Denzel Valentine
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 16/11/93
- Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan (USA)
- Position: G/F
- Height (CM): 193
- Weight (KG): 100
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Michigan State (2012–2016)
- NBL DEBUT: 30/09/23
- AGE AT DEBUT: 29
- LAST NBL GAME: 28/02/24
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 30
- NBL History: Sydney 2024
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Denzel Valentine was born in Lansing, Michigan (USA), where he attended J. W. Sexton High School.
Valentine was coached by his father, Carlton Valentine (former Michigan State player) on his school team, alongside future Michigan State teammate Bryn Forbes and Iowa basketball player Anthony Clemmons. As a sophomore, Valentine averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds, leading Sexton to a state title game. He was awarded 2010 Class B honorable mention all-state. Valentine averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists per game as a senior, leading Sexton to a 27–1 record. He was selected as the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year and Associated Press Class B Player of the Year as a senior. As a recruit, Valentine was nationally ranked in the top 100 by Rivals.com (no. 81), ESPNU100 (no. 98), and Scout.com (no. 27).
FAMILY: Valentine is the son of Carlton and Kathy Valentine. His older brother, Drew, played collegiate basketball for Oakland University, and is now the head coach at Loyola University in Chicago.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Denzel Valentine made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 29 years of age. He scored eight points in his first game.
Sydney’s pursuit of a third consecutive championship began with an almost complete rebuild of the roster that had won NBL23. Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks (to Washington) and DJ Vasiljevic (to Washington) pursued NBA opportunities, Derrick Walton Jr, Justin Simon and Tim Soares moved overseas, and championship coach Chase Buford (to Milwaukee) departed. Jordan Hunter was the only starter from the championship lineup to return, with G-League championship-winning coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah taking over and adding former NBL MVP Jaylen Adams, DJ Hogg (via Cairns), Denzel Valentine (via Maine Celtics), Jonah Bolden and Next Star Alex Toohey.
After spending the previous season with the Maine Celtics in the G-League, Valentine completed Sydney’s import trio on a one-year deal. The former Chicago Bulls first-round pick arrived with more than 250 games of NBA experience and was expected to provide the perimeter shooting and playmaking lost following Vasiljevic’s departure.
“Even before this amazing chance presented itself, I’d seen how big the league had been getting via social media – not to mention how many guys had played in Australia, and Kings in particular, and vaulted themselves into the NBA – which I hope to do myself after winning another championship for Sydney,” he said upon joining the Kings.
Sydney opened the season against Illawarra at WIN Entertainment Centre on September 30, where Valentine (8 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) made his NBL debut and helped the Kings to a 96-81 victory. Noi (23 points and 4 rebounds) and Adams (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney in scoring, while Tyler Harvey (19 points and 3 steals) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.
Valentine (12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 29 games) provided Sydney with secondary playmaking and outside shooting alongside Adams, helping the Kings begin the season 7-3 through ten games despite Hogg and Jaylin Galloway both spending time sidelined. Sydney’s form fell away from Round 8 onwards however, with the Kings struggling defensively and giving up 100 points on nine occasions as they slipped from the top end of the ladder into a battle for a post-season position.
After losing his place in the starting five late in December, Valentine’s best scoring game came against Cairns at Qudos Bank Arena on December 29. Valentine (29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) shot 12-of-18 from the field and made five three-pointers off the bench as Sydney ended a two-game losing streak with a 101-82 victory. Adams (15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Hogg (14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while Patrick Miller (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Cairns.
With Sydney needing a victory in its final regular-season game to guarantee a post-season berth, Valentine (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) made three three-pointers against a depleted South East Melbourne on February 17. Hogg (25 points and 7 rebounds) and Adams (24 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) led the Kings, while Owen Foxwell (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) was the Phoenix’s leading scorer as Sydney won 122-67. The 55-point margin was the largest victory in Kings history and by any NBL team since games moved to 40 minutes, with Sydney finishing fifth with a 13-15 record.
Adams (19.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) led Sydney in scoring and assists, while Hogg (14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.3 blocks) was productive when healthy. Hunter (10.3 points and 7 rebounds), Galloway (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals), Noi (10 points and 4.5 rebounds), Bolden (8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds), Toohey (8 points and 4 rebounds) and Glover (5.3 points) were the other main contributors. Adams was named Kings MVP and Players’ Player, Hunter received the club’s Defensive Player of the Year award, Toohey won the Michael Wrublewski Coaches’ Award and Bruce (4.1 points across 29 games) received the Hard Yakka Hard Work Award.
Sydney hosted New Zealand in the Play-In Qualifier at Qudos Bank Arena, where Valentine (7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) started but the Kings struggled against the Breakers’ defensive pressure in the second half. Adams (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Hogg (17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Zylan Cheatham (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) led New Zealand to an 83-76 win.
Denzel Valentine played one season in the NBL. He averaged 12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 29 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 30 | Sydney | 13-15 (5) | 29 | 724 | 353 | 154 | 113 | 29 | 125 | 31 | 5 | 66 | 76 | 131 | 291 | 45% | 64 | 175 | 37% | 27 | 33 | 82% | 58% | 56% | 29 | Totals | 29 | 724 | 353 | 154 | 113 | 29 | 125 | 31 | 5 | 66 | 76 | 131 | 291 | 45.0% | 64 | 175 | 36.6% | 27 | 33 | 81.8% | 58% | 56% | 29 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 30 | Sydney | 13-15 (5) | 29 | 25.0 | 12.2 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 10.0 | 45% | 2.2 | 6.0 | 37% | 0.9 | 1.1 | 82% | 58% | 56% | 29 | Total | 29 | 25.0 | 12.2 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 10.0 | 45.0% | 2.2 | 6.0 | 36.6% | 0.9 | 1.1 | 81.8% | 58% | 56% | 29 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 29 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Valentine was a member of USA Basketballs senior mens national team at the 2015 Pan American Games which was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The U.S. team captured the tournaments bronze medal, with a 3–2 record The following year, Valentine joined the USA Basketball Select Team to train against the 2016 Rio Olympic team.
NBA EXPERIENCE
Denzel Valentine was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with pick #14 in the 2016 NBA Draft.
On July 16, 2016, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Bulls. Two days later, Valentine hit a turnaround jumper as time expired to lift the Bulls to an 84–82 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game.
On January 2, 2017, Valentine, who had played just four total minutes in the previous seven games, played 18 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets and hit his first three three-pointers, finishing with a then season-high nine points. He exited with an ankle injury in the second half, as the Bulls went on to win 118–111.
On January 10, 2017, he posted career highs with 19 points and five three-pointers in a 101–99 loss to the Washington Wizards. On March 18, 2017, Valentine recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in a 95–86 win over the Utah Jazz.
During his rookie season, Valentine received multiple assignments to the Windy City Bulls, Chicagos D-League affiliate.
On November 26, 2017, Valentine had 14 points and career highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists in a 100–93 loss to the Miami Heat. On January 18, 2018, he scored 19 points against the Houston Rockets. Two days later, he scored a career-high 20 points in a 122–119 double-overtime win over the New York Knicks. On March 17, 2018, he hit eight 3-pointers and scored a career-best 34 points in a 114–109 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On April 4, 2018, Valentine underwent arthroscopic debridement on his left knee, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
In 2018 Valentine faced a number of ankle problems which resulted in him missing the first 17 games of the season. Following a left ankle stabilisation procedure on November 27, he was ruled out for the season.
On September 22, 2021, Valentine signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers but was then traded only a few months later (January 3, 2022) to the New York Knicks as part of a three team deal that also included the Los Angeles Lakers. He was subsequently waived and then signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz a week later.
On January 21, 2022, Valentine was acquired via waivers by the Maine Celtics. On September 15, 2022, Valentine signed with the Boston Celtics. He was waived on September 30. He subsequently re-joined Maine where he finished the season averaging 13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, shooting 38.8 percent from downtown.
Valentine played 257 games in the NBA. He averaged 7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- June 23, 2016: Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round (14th overall pick) of the 2016 NBA Draft.
- July 16, 2016: Signed a multi-year contract with the Chicago Bulls.
- January 28, 2017: Assigned by the Chicago Bulls to the Windy City Bulls of the NBA D-League, then recalled the same day.
- January 30, 2017: Assigned by Chicago to the Windy City Bulls.
- February 4, 2017: Recalled by Chicago from the Windy City Bulls.
- October 27, 2017: The Chicago Bulls exercised their team option to extend his contract.
- October 30, 2018: The Chicago Bulls exercised their team option to extend his contract.
- November 7, 2019: Assigned by the Chicago Bulls to the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League.
- November 9, 2019: Recalled by Chicago from the Windy City Bulls.
- February 26, 2020: Assigned by Chicago to the Windy City Bulls and recalled the same day.
- November 16, 2020: The Chicago Bulls extended a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.
- November 21, 2020: Signed a contract with the Chicago Bulls.
- November 21, 2020: Became a free agent before re-signing with the Chicago Bulls.
- August 3, 2021: Became a free agent after his Chicago Bulls contract ended.
- August 8, 2021: The Chicago Bulls renounced their free-agent exception rights to him.
- September 22, 2021: Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- January 3, 2022: As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the New York Knicks; the Los Angeles Lakers traded Rajon Rondo to the Cleveland Cavaliers; the Los Angeles Lakers traded Brad Newley and Wang Zhelin to the New York Knicks; and the New York Knicks traded Louis Labeyrie to the Los Angeles Lakers. Cleveland also received a trade exception Los Angeles also received a trade exception
- January 5, 2022: Waived by the New York Knicks.
- January 7, 2022: Became a free agent after the New York Knicks waived him.
- January 10, 2022: Signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.
- January 20, 2022: Became a free agent after his Utah Jazz 10-day contract ended.
- September 14, 2022: Signed a contract with the Boston Celtics.
- September 30, 2022: Waived by the Boston Celtics.
- October 2, 2022: Became a free agent after the Boston Celtics waived him.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 74% | 93% | 84% | 60% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 29 | 10 | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 131 | 291 | 45.0% | 64 | 175 | 36.6% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 26 | Utah | SF | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 2021-22 | 28 | Cleveland | SG | 22 | 0 | 204 | 64 | 38 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 | 23 | 62 | 37% | 18 | 44 | 41% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 52% | 52% |
| 2021-22 | 28 | Utah | SG | 2 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 50% | 1 | 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 63% | 63% |
| 2020-21 | 27 | Chicago | SG | 62 | 3 | 1036 | 406 | 197 | 105 | 24 | 173 | 30 | 7 | 42 | 70 | 155 | 416 | 37% | 80 | 242 | 33% | 16 | 17 | 94% | 48% | 47% |
| 2019-20 | 26 | Chicago | SF | 36 | 5 | 488 | 246 | 74 | 43 | 9 | 65 | 26 | 6 | 26 | 51 | 97 | 237 | 41% | 46 | 137 | 34% | 6 | 8 | 75% | 51% | 51% |
| 2017-18 | 24 | Chicago | SG | 77 | 37 | 2095 | 783 | 393 | 244 | 48 | 345 | 65 | 11 | 99 | 185 | 301 | 721 | 42% | 143 | 370 | 39% | 38 | 51 | 75% | 53% | 52% |
| 2016-17 | 23 | Chicago | SG | 57 | 0 | 976 | 291 | 151 | 63 | 11 | 140 | 30 | 7 | 49 | 86 | 102 | 288 | 35% | 73 | 208 | 35% | 14 | 18 | 78% | 49% | 48% | Total | 257 | 45 | 4822 | 1795 | 857 | 466 | 101 | 756 | 159 | 31 | 228 | 412 | 680 | 1731 | 39% | 361 | 1006 | 36% | 74 | 94 | 79% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 28 | Cleveland | SG | 22 | 0 | 9.3 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 37% | 0.8 | 2.0 | 41% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 52% | 52% |
| 2021-22 | 28 | Utah | SG | 2 | 0 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 50% | 0.5 | 1.5 | 33% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 63% | 63% |
| 2020-21 | 27 | Chicago | SG | 62 | 3 | 16.7 | 6.5 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 37% | 1.3 | 3.9 | 33% | 0.3 | 0.3 | 94% | 48% | 47% |
| 2019-20 | 26 | Chicago | SF | 36 | 5 | 13.6 | 6.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 6.6 | 41% | 1.3 | 3.8 | 34% | 0.2 | 0.2 | 75% | 51% | 51% |
| 2017-18 | 24 | Chicago | SG | 77 | 37 | 27.2 | 10.2 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 9.4 | 42% | 1.9 | 4.8 | 39% | 0.5 | 0.7 | 75% | 53% | 52% |
| 2016-17 | 23 | Chicago | SG | 57 | 0 | 17.1 | 5.1 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 5.1 | 35% | 1.3 | 3.6 | 35% | 0.2 | 0.3 | 78% | 49% | 48% | Total | 257 | 45 | 18.8 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 39% | 1.4 | 3.9 | 36% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 79% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Italy - Olimpia Milano (2024), Pallacanestro Trieste (2024–2025), Reyer Venezia (2025–2026)
Valentine joined Olimpia Milano for the 2023–24 Lega Basket Serie A season in Italy, signing on March 20, 2024 through the end of the season, appearing in four league games at 8.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as Milano won the 2024 Italian championship.
He remained in Italy for the 2024–25 Lega Basket Serie A season after signing with Pallacanestro Trieste on August 10, 2024, and in 29 games he averaged 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 49.2 percent from two-point range and 40.4 percent from three as Trieste reached the LBA playoffs, earning Eurobasket All-Italian League Second Team recognition.
Valentine continued in Italy when he joined Reyer Venezia for the 2025–26 Lega Basket Serie A season on July 24, 2025, and he also entered EuroCup play with Venezia where he averaged 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game as the team advanced to the EuroCup knockout phase.
COLLEGE
Denzel Valentine arrived at Michigan State in 2012 and steadily grew from do-it-all glue guy into the engine of a Tom Izzo contender, finishing his four-year Spartans career (2012–2016) with 144 games played while becoming known for the rare “guard who rebounds, passes, and scores” mix that eventually turned him into a national award magnet.
After a strong freshman season in 2012–13, Valentine was voted by teammates as Michigan State’s Unsung Player Award winner, a nod that matched his early role as a versatile piece who filled gaps rather than chasing headlines.
By his sophomore year, he’d earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition (coaches and media), then stepped into a bigger voice and bigger workload as roster turnover hit, with Valentine eventually becoming a captain and a key decision-maker in late-clock situations.
His junior season in 2014–15 produced one of his signature “Spartan moment” highlights on February 14, 2015, when he buried the game-winner against Ohio State (a 59–56 win) and finished with 17 points on a day that basically wrote its own headline.
That same year, Valentine’s all-around production popped on the big stage, earning Orlando Classic All-Tournament Team honours (including a career-high 25 points against Marquette in the semis), then rolling into March where he was named to the NCAA Tournament All-East Regional Team during Michigan State’s Final Four run.
Everything peaked in 2015–16, when Valentine put together one of the most complete senior guard seasons the Big Ten had seen in years, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists while shooting 44.4% from three, and even becoming the only player since assists became an official stat (1983–84) to average at least 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Early in that senior campaign he became the fourth player in Michigan State history to post a triple-double, detonating Kansas with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists on November 17, 2015, before later missing time following arthroscopic knee surgery and returning in January.
Valentine’s senior-year trophy haul reflected that production: he was the Associated Press National Player of the Year and the NABC National Player of the Year, won the Senior CLASS Award, and was also recognised as Big Ten Player of the Year while taking home Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player as Michigan State claimed the conference tournament title.
AWARDS
- AP Player of the Year (2016)
- NABC Player of the Year (2016)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2016)
- Senior CLASS Award (2016)
- Julius Erving Award (2016)
- Lute Olson Award (2016)
- Big Ten Player of the Year (2016)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2016)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2015)
- Big Ten tournament MOP (2016)
Related
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