D. J. Stephens

D. J. Stephens
No. 30 – Zenit Saint Petersburg
Position Shooting guard / Small forward
League VTB United League
Eurocup
Personal information
Born December 19, 1990
Killeen, Texas
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school Harker Heights
(Harker Heights, Texas)
College Memphis (2009–2013)
NBA draft 2013 / Undrafted
Pro career 2013–present
Career history
2013–2014 Ilysiakos
2014 Milwaukee Bucks
2014 Anadolu Efes
2014 New Orleans Pelicans
2014-present Zenit Saint Petersburg
Career highlights and awards
  • C-USA Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
  • Third team All-C-USA (2013)
  • C-USA All-Defensive Team (2013)

Dalenta Jameral "D. J." Stephens (born December 19, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the University of Memphis, where he played four years for the Tigers basketball team.

College career

Stephens was not a highly regarded recruit out of Harker Heights High School when he was offered a scholarship by Memphis coach Josh Pastner. By his senior year at Memphis, however, he had become a crowd favorite for his spectacular dunking and blocking abilities. In 2011–12, he won the Intersport's Dunks of the Year title for a dunk against Xavier on February 4, 2012.[1] In his senior year at Memphis, Stephens became a starter and earned the Conference USA defensive player of the year award. Stephens earned national attention in the 2013 NCAA tournament after demonstrating his leaping ability against St. Mary's and Michigan State.

In a four-year career at Memphis, Stephens played a total of 129 games while averaging 4.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game.[2]

Professional career

2013–14 season

During the 2013 pre-draft workouts at the NBA Draft Combine, Stephens recorded the highest standing vertical leap (40 inches) and the highest running vertical leap (46 inches) ever recorded by the NBA.[3] He also had the fastest time at the 2013 Combine in the three-quarter court sprint.[4]

After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft, Stephens joined the Miami Heat for the Orlando Summer League and the Dallas Mavericks for the Las Vegas Summer League. On August 13, 2013, he signed with Ilysiakos B.C. of Greece for the 2013–14 season.[5] In early March 2014, he left Greece and returned to the United States.[6]

On March 26, 2014, Stephens signed a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.[7] On March 29, 2014, he made his NBA debut. In just under 12 minutes of action, he recorded 5 points and 4 rebounds in a 67-88 loss to the Miami Heat.[8] On April 5, 2014, the Bucks did not offer him a second 10-day contract after his first 10-day contract expired.[9] On April 10, 2014, he signed with Anadolu Efes of Turkey for the rest of the 2013–14 season.[10]

2014–15 season

On October 1, 2014, Stephens signed with the New Orleans Pelicans.[11] However, he was later waived by the Pelicans on October 24, 2014.[12] On December 2, 2014, he signed with Zenit Saint Petersburg of Russia for the rest of the season.[13]

Personal

Stephens is the son of Will Stephens and Dorothea Love. He and his fiancé, Stacie Payne, have one daughter together.

References

  1. ↑ "30 D.J. Stephens". GoTigersGo.com. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  2. ↑ D.J. Stephens Stats
  3. ↑ Busbee, Jay (March 23, 2013). "NBA Draft: DJ Stephens records the highest vertical leap ever measured by the NBA". Yahoo.com. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  4. ↑ "A Closer Look at the Draft Combine". NBA.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Ilysiakos signs rookie DJ Stephens". Sportando.com. August 13, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  6. ↑ "DJ Stephens reportedly leaving Ilysiakos to sign in the NBA". Sportando.com. March 14, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Bucks Sign Free-Agent Guard/Forward D.J. Stephens". NBA.com. March 26, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Notebook: Heat 88, Bucks 67". NBA.com. March 29, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Bucks Won't Sign D.J. Stephens To 2nd 10-Day Contract". realgm.com. April 5, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ "DJ Stephens lands in Istanbul to join Anadolu Efes". Sportando.com. April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Pelicans Add D.J. Stephens to Training Camp Roster". NBA.com. October 1, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Pelicans Request Waivers on Jones and Stephens". NBA.com. October 24, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Zenit St. Petersburg announces DJ Stephens". Sportando.com. December 2, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.

External links