Alec Burks (born July 20, 1991) is an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player for the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA). He was selected by the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...

as the 12th overall pick in the

2011 NBA draft The 2011 NBA draft was held on June 23, 2011, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:00 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. Kia Motors was the presenting sponsor ...

. Burks primarily plays the

shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...

position. He played for the

Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team represents the University of Colorado Boulder. The team competes in the Pac-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Tad Boyle. The Buffaloes have competed in fourteen NCAA ...

team during his college years and was most notably the school's first-ever

Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...

Freshman of the Year in 2010. As a sophomore, Burks was statistically the eighteenth-best scorer in the Division I. With Colorado, he missed only a single college game. Burks also gained national attention after being selected to the Big 12 First Team in his second season with the Buffaloes. He entered the

shortly after his sophomore year, projected to be a first-round draft pick despite playing just two seasons at Colorado.

High school career

Burks attended Grandview High School, where in 2009 he was named the

Gatorade Player of the Year The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine playe ...

in the state of Missouri. As a senior, he averaged 23.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He was also named the

Kansas City Star ''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...

and Metro Sports Player of the Year during his senior year. Prior to his senior year of high school, Burks signed with Colorado during the November 2008 signing period. Considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, Burks was listed as the No. 49 shooting guard and the No. 196 player in the nation in 2009.

College career

In his freshman year at

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

, Burks was awarded the 2010 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year, while also being named in the Big 12 All-Rookie team. In his sophomore year, he was named in the All-Big 12 first team. In April 2011, Burks decided to forgo his two remaining eligible college years to enter the NBA draft.

Professional career

Utah Jazz (2011–2018)

Burks was selected with the 12th overall pick in the

by the

. On December 9, 2011, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Jazz. On October 25, 2012, the Jazz exercised their third-year team option on Burks' rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2013–14 season. On October 29, 2013, the Jazz exercised their fourth-year team option on Burks' rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2014–15 season. On January 13, 2014, Burks scored a career-high 34 points in a 118–103 win over the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...

. On October 31, 2014, Burks signed a four-year, $42 million contract extension with the Jazz. On December 30, he was ruled out for the rest of the 2014–15 season due to a shoulder injury. On December 27, 2015, Burks was ruled out for six weeks with an ankle fracture. Two days later, he elected to undergo surgery on his fractured left fibula. On April 8, 2016, he returned to action after missing 50 games with the injury. In 13 minutes off the bench, he scored 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in a 102–99 overtime loss to the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...

. On November 1, 2016, Burks was ruled out indefinitely after undergoing an

arthroscopic Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the jo ...

procedure to debride his left ankle. On January 9, 2017, he spent a day with Utah's

D-League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA De ...

affiliate, the

Salt Lake City Stars The Salt Lake City Stars are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are affiliated with the Utah Jazz. As of the 2022-23 season, the Stars play in the Maverik Center in West Valley City, U ...

. He was reassigned to Salt Lake City on January 11, and then recalled the next day after appearing in a game for the Stars. On January 21, 2017, he came off the bench for the Jazz and scored a season-high 13 points in a season-high 18 minutes in a 109–100 win over the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...

. Seven days later, he set a new season high with 15 points in a 102–95 loss to the

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...

. On November 30, 2017, Burks scored a season-high 28 points off the bench in a 126–107 win over the

. On December 4, 2017, he scored 27 points in a 116–69 win over the

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...

for his third straight game with 20 or more—his best string since three straight 20-point games in February 2014.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2018–2019)

On November 29, 2018, Burks was traded, along with two future second-round picks, to the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

in exchange for

Kyle Korver Kyle Elliot Korver (born March 17, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player who currently serves as the director of player affairs and development for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played col ...

. On January 13, 2019, he had 17 points and 13 rebounds in a 101–95 win over the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

Sacramento Kings (2019)

On February 7, 2019, Burks was acquired by the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

in a three-team trade involving the Cavaliers and

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

Golden State Warriors (2019–2020)

On July 11, 2019, Burks signed with the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

. On January 30, 2020, Burks switched his jersey from 8 to 20 out of respect following the death of

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...

Philadelphia 76ers (2020)

On February 6, 2020, Burks and teammate

Glenn Robinson III Glenn Alan Robinson III (born January 8, 1994) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines. Rob ...

were traded to the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

in exchange for 3 second-round draft picks.

New York Knicks (2020–2022)

On November 22, 2020, Burks signed with the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

Detroit Pistons (2022–present)

On July 11, 2022, Burks was traded, alongside

Nerlens Noel Nerlens Noel (born April 10, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His collegiate basketball career ended in his first season with a tear of his anterior cruciate ...

, to the

in exchange for the draft rights to

Nikola Radičević Nikola Radičević ( sr, Никола Радичевић, born 25 April 1994) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Bilbao Basket, Bilbao of the Spanish Liga ACB. Standing at , he plays at the point guard position. Early career Born in ...

and a 2025 protected second-round pick.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

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Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

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, 64 , , 0 , , 17.8 , , .420 , , .359 , , .713 , , 2.3 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , .2 , , 7.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 78 , , 12 , , 28.1 , , .457 , , .350 , , .748 , , 3.3 , , 2.7 , , .9 , , .2 , , 14.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 27 , , 27 , , 33.3 , , .403 , , .382 , , .822 , , 4.2 , , 3.0 , , .6 , , .2 , , 13.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 31 , , 3 , , 25.7 , , .410 , , .405 , , .752 , , 3.5 , , 2.0 , , .6 , , .1 , , 13.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 42 , , 0 , , 15.5 , , .399 , , .329 , , .769 , , 2.9 , , .7 , , .4 , , .1 , , 6.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 64 , , 1 , , 16.5 , , .411 , , .331 , , .863 , , 3.0 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , .1 , , 7.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 17 , , 0 , , 15.8 , , .412 , , .372 , , .868 , , 1.6 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , .2 , , 8.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, 34 , , 24 , , 28.8 , , .400 , , .378 , , .806 , , 5.5 , , 2.9 , , .7 , , .5 , , 8.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

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, 13 , , 0 , , 9.8 , , .450 , , .000 , , .800 , , 1.7 , , .8 , , .6 , , .1 , , 1.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 48 , , 18 , , 29.0 , , .406 , , .375 , , .897 , , 4.7 , , 3.1 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 16.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, 18 , , 1 , , 20.2 , , .461 , , .416 , , .829 , , 3.1 , , 2.1 , , .7 , , .0 , , 12.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , New York , 49 , , 5 , , 25.6 , , .420 , , .415 , , .856 , , 4.6 , , 2.2 , , .6 , , .3 , , 12.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , New York , 81 , , 44 , , 28.6 , , .391 , , .404 , , .822 , , 4.9 , , 3.0 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 11.7 , - class="sortbottom" , align="center" colspan="2", Career , 624 , , 134 , , 23.0 , , .418 , , .380 , , .799 , , 3.5 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , .2 , , 10.6

Playoffs

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2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

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, 4 , , 0 , , 15.8 , , .250 , , .000 , , .857 , , 2.8 , , .8 , , .5 , , .0 , , 6.5 , - , align="left" ,

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

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, 9 , , 0 , , 13.3 , , .469 , , .450 , , .867 , , 2.7 , , 1.9 , , .4 , , .1 , , 9.1 , - , align="left" ,

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

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, 4 , , 0 , , 23.8 , , .327 , , .188 , , .778 , , 3.8 , , 1.8 , , .3 , , .8 , , 10.5 , - , align="left" ,

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

, align="left" , New York , 5 , , 0 , , 25.6 , , .429 , , .333 , , .737 , , 5.0 , , 2.6 , , .2 , , .0 , , 14.0 , - class="sortbottom" , align="center" colspan="2", Career , 22 , , 0 , , 18.5 , , .391 , , .323 , , .807 , , 3.4 , , 1.8 , , .4 , , .2 , , 10.0

College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2009–10 , style="text-align:left;",

, 30, , 30, , 30.2, , .538, , .352, , .772, , 5.0, , 1.8, , 1.2, , .4, , 17.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2010–11 , style="text-align:left;",

, 38, , 37, , 31.4, , .469, , .292, , .825, , 6.5, , 2.9, , 1.1, , .3, , 20.5

Personal life

Burks is the son of Steve and Dina Burks. He also has an older brother, Steve Jr.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burks, Alec 1991 births Living people African-American basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players from Missouri Cleveland Cavaliers players Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball players Detroit Pistons players Golden State Warriors players New York Knicks players People from Grandview, Missouri Philadelphia 76ers players Sacramento Kings players Salt Lake City Stars players Shooting guards Sportspeople from the Kansas City metropolitan area Utah Jazz draft picks Utah Jazz players 21st-century African-American sportspeople