Joshua Giddey (born 10 October, 2002) is an Australian 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
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
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 Thunder with the sixth overall pick in the
2021 NBA draft
The 2021 NBA draft, the 75th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on July 29, 2021, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. With the first overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham. The NBA us ...
. Giddey is the youngest player in NBA history to record a
triple-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
, having done so at 19 years, 84 days old. He also became the first player since Hall of Famer
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Robertson played ...
in 1961 to record three consecutive triple-doubles as a rookie.
Early life and career
Giddey grew up in
Yarraville
Yarraville is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Maribyrnong local government area. Yarraville recorded a population of 15,636 at the .
Yarraville i ...
and attended
St Kevin's College in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
from Year 7 to 10, before emerging as one of Australia's top basketball prospects with the
NBA Global Academy
The NBA Academy is a basketball development initiative created by the National Basketball Association (NBA) that develops top international high school-age prospects. The program includes academies across India, Australia (known as the Global Acad ...
, a training center at the
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is a high performance sports training institution in Australia. The Institute's headquarters were opened in 1981 and are situated in the northern suburb of Bruce, Canberra. The AIS is a division of the ...
(AIS) in
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
.
He attended
UC Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra
University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra, formerly known as Lake Ginninderra College until 2011, is a public secondary college for students in Years 11 and 12. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia, ...
alongside his full-time training at the AIS.
At the Australian Under-18 Championships in April 2019, Giddey averaged 20 points, 8.3 rebounds, and six assists per game, leading VIC Metro to the title.
In January 2020, Giddey helped the NBA Global Academy win the Torneo Junior Ciutat de L'Hospitalet in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, where he earned
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
(MVP) honors. In the following month at
NBA All-Star Weekend The National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend is a weekend festival held every February during the middle of the NBA regular season that consists of a variety of basketball events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star ...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, he took part in
Basketball Without Borders
Basketball Without Borders is a basketball instructional camp organized by the NBA in conjunction with FIBA. It presents itself as a “basketball development and community outreach program that unites young basketball players to promote the sport ...
and was named an all-star of the camp.
Professional career
Adelaide 36ers (2020–2021)
On 12 March 2020, Giddey signed with the
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers, also known as the Sixers, are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in th ...
of the
National Basketball League (NBL) as a part of the league's
Next Stars program to develop
NBA draft prospects, and he became the first Australian player to be a part of the program.
Giddey turned down offers from several
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
programs, including
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
.
On 26 April 2021, he recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 93–77 loss to the
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the Sky Sport Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at ...
, becoming the youngest Australian in NBL history to record a
triple double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
. In the 36ers' next game against the
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to th ...
on 1 May, he became the first ever Australian to record a triple-double in consecutive games, finishing with 15 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 101–79 win. He had a third triple-double on 9 May in a 97–88 overtime win over the
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
, finishing with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Giddey was released from the active playing roster on 17 May to prepare for the
2021 NBA draft
The 2021 NBA draft, the 75th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on July 29, 2021, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. With the first overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham. The NBA us ...
, and finished the season averaging 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and a league-leading 7.6 assists per game in 28 games played. He was selected as the
NBL Rookie of the Year.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2021–present)
On 27 April 2021, Giddey declared for the
2021 NBA draft
The 2021 NBA draft, the 75th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on July 29, 2021, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. With the first overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham. The NBA us ...
, where he was projected to be a
lottery pick. On 29 July, he was drafted as the sixth overall pick by the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
, and on 8 August, Giddey signed a contract with the Thunder. That same day, he suffered an ankle injury five minutes into his
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League, also known as the Las Vegas Summer League, is an off-season competition organized by the National Basketball Association. NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups ...
debut and was ruled out for the rest of the competition as a precautionary measure. On 20 October, Giddey made his NBA debut, putting up four points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in a 107–86 loss to 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), ...
. On 27 October, Giddey recorded his first double-double with 18 points and 10 assists in a 123–115 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 ...
, while also becoming the third-youngest player to record at least 10 assists in a game, behind only
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...
, who did so twice. Giddey was named the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October/November.
On 26 December 2021, Giddey became the second player in NBA history, after
Norm Van Lier
Norman Allen Van Lier III (April 1, 1947 – February 26, 2009) was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.
Early life
Norman Van Lier was born in East L ...
, to record a scoreless double-double, as he compiled ten assists and ten rebounds in the Thunder's 117–112 win over the
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
. Giddey was named the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in December. On 2 January 2022, Giddey became the youngest ever player to record a
triple-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
, with 17 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds in a 95–86 loss to the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
, surpassing the previous record set by
LaMelo Ball
LaMelo LaFrance Ball (born August 22, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft. ...
. Giddey was named the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in January and again in February, winning the award four consecutive times.
On 27 March, Giddey was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to hip soreness, and he finished the season averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game while shooting .419, .263, and .709 from the field, the three-point line, and on free throws, respectively, with four triple-doubles. In addition, he was the sole rookie to tally at least 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 300 assists.
National team career
Junior national team
Giddey represented
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
at the 2019
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its na ...
Under-17 Oceania Championship in
New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
, mapsize = 290px
, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
. He averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and five assists per game and was named to the All-Star Five after leading his team to a gold medal. In the final against
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, he collected 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in an 85–56 win.
Senior national team
On 23 February 2020, Giddey made his debut for the
Australia national basketball team during
2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualification. He recorded 11 points, six assists, and three rebounds in 11 minutes, helping Australia defeat
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, 115–52. Giddey became the youngest player to play for the senior team since
Ben Simmons
Benjamin David Simmons (born 20 July 1996) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the LSU Tigers, after which he was ...
in 2013.
Giddey was one of the final cuts from the Australian basketball team roster for the
2020 Tokyo Olympics
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
and was instead selected as one of three emergency players.
Career statistics
NBA
, -
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, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 54 , , 54 , , 31.5 , , .419 , , .263 , , .709 , , 7.8 , , 6.4 , , .9 , , .4 , , 12.5
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, 54 , , 54 , , 31.5 , , .419 , , .263 , , .709 , , 7.8 , , 6.4 , , .9 , , .4 , , 13.2
NBL
, -
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2020–21
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, 28 , , 26 , , 32.1 , , .425 , , .293 , , .691 , , 7.3 , , 7.6 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 10.9
Personal life
Giddey's father,
Warrick, played basketball professionally and was a longtime player for the
Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 as ...
in Australia.
[ His mother, Kim, played for the Tigers in the ]Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is the pre-eminent professional women's basketball league in Australia. It is currently composed of eight teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Baske ...
. Giddey's sister, Hannah, plays forward for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles are the sixteen college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oral Roberts University, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Golden Eagles compete at the National Collegiate Athle ...
.
References
External links
NBL profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Giddey, Josh
2002 births
Living people
Adelaide 36ers players
Australian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Australian men's basketball players
Basketball players from Melbourne
Oklahoma City Thunder draft picks
Oklahoma City Thunder players
People educated at Lake Ginninderra College
Point guards
21st-century Australian people