Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) 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 court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player for the
Motor City Cruise
The Motor City Cruise are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Detroit, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. The Cruise play their home games at Wayne State Fieldhouse. The franchise began play a ...
of the
NBA G 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 ...
. He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UW-Green Bay, UWGB, or Green Bay) is a public university in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with regional campuses in Marinette, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan. Founded in 1965, it is part of the University of Wiscons ...
and his professional career has included stints at
Anyang KGC
The Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation ( ko, 안양 KGC인삼공사), or Anyang KGC, is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League, based at Anyang Arena in the city of Anyang. The club has won three KBL championship titles, ...
of the
Korean Basketball League,
Ankara DSI of the
Basketball Super League
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's ...
,
S.S. Felice Scandone of the
Lega Basket Serie A
The Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) is a professional men's club basketball league that has been organised in Italy since 1920. Serie A is organised by Lega Basket, which is regulated by the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP). It is the highest-tier ...
and
South East Melbourne Phoenix
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Phoenix entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2019–20 season. The team play the majority of their home games at Jo ...
of the
National Basketball League. Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA.
Early life and high school career
Sykes, a
point guard, was born in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, coordinates =
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, to the late James Sykes as the second oldest of seven children. He starred at
John Marshall Metropolitan High School
John Marshall Metropolitan High School (commonly known as simply Marshall) is a public 4–year high school located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1895, Marshall is operated ...
in Chicago, where he was named second team All-
Chicago Public High School League by the
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
.
College career
After graduating high school, Sykes committed to play college basketball for coach
Brian Wardle and eventually alongside Marshall teammates
Alfonzo McKinnie and Vincent Garret, at
Green Bay.
From his freshman year in
2011–12, Sykes was immediately inserted into the Phoenix starting lineup, and was also the youngest player in the nation, let alone youngest starter. He averaged 11.2
points and 3.3
assists per game
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads directly to a score by field goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the basket. An assist is also credited when a basket is awarded due ...
. At the end of the season, Sykes was named to the
Horizon League
The Horizon League is an 11-school collegiate athletic conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, whose members are located in and near the Great Lakes region.
The Horizon League founded in 1979 as the Midw ...
All-Newcomer team.
As a sophomore, Sykes increased his production to 15.9 points and 4.3 assists per game and led the Phoenix to the
2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
The 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) was a postseason single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams. Games took place throughout March 2013. The semifinals were played on March 30 with the championship game played o ...
. He was named first team All-Horizon League.
At the start of the
2013–14 season, Sykes was named to the preseason All-Horizon League team and was a nominee for the
Bob Cousy Award
The Bob Cousy Award presented by The College of the Holy Cross (or Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award) is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. ...
for top point guard in the country. Sykes and standout player
Alec Brown
Alec Thomas Brown (born July 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for BC Budivelnyk of the European North Basketball League and the Champions League. He played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Br ...
led the Phoenix to a 24–5 regular season record and finished first in the Horizon League. The season included an upset over eventual
Atlantic Coast Conference regular season champion (and NCAA tournament 1-seed)
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
in a game which saw Sykes score 21 points and distribute 10 assists. In a 69–66 loss to
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, Sykes scored 32 points, including a highlight dunk in the first possession of the game. At the conclusion of the regular season, Sykes was again named first team all-conference, he was named an honorable mention AP All-American, and was named
Horizon Player of the Year. A loss in the
Horizon League tournament, due in part to a Sykes injury, led the Phoenix to missing an automatic bid into the
NCAA tournament and playing in the
National Invitation Tournament.
For his senior season, Sykes had high expectations as he was placed on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List (later becoming a Cousy Award Finalist), the Wooden Award Watch List, and the Naismith Award Watch List during the preseason. On February 26, 2015, playing in his hometown of Chicago, Sykes scored a career-high 36 points against
UIC to surpass the 2,000-point mark for his career. Sykes became the only active player in the nation with 2,000+ points, 500+ assists, and 400+ rebounds. He also became the only player in Horizon League history to record those same career totals. Sykes won the 2015 Horizon League player of the year to join the elite company of players to win the award twice. For the second time in his career, he was named to the Honorable Mention AP All-American team. For the week of January 4–10 of 2015, Sykes won the Naismith National Player of the Week Award. In that week, Sykes averaged 28.7 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting 53.6% from the field, 50% from three, and leading the Phoenix to a 3–0 record. Sykes set a conference record as he was named the Horizon League player of the week thirteen times over his career. Sykes was one of eight invitees to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2015
Final Four, where he placed second.
Professional career
Austin Spurs (2015–2016)
After going undrafted in the
2015 NBA draft, Sykes joined the
Cleveland Cavaliers for the
2015 NBA Summer League
The 2015 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the NBA: the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
Ten teams participated in the week-long Orlando Pro Summer League at ...
. On September 28, 2015, he signed with the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
, only to be waived by the team on October 21 after appearing in three preseason games. Nine days later, he was acquired by the
Austin Spurs
The Austin Spurs are an American basketball team in the NBA G League based in Cedar Park, Texas, and are affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs. The team plays their home games at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. The team has made the postseason in 8 ...
of the
NBA Development League as an affiliate player of San Antonio.
On November 13, Sykes made his professional debut in a 104–82 win over the
Texas Legends
The Texas Legends are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Frisco, Texas, and are affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks. The Legends play their home games at the Comerica Center. The team began as the Colorado ...
, recording eight points, one rebound, six assists and three steals in 17 minutes off the bench. In his rookie season with Austin, including the playoffs, Sykes averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.84 steals while shooting 45.9% from the field and 77.4% from the free throw line, and also recording a plus/minus of +196. Sykes elevated his play in the postseason, including a game in which he recorded 31 points and 6 steals in a 26-point comeback in a win-or-go-home game 3. Due to his success, he was invited to the 2016 NBA D-League Elite Camp.
Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation (2016–2017)
In the summer of 2016, Sykes joined the
Golden State Warriors in the
2016 NBA Summer League
The 2016 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
Ten teams participated in the week- ...
. On July 21, 2016, he was selected by
Anyang KGC
The Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation ( ko, 안양 KGC인삼공사), or Anyang KGC, is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League, based at Anyang Arena in the city of Anyang. The club has won three KBL championship titles, ...
in the second round of the 2016
KBL draft.
Ankara DSİ (2017–2018)
In the 2017-18 season, Sykes played for
Ankara DSİ S.K. in the Turkish TBL, posting 22.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
Scandone Avellino (2018–2019)
Sykes signed with
Scandone Avellino of the Italian
Lega Basket Serie A
The Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) is a professional men's club basketball league that has been organised in Italy since 1920. Serie A is organised by Lega Basket, which is regulated by the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP). It is the highest-tier ...
on August 7, 2018.
Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA.
Guangzhou Loong Lions (2019)
On August 3, 2019, Sykes signed with the
Guangzhou Loong Lions
The Guangzhou Loong Lions () are a Chinese professional basketball team based in Guangzhou, Guangdong. They play in the Southern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
History
The team was founded in November 2000 as Shaanxi Gait ...
of the
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier professional men's basketball league in China.
The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...
.
Olimpia Milano (2019–2020)
On December 27, 2019, Sykes signed with the
Olimpia Milano
Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano, commonly known as Olimpia Milano or as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan after its title sponsor, is an LBA Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy. Its colors are white and red, and the team is sometimes ...
until the end of the season.
Türk Telekom (2020)
On September 13, 2020, Sykes signed with
Türk Telekom B.K. of the
Basketball Super League
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's ...
.
Panathinaikos (2020)
On October 4, 2020, Sykes signed a 1-month contract with
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
of the
Greek Basket League
The Greek Basket League (GBL), often also referred to as the Greek A1 Basketball League, or Greek Basketball Championship (originally called Panhellenic Basketball Championship), and also known as the Stoiximan Basket League for sponsorship reaso ...
. The team later tried to sign Sykes to a contract for another month, but Sykes balked, wanting an agreement through the end of the year, and was let go by Panathinaikos at the end of October.
South East Melbourne Phoenix (2020–2021)
On December 8, 2020, Sykes signed a one-year contract with the
South East Melbourne Phoenix
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Phoenix entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2019–20 season. The team play the majority of their home games at Jo ...
of the Australian
National Basketball League (NBL).
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2021)
On August 5, 2021, Sykes signed a contract with the
Indiana Pacers 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 St ...
(NBA). He was waived at the end of training camp. Sykes subsequently joined the
Fort Wayne Mad Ants
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and are affiliated with the Indiana Pacers. The team plays their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The Mad ...
and averaged 16.3 points, 8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Indiana Pacers (2021–2022)
On December 27, 2021, Sykes signed with the
Indiana Pacers for the remainder of the season.
He was waived on April 7, 2022.
Motor City Cruise (2022–present)
On November 3, 2022, Sykes was named to the opening night roster for the
Motor City Cruise
The Motor City Cruise are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Detroit, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. The Cruise play their home games at Wayne State Fieldhouse. The franchise began play a ...
.
Career statistics
NBA
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Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, 32 , , 11 , , 17.7 , , .363 , , .300 , , .882 , , 1.4 , , 1.9 , , .4 , , .1 , , 5.6
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, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 32 , , 11 , , 17.7 , , .363 , , .300 , , .882 , , 1.4 , , 1.9 , , .4 , , .1 , , 5.6
References
External links
Green Bay Phoenix bioOfficial website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Keifer
1993 births
Living people
American expatriate basketball people in Australia
American expatriate basketball people in Greece
American expatriate basketball people in Italy
American expatriate basketball people in South Korea
American expatriate basketball people in Turkey
American men's basketball players
Anyang KGC players
Austin Spurs players
Basketball players from Chicago
Fort Wayne Mad Ants players
Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball players
Indiana Pacers players
Lega Basket Serie A players
Olimpia Milano players
Panathinaikos B.C. players
Point guards
South East Melbourne Phoenix players
S.S. Felice Scandone players
Türk Telekom B.K. players
Undrafted National Basketball Association players