Luke Douglas Kennard ( ; born June 24, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 12th pick in the

2017 NBA draft The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. ...

. He has also played for the Los Angeles Clippers.

High school career

Kennard attended Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio near

Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...

. As a senior, he was named the ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...

'' National Player of the Year. He was named the Ohio

Gatorade Basketball 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, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, boys' football, boys' a ...

as junior and senior. He also played high school football, lettering for three years as a quarterback. And though he shot with his left hand in basketball, he threw with his right hand in football. Finishing high school, Kennard was one of the most sought after recruits in the nation. He was ranked as the No. 24 prospect in his recruiting class by ESPN. Kennard committed to

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

to play college basketball during his junior year of high school. He finished his career with the second most points in Ohio history, three spots ahead of LeBron James. He was a McDonald's All-American selection. In 2020, it was announced that Franklin High would retire Kennard's number 10.

College career

Freshman season (2015–2016)

In practice, he frequently matched up against Duke guard

Grayson Allen Grayson James Allen (born October 8, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played four years of college basketball at Duke University. Allen was drafted with ...

. On January 6, 2016, Luke scored 23 points in a 91–75 win over Wake Forest. On February 6, 2016, Kennard tallied 26 points in an 88–80 win over NC State. As a freshman at Duke, Kennard averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

Sophomore season (2016–2017)

On November 29, 2016, Kennard scored 20 points in a 78–69 win against

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

in ACC–Big Ten Challenge. On December 3, 2016, Kennard scored 35 points in a 94–55 win over Maine. On January 28, 2017, Kennard scored 34 points in an 85–83 win over Wake Forest. On February 11, 2017, Kennard tallied 25 points in a 64–62 victory over Clemson. On March 3, 2017, Luke scored 20 points in a 79–72 victory over Clemson in the second round and scored 24 points in an 81–77 win against Louisville in the quarterfinals of the 2017 ACC tournament. On March 10, 2017, Kennard scored 20 points in a 93–83 win over rival North Carolina in the semifinals. On March 11, 2017, Kennard tallied 16 points in a 75–69 win against

Notre Dame Notre Dame, French for "Our Lady", a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, most commonly refers to: * Notre-Dame de Paris, a cathedral in Paris, France * University of Notre Dame, a university in Indiana, United States ** Notre Dame Fighting Irish, th ...

in the ACC Championship game. During his sophomore year, Luke averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He led the team both from the three-point range with 43.8% and free throw line at 85.6%. As a sophomore, he was named first team All-ACC and second-team All-American. He finished 1–6 from the field and fouled out in Duke's second-round loss to South Carolina in the NCAA tournament. His reaction to the final foul call against him quickly turned into a meme. After his sophomore season, Kennard chose to forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility and enter the

. He joined Duke teammates Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Frank Jackson in declaring early for the draft.

Professional career

Detroit Pistons (2017–2020)

On June 22, 2017, Kennard was drafted 12th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the

. He made his NBA debut on October 20, 2017, against the Washington Wizards, scoring 11 points and recording 2 steals in 18 minutes. Kennard started his first NBA game on December 15, 2017, after

Avery Bradley Avery Antonio Bradley Jr. (born November 26, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns before ...

suffered a groin injury, scoring 9 points with 5

rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...

and 4 assists in a win against 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 ...

. Kennard recorded his first career double-double on January 24, 2018, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. On April 11, 2018, Kennard recorded a former career-high 23 points in a 119–87 victory over the Chicago Bulls. In July 2018, the Pistons announced that Kennard suffered a left knee strain and would miss the 2018 NBA Summer League. On October 26, 2018, Kennard suffered a sprain of the AC joint in his right shoulder and would be out for at least two weeks. On December 10, 2018, he recorded a career-high 28 points in a 116–102 loss 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 ...

. On April 10, 2019, Kennard recorded 27 points in the last game of the regular season, in a 115–89 win over 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 ...

. On October 23, 2019, Kennard scored 30 points and three rebounds in a 119–110 win over the

. The season was Kennard's first as a full-time starter for the Pistons, but it was cut short after 28 games due to bilateral knee tendinitis and, subsequently, the suspension of the season due to COVID-19.

Los Angeles Clippers (2020–2023)

On November 19, 2020, Kennard was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade that involved the Brooklyn Nets, sending

Rodney McGruder Rodney Christian McGruder (born July 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kansas State Wildcats. Colle ...

, Džanan Musa, and the draft rights of

Saddiq Bey Saddiq Bey (born April 9, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats. High school career Bey is the son of Drew ...

and Jaylen Hands to Detroit. On March 22, 2021, Kennard posted 20 points on 8-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range coming off the bench, along with seven rebounds, four assists and a block in 18 minutes of action in a 119–110 win over the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first player in franchise history to log at least 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists with less than 20 minutes of playing time in a game. On December 18, 2021, Kennard scored a season-high 27 points, alongside seven rebounds and three assists, in a 104–103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. On January 25, 2022, he was fouled while shooting a three-pointer and made the shot as well as the free throw, which propelled the Clippers to a 116–115 win over the Washington Wizards. The Clippers had trailed by as many as 35 points during the game. Kennard missed the Clippers’ two postseason play-in tournament games with a hamstring injury, as they were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since

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 ...

Memphis Grizzlies (2023–present)

On February 9, 2023, Kennard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade involving the

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 ...

. He made his Grizzlies debut three days later, recording four points and two rebounds in a 119–109 loss to the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

. On March 24, Kennard scored a career-high tying 30 points in a 151–114 win over the

. His ten made 3-pointers set a Grizzlies franchise record for most threes made in a game, surpassing the previous mark (9) set twice by Mike Miller and once by current teammate

Jaren Jackson Jr. Jaren Walter Jackson Jr. (born September 15, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. He was select ...

On July 31, 2024, Kennard re-signed with the Grizzlies.

Personal life

Kennard briefly dated reality TV star

Savannah Chrisley ''Chrisley Knows Best'' is an American reality television series that premiered on the USA Network on March 11, 2014. It revolves around the lives of Georgia real estate tycoon Todd Chrisley and his wealthy family. The show was filmed in Roswel ...

. Kennard later began dating Anna Castro, proposing on October 17, 2021. They were married on August 5, 2022.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 73 , , 9 , , 20.0 , , .443 , , .415 , , .855 , , 2.4 , , 1.7 , , .6 , , .2 , , 7.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 63 , , 10 , , 22.8 , , .438 , , .394 , , .836 , , 2.9 , , 1.8 , , .4 , , .2 , , 9.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 28 , , 25 , , 32.9 , , .442 , , .399 , , .893 , , 3.5 , , 4.1 , , .4 , , .2 , , 15.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

L.A. 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 ...

, 63 , , 17 , , 19.6 , , .476 , , .446 , , .839 , , 2.6 , , 1.7 , , .4 , , .1 , , 8.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 70 , , 13 , , 27.4 , , .449 , , bgcolor="CFECEC" , .449* , , .896 , , 3.3 , , 2.1 , , .6 , , .1 , , 11.9 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;",

, 35 , , 11 , , 20.7 , , .464 , , bgcolor="CFECEC" , .447* , , .950 , , 2.4 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , .1 , , 7.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", Memphis , 24 , , 3 , , 24.6 , , .526 , , bgcolor="CFECEC" , .540* , , .947 , , 3.1 , , 2.3 , , .5 , , .0 , , 11.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Memphis , 39 , , 22 , , 25.6 , , .448 , , .450 , , .889 , , 2.9 , , 3.5 , , .5 , , .1 , , 11.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 395 , , 110 , , 23.5 , , .454 , , .439 , , .879 , , 2.8 , , 2.1 , , .5 , , .1 , , 10.0

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 4 , , 2 , , 33.2 , , .489 , , .600 , , .833 , , 4.0 , , 1.8 , , .8 , , .3 , , 15.0 , - , style="text-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 ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 15 , , 0 , , 14.6 , , .477 , , .412 , , .500 , , .9 , , .5 , , .1 , , .0 , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2023 Events Predicted and scheduled events * January 1 ** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1927 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law. ** Croatia will adopt the eu ...

, style="text-align:left;", Memphis , 5 , , 0 , , 21.4 , , .522 , , .500 , , 1.000 , , 4.0 , , 1.4 , , .8 , , .0 , , 7.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 24 , , 2 , , 19.1 , , .489 , , .463 , , .833 , , 2.1 , , .9 , , .4 , , .0 , , 7.5

College stats

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2015–16 , style="text-align:left;", Duke , 36 , , 11 , , 26.7 , , .421 , , .320 , , .889 , , 3.6 , , 1.5 , , .9 , , .2 , , 11.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2016–17 , style="text-align:left;", Duke , 37, , 36 , , 35.5 , , .489 , , .438 , , .856 , , 5.1 , , 2.5 , , .8 , , .4 , , 19.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 73 , , 47 , , 31.1 , , .455 , , .379 , , .873 , , 4.4 , , 2.0 , , .9 , , .3 , , 15.7

References

External links

Duke Blue Devils bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennard, Luke 1996 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players from Ohio Detroit Pistons draft picks Detroit Pistons players Duke Blue Devils men's basketball players Grand Rapids Drive players Los Angeles Clippers players Memphis Grizzlies players McDonald's High School All-Americans Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Shooting guards Sportspeople from Middletown, Ohio 21st-century American sportsmen