Zachary Norvell Jr. (born December 9, 1997) 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 who last played for the
Santa Cruz Warriors
The Santa Cruz Warriors are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Santa Cruz, California, and are affiliated with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors play their home games at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Prior to ...
of the
NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
. 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
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs () (also known unofficially as the Zags) are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Gonzaga competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ...
.
Early life
![20150221 Jalen Brunson fast break](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/20150221_Jalen_Brunson_fast_break.JPG)
Norvell is the son of Tonja Hall and Zachary Norvell, who played basketball in college at
Northeastern Illinois
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...
(until the program was disbanded in 1998) and
New Mexico State
New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a public land-grant research university based primarily in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in New Mexico and one of the state's tw ...
and coaches at
DuSable High School
Jean Baptiste Point DuSable High School is a public four-year high school campus located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. DuSable is owned by the Chicago Public Schools district. The school ...
. Growing up, the younger Norvell was an accomplished baseball player but decided to quit to focus on basketball. At
Simeon Career Academy
Neal F. Simeon Career Academy (formerly known as Westcott Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Career Technical Academy), locally known simply as Simeon, is a public four-year vocational high school locate ...
, Norvell played limited minutes as a freshman behind
Jaylon Tate
Jaylon Tate (born January 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). Tate played college basketball for the University of Illinois.
High school career
Tate ...
and
Kendrick Nunn
Kendrick Melvin Nunn (born August 3, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Oakland Golden ...
. As a junior, Norvell averaged nearly 13 points, four rebounds and three assists per game and was a ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' All-State special mention selection in 2015. He played some time at point guard due to injury problems. He scored 53 points in an AAU game for Mac Irvin Fire in Las Vegas in July 2015, increasing his recruiting stock. Norvell ended up committing to Gonzaga, choosing the Bulldogs over offers from
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
,
Georgetown and
Iowa State
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
. Norvell was No. 76 in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings and was nominated for the
McDonald’s All-American
The McDonald's All-American Game is the all-star basketball game played each year for American and Canadian boys' and girls' high school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the concl ...
game.
[
]
College career
Norvell underwent leg surgery before arriving at Gonzaga for his freshman season. Norvell redshirted during his first season at Gonzaga, partially so he could recover from his leg injury. Despite his redshirt, he was allowed to play an exhibition game against West Georgia, where he was able to score 18 points.
Coming into his redshirt freshman season, Norvell was named to the Julius Erving Award watch list. During his redshirt freshman season, Norvell was able to become a breakout star of the NCAA tournament, leading his team by scoring 21.5 points per game during the first 2 games of the tournament. He was also able to make a game tying three-pointer against UNC Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand-al ...
and recorded his first career double-double against Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
with 28 points and 12 rebounds. On the season, Norvell averaged 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He was named West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year.
Coming into his sophomore season, Norvell was named to the Preseason All-WCC Team. He was named to the preseason John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award, and recognizing the ...
and Jerry West Award
The Jerry West Shooting 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 shooting guard. The award is named after former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, ...
watchlists. At Gonzaga, he was known by the nickname "Snacks". He posted a career-high 28 points against Creighton on December 1, 2018. He was named to the 2018–19 All-West Coast Conference first team along with teammates Rui Hachimura
is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and is a member of the Japanese national team. Listed at and 230  ...
, Brandon Clarke
Brandon Clarke (born September 19, 1996) is a Canadian-American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and San Jose State Univ ...
and Josh Perkins
Josh Perkins (born August 25, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
High school career
Perkins began his ...
. Following the season, he declared for the 2019 NBA draft
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, i ...
. He was invited to the NBA Draft Combine
The NBA Draft Combine is a multi-day showcase that takes place every May before the annual June NBA draft. At the combine, college basketball players are measured and take medical tests, are interviewed, perform various athletic tests and shootin ...
. On May 9, he announced his intention to remain in the draft.[
]
Professional career
Los Angeles Lakers (2019)
Norvell went undrafted during the 2019 NBA draft
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, i ...
. On July 1, 2019, Norvell signed with 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 ...
to a two-way contract. On October 25, 2019, Norvell made his debut in NBA, coming off from bench in a 95–86 win over 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), ...
with a rebound. Norvell was waived on December 11, 2019.
South Bay Lakers (2019–2020)
On December 17, 2019, Norvell was acquired by the South Bay Lakers
The South Bay Lakers are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2006 as the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were the first National Basketball Associa ...
. Norvell averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his 29 appearances (17 starts).[
]
Golden State Warriors (2020)
On February 8, 2020, Norvell signed a 10-day contract 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 ...
. Although he had appeared in a pair of games for the Lakers, Norvell scored his first points on February 8, when he posted seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 17-minute plus
Plus may refer to:
Mathematics
* Addition
* +, the mathematical sign
Music
* ''+'' (Ed Sheeran album), (pronounced "plus"), 2011
* ''Plus'' (Cannonball Adderley Quintet album), 1961
* ''Plus'' (Matt Nathanson EP), 2003
* ''Plus'' (Martin Ga ...
10 debut for the Warriors against 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 ...
.
Santa Cruz Warriors (2020–2021)
On February 21, 2020, the Santa Cruz Warriors
The Santa Cruz Warriors are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Santa Cruz, California, and are affiliated with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors play their home games at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Prior to ...
announced that they had acquired Norvell from the South Bay Lakers
The South Bay Lakers are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2006 as the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were the first National Basketball Associa ...
for the returning right to Juan Toscano-Anderson
Juan Ronel Toscano-Anderson (born April 10, 1993) is a Mexican-American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball, ...
and a 2021 1st-round draft pick in the 2021 NBA G League Draft. In his debut for Santa Cruz, Norvell scored a career-high 34 points shooting 7-of-12 from behind the arc while also contributing five rebounds and four assists in a 128-122 loss to the South Bay Lakers.
On November 26, 2020, Norvell signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
. He was waived at the conclusion of training camp.
On January 12, 2021, Norvell was included in roster of Santa Cruz Warriors
The Santa Cruz Warriors are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Santa Cruz, California, and are affiliated with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors play their home games at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Prior to ...
which would participate the 2020–21 season in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a multi-purpose sports complex located in the Walt Disney World Resort, in Bay Lake, Florida, United States, near Orlando. The complex includes nine venues and hosts numerous professional and amateur s ...
of Walt Disney World Resort
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake, Florida, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando ...
located near Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
. He was released on February 17, 2021 after suffering a season-ending injury.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", L.A. 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 ...
, 2 , , 0 , , 2.5 , , .000 , , .000 , , .000 , , .5 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 0.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Golden State
, 3 , , 0 , , 12.0 , , .273 , , .375 , , 1.000 , , 1.7 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , .0 , , 3.3
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 5 , , 0 , , 8.2 , , .250 , , .375 , , 1.000 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , .4 , , .0 , , 2.0
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2017–18
, style="text-align:left;", Gonzaga
, 37 , , 29 , , 27.0 , , .456 , , .370 , , .800 , , 3.9 , , 2.3 , , 1.1 , , .1 , , 12.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018–19
, style="text-align:left;", Gonzaga
, 37 , , 36 , , 30.7 , , .435 , , .372 , , .867 , , 4.3 , , 3.1 , , 1.3 , , .1 , , 14.9
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 74 , , 65 , , 28.8 , , .445 , , .371 , , .836 , , 4.1 , , 2.7 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 13.8
References
External links
*
Gonzaga Bulldogs bio
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norvell, Zach Jr.
1997 births
Living people
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Chicago
Golden State Warriors players
Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball players
Los Angeles Lakers players
Santa Cruz Warriors players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
South Bay Lakers players
Undrafted National Basketball Association players