Marreese Akeem Speights (born August 4, 1987) 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

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 ...

(CBA). 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

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as th ...

, where he was a freshman member of their NCAA national championship team in

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...

. 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 Ea ...

selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft.

Early life

Speights was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. He played basketball at St. Petersburg's

Admiral Farragut Academy Admiral Farragut Academy, established in 1933, is a private, college-prep school serving students in grades K-12. Farragut is located in St. Petersburg, Florida in Pinellas County and is surrounded by the communities of Treasure Island, Gulfpo ...

, which retired his jersey number after one year. He also played basketball at

Hargrave Military Academy Hargrave Military Academy (HMA) is a private, all-male, military boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia. Hargrave is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a col ...

(senior year) and Gibbs High School. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Speights was listed as the No. 13 power forward and the No. 51 player in the nation in 2006.

College career

Speights began his career at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

in 2006–07, and averaged approximately four points and two rebounds in six minutes per game as a freshman for the national champion Gators. He saw few minutes behind big men

Al Horford Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986) is a Dominican professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Big Al", Horford is a five-time NBA All-Star and is the highest paid L ...

Joakim Noah Joakim Simon Noah ( ; born February 25, 1985) is an American-born French-Swedish former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators, winning back-to-back NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007. The Chicago B ...

, and Chris Richard. Speights ended the 2007–08 season averaging 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. After his sophomore season, he declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft. Speights confirmed with Florida coach

Billy Donovan William John Donovan Jr. (born May 30, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He has served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since September 2020 after previously coa ...

on June 12, 2008 that he would not be returning to the Gators.

Professional career

Philadelphia 76ers (2008–2012)

Speights was drafted by the

with the 16th pick of the first round in the 2008 NBA Draft. He signed with Philadelphia on July 18, 2008. In his rookie season, Speights had a field-goal percentage of .502 from the field, playing 79 games, shooting .773 from the free throw line, and notching two starts. JaVale McGee and Marreese Speights

Speights' second season with the 76ers started off on a high note, as he saw a slight increase in playing time and put up good numbers. He scored 15 or more points in five of his first 10 games, and was a vital part of the team's frontcourt. In the fourth quarter of the November 14 game versus 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 ...

, Speights injured his left knee. An MRI revealed a partial tear of the

medial collateral ligament The medial collateral ligament (MCL), or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. Its primary function is to resist outwar ...

(MCL). He missed 14 games and came back December 16, to play 22 minutes in a losing effort against 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 Central ...

. After Speights returned from the injury, his playing time became limited, mostly because of the increased production from

Elton Brand Elton Tyron Brand (born March 11, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player and the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing college basketball for Duke, he was selecte ...

. The 76ers hired Doug Collins as their new head coach for the 2010-11 season. Known for his defensive-minded coaching philosophy, this shift in team focus adversely affected Speights, who was known more for his offensive capabilities. Frequent clashes with the coaching staff led to a career-low 11.5 minutes per contest. He did, however, get one start against the

New Orleans Hornets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

on January 3, 2011 and notched 12 points and six rebounds. For the season, Speights averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, both career lows.

Memphis Grizzlies (2012–2013)

On January 4, 2012, Speights was acquired by 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 ...

as a part of a three-team trade that sent Xavier Henry to the

and two future second round picks to the

. On June 29, 2012, the Grizzlies extended a qualifying offer to Speights, making him a restricted free agent. On July 13, 2012, Speights re-signed with the Grizzlies to a two-year, $8 million contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2013)

On January 22, 2013, Speights was traded to the

, along with

Wayne Ellington Wayne Robert Ellington Jr. (born November 29, 1987) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the University of North Carolina from 2006 to ...

Josh Selby Joshua Cornell Selby (born March 27, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys of the Lithuanian Basketball League. He played one year of college basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks before being selecte ...

, and a future first round draft pick, in exchange for Jon Leuer. In his half a season with the Cavaliers, Speights averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 39 games.

Golden State Warriors (2013–2016)

On July 12, 2013, Speights 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 February 10, 2014, Speights scored a career-high 32 points in a 123–80 win over the

. Speights won his first NBA championship with the Warriors after they defeated the

in the

2015 NBA Finals The 2015 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2014–15 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the Eastern Confer ...

in six games. After being the team's top scoring option off the bench in 2014–15, he gained the nickname "Mo Buckets". On June 29, 2015, the Warriors exercised his team option for the 2015–16 season. During the 2015–16 season, Speights helped the Warriors record a 24–0 start to the season (an NBA record) and helped them finish 73–9, the best overall record in NBA history, surpassing the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls' mark of 72–10. In Game 3 of the Warriors' 2016 first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Speights, who didn't attempt a three-pointer in the first 29 playoff games of his career, was 3-of-6 on three-pointers and finished with 22 points in a 97–96 loss. The Warriors went on to defeat the Rockets in five games. In the second round, Speights helped the Warriors defeat the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

in five games to qualify for the Western Conference Finals. In their conference finals match-up with 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 ...

, the Warriors fought back from a 3–1 deficit in the series to win clinch a 4–3 victory. In Game 5 of the series, Speights scored 14 points in 9 minutes to help the Warriors save their season. With a Game 7 victory, the Warriors moved on to the

NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is a ...

for the second straight year. The Warriors would again face the

. Despite the Warriors going up 3–1 in the series following a Game 4 win, they went on to lose the series in seven games to become the first team in NBA history to lose the championship series after being up 3–1.

Los Angeles Clippers (2016–2017)

On July 12, 2016, Speights signed with 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 January 16, 2017, he scored a season-high 23 points in a 120–98 win over the

. On May 23, 2017, Speights opted out of his contract for the 2017–18 season with the Clippers, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Orlando Magic (2017–2018)

On July 27, 2017, Speights signed with the

Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...

. On October 30, 2017, he scored 18 points and hit a career-high six 3-pointers, including five in a six-minute span, in a 115–99 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 ...

Guangzhou Loong Lions (2018–2021)

On July 2, 2018, the

of the CBA announced the signing of Marreese Speights. On January 16, 2019, his import player roster spot was replaced by Cory Jefferson. On August 17, 2020, it was reported that the

Guangzhou Long-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 ...

had re-signed with Speights.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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

, 39 , , 1 , , 18.5 , , .457 , , .200 , , .806 , , 5.1 , , .7 , , .4 , , .7 , , 10.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 79 , , 3 , , 12.4 , , .441 , , .258 , , .821 , , 3.7 , , .4 , , .1 , , .4 , , 6.4 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", † , align="left" , Golden State , 76 , , 9 , , 15.9 , , .492 , , .278 , , .843 , , 4.3 , , .9 , , .3 , , .4 , , 10.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 72 , , 0 , , 11.6 , , .432 , , .387 , , .825 , , 3.3 , , .8 , , .3 , , .5 , , 7.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , L.A. Clippers , 82 , , 2 , , 15.7 , , .445 , , .372 , , .876 , , 4.5 , , .8 , , .3 , , .5 , , 8.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

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 re ...

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Playoffs

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References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Speights, Marreese 1987 births Living people Admiral Farragut Academy alumni African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in China Basketball players from St. Petersburg, Florida Centers (basketball) Cleveland Cavaliers players Florida Gators men's basketball players Golden State Warriors players Guangzhou Loong Lions players Los Angeles Clippers players Memphis Grizzlies players Orlando Magic players Philadelphia 76ers draft picks Philadelphia 76ers players Power forwards (basketball) American men's basketball players Hargrave Military Academy alumni 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people

Early life

College career

Professional career

Philadelphia 76ers (2008–2012)

Memphis Grizzlies (2012–2013)

Cleveland Cavaliers (2013)

Golden State Warriors (2013–2016)

Los Angeles Clippers (2016–2017)

Orlando Magic (2017–2018)

Guangzhou Loong Lions (2018–2021)

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References

External links