Corey Kispert Explained

Corey Kispert
Position:Small forward / shooting guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:6
Weight Lb:224
Number:24
League:NBA
Team:Washington Wizards
Birth Date:3 March 1999
Birth Place:Edmonds, Washington, U.S.
High School:King's (Shoreline, Washington)
College:Gonzaga (2017–2021)
Draft Year:2021
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:15
Draft Team:Washington Wizards
Career Start:2021
Years1:–present
Team1:Washington Wizards
Highlights:

Corey James Kispert (born March 3, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, where he was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior.

High school career

Kispert grew up in Edmonds, Washington and attended King's High School. As a junior, he averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game, led the team to their second straight state title, and was named the MVP of the State Championship Tournament.[1] Rated a four-star recruit, Kispert committed to play college basketball at Gonzaga over Notre Dame after his junior season.[2] [3] Kispert was averaging 25 points per game during his senior year before breaking his foot in February.[4]

Kispert said in 2021 that Virginia head coach Tony Bennett told Kispert he "needed to see Corey play more against top competition before deciding if he could play at Virginia" and that motivated him to "stick it to" Virginia in an early season game; Virginia had recruited Kispert but did not offer him a scholarship before he committed to Gonzaga.[5]

College career

As a true freshman Kispert played in all 35 of Gonzaga's games with seven starts, averaging 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.[6] He became a starter for the Bulldogs going into his sophomore season, averaging 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.[7] [8]

Kispert entered his junior season on the Julius Erving Award watchlist and as Gonzaga's only returning starter from the previous year.[9] [10] After scoring less than five points in his previous three games, Kispert scored 28 points and made seven of eight three point attempts on November 28, 2019 against Southern Mississippi in the opening round of the 2019 Battle 4 Atlantis.[11] He scored 26 points with five three pointers made against North Carolina in a 94–81 victory.[12] At the conclusion of the regular season, Kispert was named to the First Team All-West Coast Conference.[13] Kispert averaged 13.9 points per game as a junior.[14] Following the season, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft but did not hire an agent.[15] Kispert ultimately decided to return for his senior season on August 3.[16]

Coming into his senior season, Kispert was named to the Preseason All-West Coast Conference team.[17] He scored his 1,000th career point in the season opener against Kansas as part of a 23-point performance in the 102–90 victory.[18] On December 26, 2020, Kispert scored a career-high 32 points, tying the school record with nine three-pointers, in a 98–75 win against Virginia.[19] He led Gonzaga to a 31–1 record, its only loss coming against Baylor in the national championship game.[20] Kispert was named WCC Player of the Year and won the Julius Erving Award as the top small forward in the nation.[21] As a senior, he averaged 18.6 points and five rebounds per game.[22]

Professional career

Washington Wizards (2021–present)

On July 29, 2021, Kispert was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards.[23] [24] On August 4, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Wizards.[25] Kispert made his NBA debut on October 22, scoring two points in a 135–134 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers.[26] On March 27, 2022, he scored a career-high 25 points, alongside three assists, in a 123–115 win over the Golden State Warriors.[27] Kispert played in 77 games and started 36 during his rookie campaign, averaging 8.2 points per game.[28]

Career statistics

NBA

|-| style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Washington| 77 || 36 || 23.4 || .455 || .350 || .871 || 2.7 || 1.1 || .5 || .3 || 8.2|-| style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Washington| 74 || 45 || 28.3 || .497 || .424 || .852 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .4 || .1 || 11.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Washington| 80 || 22 || 25.8 || .486 || .383 || .726 || 2.8 || 2.0 || .5 || .2 || 13.4|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 231 || 103 || 25.8 || .481 || .388 || .792 || 2.8 || 1.4 || .5 || .2 || 10.9

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| Gonzaga| 35 || 7 || 19.4 || .460 || .351 || .667 || 3.2 || .7 || .3 || .2 || 6.7|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| Gonzaga| 37 || 36 || 26.1 || .437 || .374 || .875 || 4.1 || 1.0 || .6 || .5 || 8.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| Gonzaga| 33 || 33 || 33.0 || .474 || .438 || .810 || 4.0 || 2.1 || .9 || .4 || 13.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Gonzaga| 32 || 32 || 31.8 || .529 || .440 || .878 || 5.0 || 1.8 || .9 || .4 || 18.6|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 137 || 108 || 27.4 || .483 || .408 || .824 || 4.0 || 1.4 || .7 || .4 || 11.6

Personal life

Kispert is a Catholic. While at Gonzaga, Kispert met his girlfriend Jenn Wirth where they both played basketball. The couple got married on July 7, 2023, at the Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California.[29]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kispert commits to Gonzaga. Jim. Meehan. The Spokesman-Review. May 4, 2016. December 26, 2019.
  2. Web site: Corey Kispert Sets Notre Dame Visit. Jordan. Wells. Rivals.com. April 7, 2016. December 26, 2019.
  3. Web site: Corey Kispert to Gonzaga: Bulldogs Land 4-Star SF Prospect. Scott. Polacek. Bleacher Report. May 4, 2016. December 26, 2019.
  4. Web site: King’s Corey Kispert, a Gonzaga signee, out for season with broken bone in foot. Sandy. Ringer. The Seattle Times. February 19, 2017. December 26, 2019.
  5. "Corey Kispert Claims Tony Bennett Told Him He Wasn't Good Enough To Play, So Kispert Dropped 32 Against Virginia To 'Stick It To Him'". Essentially Sports, April 22, 2021. Accessed April 22, 2021.
  6. Web site: 2019-20 Player Preview: Corey Kispert. SlipperStillFits.com. Megan. Stoudt. October 8, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  7. Web site: Edmonds native Corey Kispert has been a difference maker for Gonzaga. Oh yeah, and he’s got great hair.. Matt. Calkins. The Seattle Times. March 28, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  8. Web site: Is Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert ready for a larger offensive role?. Jackson. Frank. The Athletic. October 22, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  9. Web site: Local players named to preseason college hoops watch lists. Nick. Patterson. The Herald. November 5, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  10. Web site: Kispert leads No. 8 Gonzaga over Alabama State 95-64. ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 5, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  11. Web site: Kispert, No. 8 Gonzaga top Southern Miss 94–69 at Atlantis. Aaron. Beard. Associated Press. November 28, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  12. Web site: No. 2 Gonzaga leaves North Carolina blue after 94–81 victory. ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 18, 2019. December 26, 2019.
  13. WCC Announces 2019-20 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team . West Coast Conference . March 3, 2020 . March 3, 2020.
  14. News: No. 2 Gonzaga looks to extend streak vs No. 23 BYU . March 16, 2020 . . . February 21, 2020 . February 22, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200222133924/https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/no-gonzaga-looks-to-extend-streak-vs-no-byu/article_5b3438a0-90b9-5814-95ca-3bc5d8f2beb0.html . dead .
  15. News: Helin . Kurt . Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert declares for NBA draft, does not hire agent . May 1, 2020 . . April 25, 2020.
  16. News: Borzello . Jeff . Gonzaga boosted by Corey Kispert's decision to return . August 4, 2020 . . August 3, 2020.
  17. Web site: Gonzaga Picked to Win Ninth Straight WCC Championship . . November 7, 2020 . October 26, 2020.
  18. Web site: Recap and highlights: No. 1 Gonzaga beats No. 6 Kansas in season opener. KHQ.com. November 26, 2020. November 27, 2020.
  19. Web site: Kispert’s career game leads No. 1 Gonzaga over No. 16 Virginia . . . July 21, 2021 . December 26, 2020.
  20. Web site: Nobody’s perfect: Gonzaga men lose to Baylor in national-title game, end season 31-1 . . . July 21, 2021 . April 5, 2021.
  21. Web site: Meehan . Jim . Gonzaga's Corey Kispert named Julius Erving Award winner as nation's top small forward . . July 21, 2021 . April 3, 2021.
  22. Web site: Meehan . Jim . Corey Kispert named WCC player of year, Gonzaga dominates conference awards . . July 21, 2021 . March 2, 2021.
  23. News: Washington Wizards take Zags’ Corey Kispert with 15th pick . July 30, 2021 . WTOP . . July 30, 2021.
  24. Web site: Wizards select Corey Kispert with 15th pick in 2021 NBA Draft. 2021-07-31. NBA.com.
  25. Web site: Corey Kispert Signs Rookie Deal With Wizards . February 6, 2023 . NBA.com.
  26. Web site: DINWIDDIE LEADS WIZARDS TO 135-134 OT WIN OVER PACERS . February 6, 2023 . NBA.com.
  27. Web site: WIZARDS HAND WARRIORS 5TH LOSS IN 6 GAMES, 123-115 . February 6, 2023 . NBA.com.
  28. Web site: Corey Kispert Stats . 2022-05-01 . Basketball-Reference.com . en.
  29. Web site: Chandonnet . Henry . Strohm . Emily . July 15, 2023 . Wizards' Corey Kispert Marries Gonzaga College Sweetheart Jenn Wirth: 'Meant to be Together' (Exclusive) . 2023-07-16 . Peoplemag . en.