Damien Jefferson | |
Position: | Small forward |
Height Ft: | 6 |
Height In: | 5 |
Weight Lbs: | 220 |
League: | Basketbol Süper Ligi |
Team: | Pınar Karşıyaka |
Birth Date: | 3 October 1997 |
Birth Place: | East Chicago, Indiana |
Nationality: | American |
High School: | Central (East Chicago, Indiana) |
College: |
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Draftyear: | 2021 |
Career Start: | 2021 |
Years1: | 2021–2022 |
Team1: | Stockton Kings |
Years2: | 2022–2023 |
Team2: | Memphis Hustle |
Years3: | 2023–2024 |
Team3: | Filou Oostende |
Years4: | 2024–present |
Team4: | Pınar Karşıyaka |
Highlights: |
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Damien Jefferson (born October 3, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Pınar Karşıyaka of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He played college basketball for the New Mexico Lobos and the Creighton Bluejays.
Jefferson attended Central High School in East Chicago, Indiana. As a senior, he averaged 26.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and was named The Times of Northwest Indiana Player of the Year.[1] Jefferson led his team to a Class 4A sectional title and was named an Indiana All-Star.[2] He committed to playing college basketball for New Mexico, his father's alma mater.[3]
Jefferson averaged 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds as a freshman at New Mexico. For his sophomore season, he transferred to Creighton and sat out for one year due to transfer rules.[4] As a sophomore, Jefferson averaged 6.2 points and four rebounds per game before his season was cut short due to an high ankle sprain injury. [5] In his junior season, he averaged 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Jefferson declared for the 2020 NBA draft before withdrawing and returning to college.[6] On December 17, 2020, he flirted with a triple-double, recording 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 94–76 win over St. John's.[7] As a senior, Jefferson earned Second Team All-Big East honors.[8] He averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Jefferson declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing an additional season of eligibility the NCAA granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Jefferson joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2021 NBA Summer League, winning a summer league championship.[10] He joined the Stockton Kings as an affiliate player on October 25, 2021,[11] but was later waived on January 29, 2022. He was acquired by the Memphis Hustle on February 14.[12]
On July 31, 2023, Jefferson signed with Filou Oostende of the BNXT League.[13]
On August 11, 2024, he signed with Pınar Karşıyaka of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[14]
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17| style="text-align:left;"| New Mexico| 29 || 6 || 15.1 || .438 || .214 || .490 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .4 || .1 || 5.3|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| Creighton| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| Redshirt|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| Creighton| 26 || 16 || 18.0 || .535 || .412 || .634 || 4.0 || .8 || .4 || .1 || 6.2|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| Creighton| 30 || 29 || 27.1 || .533 || .217 || .635 || 5.5 || 1.4 || .6 || .2 || 9.4|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Creighton| 31 || 31 || 30.9 || .512 || .348 || .605 || 5.4 || 2.4 || 1.2 || .3 || 11.9|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 116 || 82 || 23.0 || .509 || .304 || .592 || 4.4 || 1.4 || .7 || .2 || 8.3
Jefferson's father, Everette, played college basketball at New Mexico.[15]