Duane Washington Jr. Explained

Duane Washington Jr.
Position:Point guard / shooting guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lbs:197
League:KLS
ABA League
EuroLeague
Team:Partizan Mozzart Bet
Number:4
Birth Date:24 March 2000
Birth Place:Frankfurt, Germany
Nationality:German / American
High School:
College:Ohio State (2018–2021)
Draft Year:2021
Career Start:2021
Team1:Indiana Pacers
Years2:2021–2022
Team2:Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Team3:Phoenix Suns
Years5:2023–2024
Team5:Westchester Knicks
Years6:2024–present
Team6:Partizan Mozzart Bet
Highlights:

Duane Eddy Washington Jr. (born March 24, 2000) is a German-American professional basketball player for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), ABA League and the EuroLeague. The son of former NBA player Duane Washington, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Early life and high school career

Washington was born in Frankfurt, Germany, while his father was playing for Skyliners Frankfurt.[1] Washington was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and went to high school for his first three years at Grand Rapids Christian High School.[2] He averaged 13.1 points and 4.5 assists as a junior.[3] Washington transferred to Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles before his senior season of high school. He transferred to go to his uncle Derek Fisher's basketball camp and live with Fisher.[4] During his time at Sierra Canyon, he played with Scotty Pippen Jr., Cassius Stanley, and Kenyon Martin Jr.[5] He averaged 15.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists per game as a senior.

Recruiting

Washington was considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals. On September 20, 2017, Washington committed to play college basketball for Ohio State over offers from teams such as Michigan, UCLA, and Butler.[6]

College career

In Washington's second game at Ohio State against Purdue Fort Wayne, Washington scored 20 points in 21 minutes off the bench.[7] For the year, he played in 35 games, starting two of them. He averaged 7 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, and 17.2 minutes per game.

During his sophomore year, Washington scored 20 points in a game two times, matching his careerhigh at the time.[8] [9] He, along with small forward Luther Muhammad, were suspended for the Nebraska game on January 14, 2019, for "failure to meet program standards". In total, he played in 28 games and started 15 of them. He averaged 11.5 points per game, which ranked second on the team.

Washington scored a careerhigh 30 points in an 87–92 loss against Michigan during his junior season.[10] In the final seconds of Ohio State's overtime 2021 NCAA tournament first-round matchup against Oral Roberts, Washington missed what would've been a buzzerbeating threepointer to tie the game and force doubleovertime.[11] Washington averaged 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.[12]

On March 31, 2021, Washington declared for the 2021 NBA draft while initially maintaining his college eligibility.[13] However, on June 29, he announced he was remaining in the draft.[14]

Professional career

Indiana Pacers (2021–2022)

After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Washington signed a two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers on August 5, 2021, splitting time with their G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.[15] On January 24, 2022, Washington scored a team-high 21 points, knocking down seven 3-pointers, setting a franchise record for most threes by a rookie while becoming the 36th rookie in the league history to hit seven threes in a game.[16] [17] On April 7, the Pacers converted his two-way contract into a standard one.[18]

On July 14, 2022, Washington was waived by the Pacers.[19]

Phoenix Suns (2022–2023)

On August 3, 2022, Washington signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns.[20] [21] On December 27, he scored a career-high 26 points, alongside four rebounds and eight assists, in a 125–108 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[22] On February 1, 2023, Washington was waived by the Suns.[23]

New York / Westchester Knicks (2023–2024)

On February 28, 2023, Washington signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks,[24] but was waived on July 24.[25] Six days later, he re-signed with the Knicks,[26] but was waived on October 21.[27] Three days later, he signed another two-way contract,[28] but was waived again on November 27.[29] On January 3, 2024, Washington signed another two-way contract with New York.[30]

Partizan Mozzart Bet (2024–present)

On August 20, 2024, Washington signed with Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Basketball League of Serbia.[31] [32]

Career statistics

NBA

|-| style="text-align:left;"|| style="text-align:left;"|Indiana| 48 || 7 || 20.2 || .405 || .377 || .754 || 1.7 || 1.8 || .5 || .1 || 9.9|-| style="text-align:left;"|| style="text-align:left;"|Phoenix| 31 || 3 || 12.7 || .367 || .360 || .667 || 1.2 || 2.0 || .2 || .1 || 7.9|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career| 79 || 10 || 17.2 || .391 || .371 || .729 || 1.5 || 1.9 || .4 || .1 || 9.1

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"|2018–19| style="text-align:left;"|Ohio State| 35 || 2 || 17.1 || .370 || .306 || .647 || 2.5 || 1.1 || .3 || .0 || 7.0|-| style="text-align:left;"|2019–20| style="text-align:left;"|Ohio State| 28 || 15 || 24.9 || .403 || .393 || .833 || 2.8 || 1.4 || .4 || .1 || 11.5|-| style="text-align:left;"|2020–21| style="text-align:left;"|Ohio State| 31 || 31 || 32.2 || .410 || .374 || .835 || 3.4 || 2.9 || .4 || .0 || 16.4|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career| 94 || 48 || 24.4 || .397 || .361 || .800 || 2.9 || 1.8 || .4 || .0 || 11.4

Personal life

Washington's father, Duane Washington Sr., and his uncle, Derek Fisher, both played in the NBA.[33] [34] Through his uncle, he became close with the late Kobe Bryant. Washington's cousin, Setric Millner Jr., is a basketball player and the two lived together while they attended Grand Rapids Christian High School.[35] He is a dual citizen of the United States and Germany.[36]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: August 17, 2017. Reclaiming a name: the trials of two Duane Washingtons. Quinn. Brendan. The Athletic.
  2. Web site: What makes Grand Rapids Christian's Duane Washington Jr. a hot recruit?. Peter. Wallner. MLive. 20 July 2017 .
  3. Web site: Duane Washington Jr. - Ohio State Men's Basketball. Ohio State Athletics. 9 July 2018 .
  4. Web site: Michigan recruit Duane Washington of Grand Rapids Christian transferring to California school. Steve. Kaminski. MLive. 9 August 2017 .
  5. Web site: Roster - Sierra Canyon (2017–2018). MaxPreps.
  6. Web site: 3-star guard Duane Washington Jr. commits to Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes recruiting. Bill. Landis. Cleveland.com. 21 September 2017 .
  7. Web site: Second-half burst helps Buckeyes rout Purdue Fort Wayne. Daily Astorian. November 11, 2018 .
  8. Web site: No. 23 Buckeyes surge late to beat No. 19 Michigan 77-63. USA Today.
  9. Web site: Duane Washington Jr addresses suspension after loss at Penn State. Columbus Dispatch. January 18, 2021. January 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122130645/https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200118/ohio-statersquos-duane-washington-jr-addresses-suspension-loss-at-penn-state. dead.
  10. Web site: No. 4 Ohio State falls to No. 3 Michigan 92-87. 10WBNS. 21 February 2021 .
  11. Web site: Stunned: Ohio State falls to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts in NCAA Tournament. Adam. Jardy. BuckeyeXtra.
  12. Web site: Duane Washington Jr. College Statistics. Sports Reference.
  13. Web site: Duane Washington Jr. Declares for 2021 NBA Draft. Brendan. Gulick. Buckeye Nation FN. April 9, 2021 .
  14. News: Borzello . Jeff . Duane Washington Jr. staying in NBA draft, won't return to Ohio State for senior season . July 1, 2021 . . June 29, 2021.
  15. Web site: Pacers Sign Washington Jr., Sykes, Taylor. NBA.com. August 5, 2021. August 14, 2021.
  16. Wheat Hotchkiss. 1485816490439884804. Per Pacers PR, Duane Washington Jr.'s seven 3-pointers tonight are a team rookie record. Chuck Person and Chris Duarte each had a game with six threes.. Wheat_Hotchkiss. January 24, 2022.
  17. Tony East. 1485816537747439618. Duane Washington is the 36th rookie in NBA history to hit 7 threes in a game.. TEastNBA. January 24, 2022.
  18. Web site: Pacers Sign Terry Taylor And Duane Washington, Jr.. NBA.com. April 7, 2022. April 7, 2022.
  19. Web site: Pacers Waive Four Players . .
  20. Web site: Suns sign Duane Washington Jr. . NBA.com . March 1, 2023 . August 3, 2022.
  21. Web site: Anderson . Jake . Phoenix Suns sign guard Duane Washington Jr. to 2-way contract . Arizona Sports . March 1, 2023 . August 3, 2022.
  22. Web site: Washington scores 26 as banged-up Suns beat Grizzlies . ESPN . March 1, 2023 . December 27, 2022.
  23. Web site: Rankin . Duane . Phoenix Suns sign Saben Lee to two-way deal, waive Duane Washington Jr. . The Arizona Republic . March 1, 2023 . February 1, 2023.
  24. Web site: Knicks Sign Duane Washington Jr. to Two-Way Contract. NBA.com. February 28, 2023. March 1, 2023.
  25. Web site: Alex. Kirschenbaum. Duane Washington Cut By Knicks. HoopsRumors.com. July 24, 2023. July 30, 2023.
  26. Web site: Knicks Sign Duane Washington Jr.. NBA.com. July 30, 2023. July 30, 2023.
  27. NY_KnicksPR. Knicks waive Mamadi Diakite, Brandon Goodwin, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr.. 1715832489313182178. NY_KnicksPR. October 21, 2023. October 22, 2023.
  28. NY_KnicksPR. Knicks sign Duane Washington Jr.. 1716886327462146288. NY_KnicksPR. October 24, 2023. October 29, 2023.
  29. NY_KnicksPR. Knicks waive Duane Washington Jr.. 1729233663920115769. NY_KnicksPR. November 27, 2023. November 28, 2023.
  30. NY_KnicksPR. Knicks sign Duane Washington Jr. to two-way contract. 1742667496241389678. NY_KnicksPR. January 3, 2024. January 4, 2024.
  31. Web site: Crno-bela simfonija: Nova energija i duh tradicije Partizana na ulasku u sezonu 2024-25. Partizan.basketball. August 20, 2024. August 20, 2024. Serbian.
  32. Web site: Frankie. Sachs. Partizan plugs in combo-guard Duane Washington. EuroLeagueBasketball.net. August 19, 2024. August 19, 2024.
  33. Web site: Jardy. Adam. For Ohio State's Duane Washington Jr., growth is all 'mental' this basketball season. BuckeyeXtra.
  34. Web site: Jardy. Adam. Duane Washington Jr. not drafted, but signs with Indiana. 2022-01-25. The Columbus Dispatch.
  35. Web site: Easton . Steve . Setric Millner Jr. Taking Full Advantage of Opportunity with Rockets . University of Toledo Athletics . September 28, 2023 . February 16, 2023.
  36. Web site: Padilla. Lenny. Washington, Tillman team to lead No. 9 Grand Rapids Christian past Wyoming, 79-62. State Champs Network.