Derek Willis

Derek Xavier Willis (born June 21, 1995) is an American basketball player for Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Derek Willis

Paris Basketball
Position	Power forward
League	LNB Élite EuroLeague
Personal information
Born	(1995-06-21) June 21, 1995 (age 30) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	229 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school	Bullitt East (Mount Washington, Kentucky)
College	Kentucky (2013–2017)
NBA draft	2017: undrafted
Playing career	2017–present
Career history
2017–2018	Grand Rapids Drive
2018–2019	Göttingen
2019–2020	Ratiopharm Ulm
2020–2021	Brindisi
2021–2022	Badalona
2022–2023	Venezia
2023–2025	Anadolu Efes
2025–present	Paris Basketball
Career highlights
Turkish Super Cup winner (2024)
Stats at Basketball Reference

Early life

Willis is one of a relatively small number of Native Americans who have played in NCAA Division I basketball. His mother is a member of three tribes—Southern Arapaho, Pawnee, and Muscogee. Although born in Louisville, Kentucky, he lived with his family for several years during his childhood on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. According to Fox Sports writer Reid Forgrave, "His favorite childhood memories are from that reservation." The family eventually returned to the Louisville area, settling in the city of Mount Washington.^[1]

High school career

As a 6-foot-9-inch (2.06 m), 200-pound (91 kg) senior at Bullitt East High School, Willis averaged 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

College career

Willis was the first player to commit to Kentucky's 2013–14 recruiting class,^[2] choosing UK over Indiana, Louisville and Purdue.^[3] He appeared in 103 games over his four-year career with the Wildcats, turning in averages of 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest, while making 108 of his 271 shots taken from three-point territory in his college career. Willis won the SEC tournament with the Wildcats in 2015, 2016 and 2017, advancing to the NCAA Final Four in 2015. He proposed to his girlfriend on senior night, prior to Kentucky's home game against Vanderbilt.^[4]

In April 2017, he attended the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Portsmouth, Virginia.^[5]

Professional career

Grand Rapids Drive (2017–2018)

After going undrafted, Willis was signed by the Detroit Pistons of the NBA as a part of their training camp roster,^[6] before being reassigned to the Pistons' G League affiliate Grand Rapids Drive.^[7] In his professional debut on November 3, 2017, he provided the game-winning tip-in in Grand Rapids' 86–85 victory over the Erie BayHawks.^[8] Making 43 G League appearances (38 starts) as a first-year player, Willis averaged 11.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest.^[9]

BG Göttingen (2018–2019)

In late July 2018, Willis inked a deal with BG Göttingen of the German Basketball Bundesliga.^[10] He saw action in 34 Bundesliga games, averaging 12.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest for the Violets.^[11]

Ratiopharm Ulm (2019–2020)

On July 22, 2019, he signed a two-year deal with German Bundesliga outfit Ratiopharm Ulm, known as the Sparrows.^[12] Willis averaged 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during the 2019–20 season.^[13]

Happy Casa Brindisi (2020–2021)

On July 17, 2020, he signed with Happy Casa Brindisi of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).^[14]

Club Joventut Badalona (2021–2022)

On July 14, 2021, Willis signed with Club Joventut Badalona of the Liga ACB.^[15]

Reyer Venezia (2022–2023)

On July 13, 2022, Willis signed with Reyer Venezia of the Lega Basket Serie A.^[16] He averaged 12.9 points and 5 rebounds in the EuroCup, along with 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in the domestic league.

Anadolu Efes (2023–2025)

On June 25, 2023, Willis signed a two-year (1+1) contract with Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes.

Paris Basketball (2023–2025)

On July 4, 2025, he signed with Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A.^[17]

International career

Willis was a member of the US team that competed at the 2012 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.^[18] In February 2018, he was named to the USA squad for the 2019 World Cup qualifiers.^[19]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance index rating
Bold	Career high

EuroLeague

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2023–24	Anadolu Efes	26	12	23.0	.475	.444	.944	3.7	.8	.6	.3	7.3	9.0
Career		26	12	23.0	.475	.444	.944	3.7	.8	.6	.3	7.3	9.0

EuroCup

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2019–20	ratiopharm Ulm	9	7	22.1	.531	.571	.909	5.4	1.3	.4	.6	10.4	13.1
2021–22	Badalona	17	13	23.1	.532	.417	.667	5.6	1.5	.9	.4	9.0	12.9
2022–23	Reyer Venezia	19	18	25.2	.546	.475	.907	5.0	1.1	.6	.1	12.9	15.0
Career		45	38	23.8	.538	.480	.821	5.3	1.3	.7	.3	11.0	13.8

Basketball Champions League

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020–21	Brindisi	10	10	24.1	.567	.476	.862	5.3	1.6	.8	—	10.3
Career		10	10	24.1	.567	.476	.862	5.3	1.6	.8	—	10.3

Domestic leagues

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2017–18	Grand Rapids Gold	G League	43	28.1	.469	.376	.816	6.8	.8	1.1	.7	11.8
2018–19	Göttingen	BBL	34	23.8	.486	.425	.806	5.0	.6	.8	.7	12.0
2019–20	ratiopharm Ulm	BBL	28	19.0	.453	.375	.809	5.2	1.1	.5	.6	8.6
2020–21	Brindisi	LBA	31	28.3	.490	.347	.811	8.3	1.6	.9	.6	11.0
2021–22	Joventut Badalona	ACB	40	23.2	.523	.439	.879	4.7	1.0	.7	.5	9.6
2022–23	Reyer Venezia	LBA	34	24.5	.514	.455	.871	5.2	1.4	.5	.3	9.8
2023–24	Anadolu Efes	TBSL	25	25.4	.578	.432	.946	4.7	1.2	1.0	.5	10.4

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2013–14	Kentucky	14	0	2.8	.333	.167	.750	.6	—	.1	—	1.1
2014–15	Kentucky	19	0	3.9	.389	.333	1.000	.7	.3	.1	.2	1.3
2015–16	Kentucky	32	11	18.6	.482	.442	.889	4.0	.4	.7	.8	7.7
2016–17	Kentucky	38	15	21.9	.478	.377	.688	5.4	.9	.7	1.0	7.0
Career		103	26	15.0	.473	.399	.802	3.4	.5	.5	.6	5.4