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James Bouknight
American basketball player (born 2000) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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James David Bouknight (/ˈbʊknaɪt/ BUUK-nyte;[1] born September 18, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Mexico City Capitanes of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the UConn Huskies and was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
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Early life
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Bouknight grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in New York City.[2] He played baseball for much of his childhood and started playing basketball in middle school.[3] He began his high school career with La Salle Academy in Manhattan, New York. As a junior, Bouknight averaged 17.4 points per game, leading his team to the New York Federation Class B state championship, and was named tournament most valuable player (MVP).[4] He earned Catholic High School Athletic Association B Division MVP and New York State Sportswriters Association Class B Player of the Year accolades.[5][6]
After the season, Bouknight reclassified down and transferred to MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts to gain more exposure.[7] In his reclassified junior season, Bouknight averaged 19.3 points, five rebounds and two assists per game before suffering a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee. After recovering, he played for the PSA Cardinals alongside Cole Anthony on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.[3] As a senior, Bouknight earned All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council AA honors.[8]
Recruiting
Bouknight was a consensus four-star recruit and was considered the 53rd-best player in the 2019 class by 247Sports. On September 18, 2018, before his senior season, he committed to play college basketball for UConn.[9] Bouknight chose the Huskies over offers from Indiana and VCU, among others.[10]
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College career
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On November 7, 2019, Bouknight was suspended for three games by UConn for allegedly fleeing a car crash on September 27. He had been charged with evading responsibility, interfering with a police officer, traveling too fast for conditions and operating a motor vehicle without a license.[11] On February 9, 2020, Bouknight scored a freshman season-high 23 points in a 72–71 overtime win over Cincinnati. He scored 19 points in the second half and overtime and made the two game-sealing free throws.[12] One day later, Bouknight was named American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Week.[13] On February 29, he had his first double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 84–63 victory over East Carolina.[14] As a freshman, he averaged 13 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game and was a Third Team All-AAC and All-Freshman Team selection.[15]
At the beginning of his sophomore season, Bouknight was named to the preseason John R. Wooden Award watch list.[16] On December 20, 2020, he scored a career-high 40 points in a 76–74 overtime loss to ninth-ranked Creighton.[17] On January 5, 2021, he suffered an elbow injury against Marquette, and missed eight games after undergoing surgery.[18] As a sophomore, he averaged 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, earning First Team All-Big East honors. On March 31, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[19]
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Professional career
Charlotte Hornets / Greensboro Swarm (2021–2024)
Bouknight was selected with the 11th pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.[20] On August 3, 2021, he officially signed with the Hornets.[21] Bouknight made his NBA debut on October 22, 2021, in a 123–112 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting only one rebound on a minute of playing time.[22] He scored his first NBA points on November 26, in a 133–115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring two free throws in four minutes.[23] On December 10, Bouknight scored a career-high 24 points in a 124–123 win over the Sacramento Kings.[24]
Prior to the 2022–23 season, Bouknight changed his jersey number from 5 to 2.[25]
On February 8, 2024, Bouknight was waived by the Hornets.[26]
Rip City Remix (2024–present)
On October 15, 2024, Bouknight signed with the Portland Trail Blazers,[27] but was waived the next day.[28] On October 28, he joined the Rip City Remix.[29]
Bouknight joined the Trail Blazers for the 2025 NBA Summer League.
Personal life
Legal issues
On October 16, 2022, Bouknight was arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police for driving while intoxicated at around 1:51 a.m. He was found unconscious in a parking deck around 12:44 a.m. At the time of his arrest, he had a .40-caliber gun, a Glock 23, and a bag of Doritos.[30] [31] His bond was set at $2,500, and he returned to practice the following day. Prior to this incident, he had multiple speeding and reckless driving offenses.[32] He was sentenced to a year of probation.[33]
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Career statistics
| 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 | Bold | Career high |
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References
External links
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