Shabazz Napier

At 32 years old, Shabazz Napier has this physical status:

Shabazz Bozie Napier (born July 14, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He was drafted 24th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014 NBA draft and immediately traded to the Miami Heat.

He played college basketball for the Connecticut Huskies, and won two national championships in 2011 and 2014.

Napier was a key player for the Huskies' 2010–11 NCAA championship team, as he made the Big East All Rookie team.

Following his junior season, Napier was selected to the All-Big East first team.In the 2013–14 season, Napier was unanimously selected for the All-AAC first team, and was named the inaugural American Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

He was again one of UConn's key players when they won the NCAA tournament for a second time in four years in 2014 and was named as the tournament's most outstanding player.

Early life

Napier was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Carmen Velásquez, a native of Puerto Rico and Alex Napier, who is African American. He has an older sister Titania and an older brother Timmie. He grew up in Boston's Mission Hill projects, and took a liking to basketball during that period.

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High school career

Napier attended Charlestown High School in Charlestown, Massachusetts, for the first two years before transferring to Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, and reclassifying as a junior. Lawrence Academy was a senior in Lawrence Academy's undefeated season in 2010, when they captured the New England Prep Class C championship after defeating St. Mark's finish with 23 points, 8 steals, and 8 assists when he was named Tournament MVP.

Napier, who was previously considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, had been ranked as the No. 2 in the No. 10 world rankings. The 25-point guard and the No. 00. In 2010, the 98 player in the country was voted the nation's top 98 player.

In January 2014, Charlestown High School's jersey was retired Napier's.

College career

Napier decided to play at the University of Connecticut under new head coach Jim Calhoun after his prep work. In 2010, he had a good freshman year, leading up to Kemba Walker. He appeared in all 41 games for the Huskies, leading off the bench with a score of 7.8 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Napier and teammate Jeremy Lamb were named to the Big East All-Rookie squad at the end of the regular season.

Napier beat Kentucky on two game-clinching free throws to win the Final Four. Napier's service to the team was vital, as Connecticut finished the season 32–9 (9–9) in conference play) and captured both the Big East Conference Championship and National Championship in 2011.

Napier was admitted to the trials for the 2011 World University Games team in the summer following his freshman year. Napier, a sophomore for Connecticut, was a preseason honorable mention All-Big East pick and a Bob Cousy Award candidate. Napier's averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, but his numbers have increased.

Napier recorded 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists against Coppin State on November 20, 2011, his first triple-double (the ninth in Connecticut men's basketball history) as he finished his career (the ninth in Connecticut men's basketball history) with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists. Connecticut earned a 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Huskies came up short of Iowa State, who finished the season 20–14 (8–10 in conference play). Napier considered moving following Jim Calhoun's retirement and the team's postseason ban next season, but decided against it. Calhoun was fired as the head coach by Connecticut assistant coach Kevin Ollie.

Following his return to the country, Napier and backcourt teammate Ryan Boatright were named as one of the country's top backcourts, with averages of 33 points and 9 assists per game outplaying virtually every opponents' backcourt they played. In a game against DePaul, he scored his 1000th career point. In overtime play, Napier excelled, scoring 55 points in 45 minutes of overtime play, leading them to a school record 5 overtime victories. Napier's average was 17.1 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in a game.

After the conclusion of the regular season, Napier was named as the All-USA District I Player of the Year by the University of Washington. Napier was then selected to the Big East All First Team, a prestigious award for the Big East Player of the Year. Despite not having no postseason eligibility, Kevin Ollie led the Huskies to a 20–10 record (10-8 in conference play).

Napier and teammates Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels opted to return to the team for their senior season on April 26, 2013. Napier said he and his classmates returned because Napier wanted to get his degree and for him and his teammates to return to the NCAA Tournament. Napier was selected as a candidate for the Wooden Award, Bob Cousy Award, Naismith Award, Senior Class Award, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. With 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists on November 11, 2013, Napier had his second triple-double (both in UConn history) and 10 assists. Napier was the team's captain and was named Tournament MVP. As time expired, Napier made the game winning shot in a game against Florida. Following the conclusion of the regular season, Napier was selected unanimously for the AAC All-First team, and was named AAC Player of the Year for the first time. For the second straight season, he was named as the first team All-American on the Wooden team, USBWA and NABC, and second team member of Sporting News. After leading the Huskies to the championship game before losing to Louisville, Napier was named to the All-Tournament squad in the AAC Tournament.

Connecticut earned a 7 seed under second-year coach Kevin Ollie, and the East Regional final was won by Napier over Michigan State as Napier defeated Michigan State as the East Regional Most Outstanding Player. After losing Florida in the Final Four, Napier continued to lead the Huskies into the National Championship game. Napier was named the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award winner on April 6, 2007. In the National Championship game, Napier and the Huskies defeated Kentucky 60-54, and Napier was named Most Outstanding Player. Connecticut finished the season 32-8 overall (12–6 in conference play), while Napier averaged 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Later, Napier was inducted into the Huskies of Honor.

Napier, along with UConn teammates Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander, are the only Division I men's athletes to have won national championships as both freshmen and seniors. He is the only player in UConn history with 1,500 points, 500 assists, and 250 steals in his career. He finished his career with 1,959 points, second all-time with 260 made three-point field goals and robs, first in 143 games played, and free throw took third with 646 assists, his third in school history.

Professional career

The Charlotte Hornets selected Napier with the 24th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft on June 26, 2014. On draft night, he was later traded to the Miami Heat. He signed with the Heat on July 18, 2014, after scoring 10.2 points in four Summer League games for the team. He was added to the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League on December 13, 2014. On December 15, he was recalled on December 15, reassigned on December 30, and recalled again on January 7. In a 111–87 victory over the New York Knicks, he had his season-best game, with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

After recovering from successful surgery to restore a sports hernia, Napier was out for the remainder of the season. He recovered in time to join the Heat's summer league squad in July in Orlando and Las Vegas.

In exchange for a conditional 2016 second-round draft pick, Napier was traded to the Orlando Magic along with cash considerations. In a 102-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, he scored a career-high 22 points on November 11, 2015.

In exchange for cash considerations, Napier was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers on July 7, 2016. In a 99–98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on April 10, 2017, he scored a career-high 32 points in a career-high victory.

Napier, who started for the injured Damian Lillard, scored 15 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth quarter to help the Trail Blazers lift over the Philadelphia 76ers by 114-110.

Napier joined the Brooklyn Nets on July 17, 2018. In a 129-115 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, he tied his career high with 32 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field and 10 of 12 from the foul line on December 29. He extended his streak of games against the Toronto Raptors from at least 10 points to a career-high eight on January 11. In a 135-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets on February 6, he earned his first double-double in his career with 10 points and 11 assists. In 17.6 minutes, he finished the season with 9.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

Napier, Treveon Graham, and D'Angelo Russell were sent by Napier, Treveon Graham, as part of Kevin Durant's trade deal. Following the day, Napier and Graham were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Lior Eliyahu's draft rights.

The Timberwolves traded Napier to the Denver Nuggets in a four-team trade on February 5, 2020.

The following day, Napier was traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jordan McRae.

On July 19, 2021, Napier agreed to a one-year extension with Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg. He unilaterally ended his Zenit on February 27, 2022, blaming Russia's war against Ukraine as the reason.

National team career

Carmen Velásquez, Napier's mother and manager, is Puerto Rican, which makes him legally eligible to represent Puerto Rico under FIBA rules.

Following formal meetings with officials of the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation, it was reported on February 19, 2012, that he had obtained the required paperwork and signed up for the Puerto Rico national basketball team's participation in the 2012 Centrobasket.

This tournament served as a warm-up for the 2013 FIBA Americas Tournament. Due to injury, he did not participate in the 2012 Centrobasket.

Paco Olmos, the then Puerto Rico national basketball team coach, held a meeting with Napier and Velásquez, where his program was explained. The coach referred to this meeting as "constructive," and later reported that both teams kept in touch.

When asked about the possibility of joining Puerto Rico in 2014, Napier replied, "I would love to go and have that experience." It would be something special, and it would certainly help my game achieve the objectives I had set. It will be an honor to be able to attend this prestigious event. [UCONN]: I am today as a player, and I owe a lot to [UCONN]]. And if I play for Puerto Rico as a person committed to the education of my mother, I would be proud.

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