Kendrick John Ray (born January 26, 1994) is an American professional basketball player who plays for Panionios of the Greek Basketball League (GBL). He played college basketball for Quinnipiac University and Kennesaw State University before playing professionally in the Czech Republic, Israel, France, Turkey and Greece. Standing at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), Ray plays at the shooting guard and point guard positions.
No. 6 – Panionios | |
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Position | Shooting guard / point guard |
League | Greek Basketball League |
Personal information | |
Born | Bronx, New York, U.S. | January 26, 1994
Listed height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Middletown (Middletown, New York) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 2017: undrafted |
Playing career | 2017–present |
Career history | |
2017–2018 | ČEZ Nymburk |
2018–2019 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
2019 | → Le Mans Sarthe |
2019–2020 | AEK Athens |
2020–2021 | Petkim Spor |
2021–2022 | Promitheas Patras |
2022–2023 | Igokea |
2023 | Reyer Venezia |
2023 | Taranaki Airs |
2023–2024 | Büyükçekmece Basketbol |
2024– | Panionios |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Early life and college career
editRay attended Middletown High School in Middletown, New York, where he averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game and leading the Bears to a Section 9 Championship in the 2011–12 season. Ray was ranked in top-20 among athletes at the Hoop Group Elite Basketball Camp in 2011.[1]
Ray started his college career at Quinnipiac University. In his freshman year, he averaged 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds 1.4 assists in 11 minutes per game as a point guard.[1] On March 31, 2014, Ray was transferred from Quinnipiac to Kennesaw State, but sat out first season at Kennesaw State per NCAA Transfer rules.[2]
In his junior year at Kennesaw State, Ray led the team and finishing second in the Atlantic Sun Conference averaging 18.7 points per game. He also led the team with 2.7 assists and was second on the team averaging 5.6 rebounds per game. Ray was named ASUN Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot in the Second-team ASUN.[1]
In his senior year at Kennesaw State, Ray set the team single-season records with 656 points and averaging 21.2 points per game. Ray was also named to the ASUN All-Tournament Team after averaging 25.5 points per game and led the Owls to an ASUN Quarterfinal victory.[1] On February 26, 2017, Ray became the first player in Kennesaw State history to be named First-team All-ASUN.[3]
Professional career
editČEZ Nymburk (2017–2018)
editOn July 24, 2017, Ray started his professional career with the Czech team ČEZ Nymburk, signing a one-year deal.[4] On December 9, 2017, Ray recorded a career-high 31 points in only 23 minutes, shooting 12-of-16 from the field, along with six rebounds and five steals in a 130–66 blowout win over NH Ostrava.[5] On January 23, 2018, Ray recorded a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9-of-18 from the field, along with three assists and two steals in an 81–77 win over Sidigas Avellino. He was subsequently earned a spot in the Champions League Team of the Week.[6]
In 56 games played during the 2017–18 season (played in the Czech League and the Champions League), Ray averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. Ray won the 2018 Czech Cup and 2018 Czech League titles with Nymburk, as well as reaching the FIBA Champions League Round of 16, where they eventually were eliminated by AEK Athens. He was named Czech League MVP[7] and earned a spot in the All-Champions League Second Team.[8]
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2018–2019)
editIn June 2018, Ray joined the Utah Jazz for the 2018 NBA Summer League,[9] where he averaged 6.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3 assists in 21.3 minutes per game.
On June 18, 2018, Ray joined the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv of the EuroLeague, signing a two-year deal with an option for another one.[10] On December 19, 2018, Ray recorded a EuroLeague career-high 17 points in only 13 minutes, shooting 5-of-5 from the field, in a 79–63 win over Khimki.[11]
Le Mans (2019)
editOn February 26, 2019, Ray was loaned to Le Mans Sarthe of the French LNB Pro A for the rest of the season.[12] On May 25, 2019, Ray recorded a season-high 22 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, along with four rebounds and three assists in a 67–73 loss to ASVEL Basket.[13] In 15 Pro A League games played for Le Mans, he averaged 10.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21 minutes per game, while shooting 39.3 percent from three-point range.
On July 1, 2019, Ray joined the Boston Celtics for the 2019 NBA Summer League.[14]
AEK Athens (2019–2020)
editOn August 10, 2019, Ray signed with the Greek Basket League team AEK Athens for the 2019–20 season.[15]
Petkim Spor (2020–2021)
editOn July 18, 2020, he signed with Petkim Spor of the Turkish Basketball Super League.[16]
Promitheas Patras (2021–2022)
editOn July 19, 2021, Ray signed with EuroCup side Promitheas Patras, returning to Greece.[17] In 22 league games, he averaged 11.4 points, 3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 0.9 steals, playing around 25 minutes per contest.
Igokea (2022–2023)
editOn July 15, 2022, Ray signed with Igokea of the Bosnian League, the ABA League and the Basketball Champions League.[18]
Reyer Venezia (2023)
editOn February 1, 2023, Ray signed with Reyer Venezia of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).[19]
Taranaki Airs (2023)
editAfter initially signing with the Canterbury Rams for the 2023 New Zealand NBL season,[20][21] Ray joined the Taranaki Airs on June 1, 2023.[22][23]
Büyükçekmece Basketbol (2023–2024)
editOn August 2, 2023, he signed with ONVO Büyükçekmece of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[24]
Personal life
editRay's older brother, Allan, is also a professional basketball player.[25] His younger brother, Aaron, plays for Southern University.[26]
Career statistics
editGP | 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
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018–19 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 17 | 0 | 11.0 | .438 | .458 | .667 | .8 | 1.1 | .1 | .1 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Career | 17 | 0 | 11.0 | .438 | .458 | .667 | .8 | 1.1 | .1 | .1 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Kennesaw State Athletics - Kendrick Ray". KSUOwls.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ "Men's basketball eligibility update: Who's in, who's out". KSUSentinel.com. September 19, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ "Atlantic Sun Conference releases 2016-2017 award winners". FanRagSports.com. February 26, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "CEZ Nymburk signs rookie Kendrick Ray". Sportando.basketball. July 24, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "CEZ Nymburk 130 at Nova Hut Ostrava 66 - Box Score". RealGM.com. December 9, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ "Team of the Week: Bost, Ray, Allen, Jones and Dragicevic". ChampionsLeague.basketball. January 25, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- ^ "Kendrick Ray Named MVP of Top Division in Czech Republic". KSUOwls.com. April 6, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Star Lineup revealed". ChampionsLeague.basketball. May 5, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Jazz Announce Mini-Camp Roster for 2018 Summer League". NBA.com. June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
- ^ "Maccabi signs Czech League MVP Ray". EuroLeague.net. June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv vs. Khimki Moscow Region - Game". EuroLeague.net. December 19, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ "Maccabi Tel Aviv loans Kendrick Ray to Le Mans". Sportando.basketball. February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ "Le Mans Sarthe Basket 67 at ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne 73". RealGM.com. May 25, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
- ^ "The Celtics released their schedule and roster for NBA Summer League". Boston.com. July 1, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
- ^ "AEK BC signs Ray". aekbc.gr. August 10, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ^ "Kendrick Ray (ex AEK) is a newcomer at Petkim". Sportando. July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ "Promitheas adds Kendrick Ray". Sportando. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "Igokea m:tel potpisala Reja – Igokea m:tel". Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ^ "Kendrick Ray joins Reyer Venezia". Sportando. February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "Kendrick Ray". facebook.com/CanterburyRams. March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ "UPDATE: Kendrick Ray will not be joining the Canterbury Rams until later in the season". facebook.com/NZNBL. April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Welcome to the Airs @kendrickray..." facebook.com/TaranakiBasketball. June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Guard Kendrick Ray is Taranaki bound!". facebook.com/NZNBL. June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ @buyukcekmecebsk (August 6, 2023). "Onvo Büyükçekmece Basketbol'a hoş geldin Kendrick Ray" – via Instagram.
- ^ "Basketball is Ray family tradition". RecordOnline.com. December 12, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Aaron Ray, Southern, NCAA Basketball". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.