Malevy Leons (born 23 September 1999) is a Dutch professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Mineral Area College Cardinals and the Bradley Braves.
| No. 17 – Oklahoma City Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 23 September 1999 IJmuiden, Netherlands |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 209 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2024: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2017–present |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2019 | Apollo Amsterdam |
| 2024–present | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2024 | →Oklahoma City Blue |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early career
editLeons was born and raised in IJmuiden by Iwan and Monique Leons and played in the youth academy of Apollo Amsterdam. He made his debut for the senior team in the Dutch Basketball League (DBL) during the 2017–18 season.[1] In the following season, Leons became a permanent member of the team and started in 15 games, contributing 5.9 points and 4 rebounds per game for Apollo.
College career
editIn 2020, Leons moved to the United States to play for Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri. He helped the team claim a 20–0 record while winning the Midwest District championship. He led the team with 18.7 points and 9.5 rebounds, while also adding 2 blocks and 3.1 assists per game. Leons was named the Junior College Player of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).[2]
Starting from the 2021–22 season, Leons played for the Bradley Braves in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). He won back-to-back MVC Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024.[3]
Professional career
editAfter going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Leons joined the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA Summer League[4] and on 27 September 2024, he signed with the team.[5] However, he was waived on 19 October[6] and six days alter, he joined the Oklahoma City Blue. On 31 October, he re-signed with the Thunder[7] and on 1 November, Leons made his NBA debut against the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring one point and recording an assist and rebound each in three minutes played.[8]
Player profile
editStanding at 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) with a 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) wingspan, scouts have praised his versatility for his size, as well as his defensive awareness.[9]
Career statistics
edit| 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 |
Source:[10]
DBL
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Apollo Amsterdam | 16 | 0 | 11.8 | .431 | .059 | .792 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 4.0 |
| 2018–19 | Apollo Amsterdam | 35 | 15 | 18.7 | .405 | .292 | .649 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 5.9 |
College
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Mineral Area College | 32 | 31 | 3.6 | .613 | .300 | .877 | 6.6 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 13.1 |
| 2020–21 | Mineral Area College | 25 | 24 | 8.0 | .564 | .293 | .723 | 9.5 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 18.7 |
References
edit- ^ "Basketballer Malevy Leons uit IJmuiden valt in Amerika in de prijzen [video]". Noordhollands Dagblad (in Flemish). Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Bradley Commit Malevy Leons Named Player of the Year". Bradley University Athletics. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ Demir, Ersin (18 May 2024). "Malevy Leons Scouting Report". Ersin's NBA Draft Newsletter. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Roskens, Cody (27 June 2024). "Malevy Leons signs with the Oklahoma City Thunder". BradleyBraves.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Adams, Luke (27 September 2024). "Thunder Sign Cormac Ryan, Two Others". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ Adams, Luke (19 October 2024). "Minor Moves: Thunder, Raptors, Celtics, Lakers, Bucks". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Thunder Signs Malevy Leons". NBA.com. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Thunder 137-114 Trail Blazers (Nov 1, 2024) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ Demir, Ersin (18 May 2024). "Malevy Leons Scouting Report". Ersin's NBA Draft Newsletter. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Malevy Leons Player Profile". RealGM.com. Retrieved 5 January 2022.