Johnny Hamilton (basketball) explained

Johnny Hamilton
Position:Center
Height Ft:7
Height In:0
Weight Lb:230
League:Basketball Champions League Asia
Team:Shahrdari Gorgan
Number:77
Birth Date:3 February 1994
Birth Place:Rio Claro, Trinidad and Tobago
College:
Draft Year:2018
Career Start:2018
Years1:2018–2019
Team1:Grand Rapids Drive
Years2:2019–2020
Team2:Darüşşafaka
Years3:2020–2021
Team3:Fenerbahçe
Years4:2021
Team4:Mornar Bar
Years5:2021–2022
Team5:College Park Skyhawks
Years6:2022
Team6:Afyon Belediye
Years7:2022–2023
Team7:Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket
Years8:2023–2024
Team8:Bursaspor
Years9:2024
Team9:Beirut Club
Years10:2024–present
Team10:Shahrdari Gorgan

Johnathan Hamilton (born February 3, 1994) is a Trinidadian professional basketball player for Shahrdari Gorgan of the Basketball Champions League Asia. He began his college career at Jacksonville College, before moving to NCAA Division I program Virginia Tech and playing his final season for UT Arlington. Standing, he plays the center position.

Early life

Hamilton was born in the rural town of Rio Claro, Trinidad and Tobago to Princess and Tony Hamilton.[1] [2] He has six siblings, named Joshua, Jesse, Jason, Anthony, Liz and Tia. His father played for a basketball club in Trinidad and Tobago. Hamilton played soccer in his childhood but switched to basketball at age 16 after growing too tall for the former sport.[2] [3] He has stated that he transferred his footwork skills from soccer to help him in basketball.[4] While growing up, Hamilton also played cricket with his friends and swam in a river for fun.[4] He began his basketball career with his local team, the Warriors, before joining the NBS Ambassadors in the Mayaro Basketball League.[5]

College career

Hamilton was encouraged to play college basketball in the United States by a pastor from Jacksonville, Texas who visited Trinidad and Tobago annually.[3] As a result, he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons of college at Jacksonville College in the pastor's hometown.[3] [6] In 26 games in his second year, he averaged 9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game, shooting .617 from the field and ranking among the top shot-blockers in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).[6]

On April 22, 2015, Hamilton signed a letter of intent to play for Virginia Tech in the NCAA Division I.[7] In December 2015, he was suspended by head coach Buzz Williams due to poor academic performance.[8] Hamilton finished his junior season having played 17 games, averaging 1.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.[9] Three games into his senior campaign for Virginia Tech, he suffered a season-ending thumb injury, after a tendon rupture was discovered in his left thumb.[10] He was averaging 3.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks per game.[9]

Despite graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor's degree in criminology, Hamilton chose to attend the University of Texas at Arlington for graduate school, with the goal of becoming a police commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago.[4] In his final year of college basketball eligibility, he played for the UT Arlington Mavericks, being drawn to the program by associate head coach Greg Young, who had helped recruit him to Jacksonville College.[4] Hamilton averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks, starting in 31 of 34 games.[11] He recorded a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds in a championship game loss at the 2018 Sun Belt Conference tournament, earning all-tournament team honors.[12]

Professional career

Grand Rapids Drive (2018–2019)

After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, Hamilton played for the Detroit Pistons at the 2018 NBA Summer League.[13] Through 3 games, he averaged 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 12.7 minutes per game.[11] Hamilton signed with the Detroit Pistons to a training camp contract but was waived on October 12, 2018.[14]

Darüşşafaka (2019–2020)

On July 13, 2019, Hamilton signed with Darüşşafaka of the Turkish Basketball Super League.[15] He averaged 9.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for Darussafaka, over 40 games between BSL and EuroCup.[16]

Fenerbahçe (2020–2021)

On July 10, 2020, Hamilton signed with Fenerbahçe Beko of the Turkish Basketball Super League and the EuroLeague.[17] [18]

On June 17, 2021, Hamilton was officially released from his contract with the Turkish club, following his loan spell.

Loan to Mornar Bar (2021)

On January 24, 2021, Hamilton was loaned to Mornar Bar of the ABA League and the Montenegrin League.

On September 22, 2021, Hamilton signed with the Atlanta Hawks,[19] but was waived on October 15.[20]

College Park Skyhawks (2021–2022)

In October 2021, Hamilton signed with the College Park Skyhawks.[21] He averaged 6.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

Afyon Belediye (2022)

On January 15, 2022, Hamilton signed with HDI Sigorta Afyon Belediye of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.[22]

Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket (2022–2023)

On November 9, 2022, he signed with Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket of the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL).[23]

Bursaspor (2023–present)

On July 27, 2023, he signed with Bursaspor of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rio Claro man signs contract with NBA . Loop Sports . August 3, 2018 . August 2, 2018.
  2. Web site: Johnny Hamilton . UTA Mavs . August 3, 2018.
  3. Web site: Winton . Brad . Indiana, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, OK State + others involved with 2015 JUCO center . JUCO Recruiting . August 3, 2018 . February 23, 2015.
  4. Web site: Duong . Jennifer . Hamilton looking to make impact at UTA . UTA Mavs . August 3, 2018 . February 6, 2018.
  5. Web site: T&T’s Hamilton signs with NBA’s Pistons . . August 3, 2018 . August 1, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180803210655/http://www.guardian.co.tt/sports/2018-08-01/tt%E2%80%99s-hamilton-signs-nba%E2%80%99s-pistons . August 3, 2018 . dead.
  6. Web site: Johnny Hamilton . . August 3, 2018.
  7. Web site: Johnny Hamilton . . August 3, 2018.
  8. Web site: Watkins . Evan G. . Virginia Tech suspends Center Johnny Hamilton . . August 3, 2018 . December 5, 2015.
  9. Web site: Johnny Hamilton . Hokie Sports . August 3, 2018.
  10. Web site: Berman . Mark . Virginia Tech backup center Johnny Hamilton to have season-ending surgery . . August 3, 2018 . December 9, 2016.
  11. Web site: Johnny Hamilton Player Profile . . August 3, 2018.
  12. Web site: Vedia . Arianna . UTA Mavericks fall short in Sun Belt Championship title game . The Short Horn . August 3, 2018 . March 11, 2018.
  13. Web site: Detroit Pistons 2018 Summer League Primer. Detroit Bad Boys. August 3, 2018. July 2, 2018.
  14. News: Johnny Hamilton: Let go by Detroit. October 16, 2018. cbssports.com. October 12, 2018.
  15. Web site: Carchia. Emiliano. Darussafaka signs Johnny Hamiltom. Sportando. July 13, 2019. July 13, 2019.
  16. Web site: Johnny Hamilton inks a 1+1 deal with Fenerbahce . Sportando . July 10, 2020 . July 10, 2020.
  17. Web site: Fenerbahce adds Hamilton at center . euroleague.net . 10 July 2020 . 10 July 2020.
  18. Web site: Johnathan Hamilton Fenerbahçe Beko’da. July 10, 2020. Fenerbahçe. tr. July 10, 2020.
  19. Web site: Atlanta Hawks Sign Johnny Hamilton, A.J. Lawson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jahlil Okafor. September 22, 2021. NBA.com. September 22, 2021.
  20. Web site: Atlanta Hawks Request Waivers on Johnny Hamilton, DaQuan Jeffries and Ibi Watson. NBA.com. October 15, 2021. October 23, 2021.
  21. News: College Park Skyhawks fall in preseason scrimmage . November 3, 2021 . . October 30, 2021.
  22. Web site: Yahyabeyoglu . Fersu . Afyon adds Hamilton to their roster . Eurobasket . January 15, 2022 . January 15, 2022.
  23. Web site: Johnny Hamilton joins Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi. November 9, 2022. Sportando. En. November 9, 2022.
  24. BsBasketbol . 1684637154633187329 . Welcome Johnny Hamilton.