Daishen Nix
Daishen Nix (born February 13, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 224 pounds (102 kg), he plays the point guard position. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the best point guards in the 2020 class. A former UCLA signee, Nix chose to forgo his college eligibility to join the Ignite. At the high school level, he competed for Trinity International School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
| No. 1 – NBA G League Ignite | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | NBA G League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 13, 2002 Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 224 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Trinity International (Las Vegas, Nevada) |
| Playing career | 2020–present |
| Career history | |
| 2020–present | NBA G League Ignite |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Early life and high school career
Nix was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He played basketball for Mears Middle School in Anchorage. After eighth grade, at age 13, Nix moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, upon his mother's advice, to gain more basketball exposure and to live closer to his extended family.[1][2]
In high school, he played for Trinity International School in Las Vegas.[3] As a junior, Nix averaged 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, leading his team to its second straight National Christian School Athletic Association (NCSAA) Division I title.[1][4] He finished his junior season as NCSAA Player of the Year and as his team's all-time leader in points, rebounds and assists.[5] On October 15, 2019, as a senior, Nix registered a triple-double of 45 points, 11 assists and 10 steals in a win over PHH Prep.[6] In March 2020, he shared Grind Session most valuable player honors with Jalen Green.[7] Nix was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] In addition to his high school basketball, Nix competed for independent team Simply Fundamental, which was owned and operated by his high school coach and legal guardian, Greg Lockridge.[9]
Recruiting
On August 20, 2019, he committed to play college basketball for UCLA over offers from Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky and Maryland.[10] On November 13, 2019, he signed a National Letter of Intent with the Bruins.[11] On April 28, 2020, Nix decommitted from UCLA and announced that he would forgo his college eligibility to join the NBA G League Ignite.[12]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daishen Nix PG |
Anchorage, Alaska | Trinity International (NV) | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Aug 20, 2019 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 94 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 15 247Sports: 15 ESPN: 21 | ||||||
Sources:
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Professional career
NBA G League Ignite (2020–present)
On April 28, 2020, Nix signed a one-year, $300,000 contract with the NBA G League and joined the NBA G League Ignite as a part of the league's new developmental program operating outside its traditional team structure.[13][14] He explained his decision by saying, "I think it was the right thing for me because it was a family thing and a myself thing. Playing in G League is basically getting me ready for the NBA draft. It's just one step below the NBA."[12]
Personal life
Nix's mother, Mina Tupuola, played basketball for Lathrop High School in Fairbanks, Alaska and attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks.[15]
References
- Bragg, Beth (December 18, 2019). "Daishen Nix, Alaska's hottest high school basketball player, will finally play in Alaska". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Carreon, Joey (April 21, 2019). "Daishen Nix is on course to be the next Alaska-bred basketball phenom". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- Gordon, Sam (July 24, 2018). "Las Vegas point guard Daishen Nix ready to blossom". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Pierson, Tracy (November 13, 2019). "No. 1 Point Guard Daishen Nix Signs With UCLA". 247Sports. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Orts, Jason (February 24, 2020). "Trinity's Nix receives McDonald's All-American jersey". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Scott, Dana (October 15, 2019). "Top high school, JUCO basketball players make their mark at Phoenix's Prep Showcase in the Desert". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Gordon, Sam (April 28, 2020). "Five-star guard Daishen Nix to sign with NBA's G League". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Jordan, Jason (March 12, 2019). "McDonald's All American Game Cancelled Amid COVID-19 Concerns". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- Norlander, Matt (April 28, 2020). "Five-star 2020 recruit Daishen Nix backs out of playing at UCLA, will head to NBA's G League instead". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Borzello, Jeff (August 20, 2019). "Five-star point guard Nix commits to UCLA". ESPN. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- "UCLA Signs Daishen Nix to National Letter of Intent". UCLA Athletics. November 13, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Borzello, Jeff (April 28, 2020). "Five-star PG Daishen Nix decommits from UCLA to join G League". ESPN. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- "Five-Star Recruit Daishen Nix Signs With NBA G League". NBA G League. April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Zagoria, Adam (April 28, 2020). "Former UCLA Commit Daishen Nix Latest To Sign With NBA G League". Forbes. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- Bragg, Beth (January 26, 2020). "He's on the path to big-time college basketball, but Daishen Nix and Anchorage haven't forgotten each other". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved April 28, 2020.