Michael Holyfield

Michael Holyfield (born November 18, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for Ionikos Nikaias of the Greek Basket League.

Michael Holyfield
No. 35 – Ionikos Nikaias
PositionCenter
LeagueGreek Basket League
Personal information
Born (1992-11-18) November 18, 1992
Albuquerque, New Mexico
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight263 lb (119 kg)
Career information
High schoolManzano
(Albuquerque, New Mexico)
CollegeSam Houston State (2011–2015)
NBA draft2015 / Undrafted
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2015–2016Iowa Energy
2016Los Angeles D-Fenders
2016–2017Illawarra Hawks
2017Beijing Eastern Buck
2017–2018South Bay Lakers
2018Hunan Jinjian Miye
2018Pauian
2019Hong Kong Eastern
2019Beijing Eastern Buck
2019–2020Hong Kong Eastern
2020Zhejiang Lions
2021–Ionikos Nikaias
Career highlights and awards
  • Third-team All-Southland (2015)
  • Southland Defensive Player of the Year (2015)
  • Southland All-Defensive Team (2015)
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

Holyfield attended Manzano High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a junior in 2009–10, he averaged 12.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and helped the Monarchs win the district championship. He started every game as a junior on team with seven seniors, earning second-team All-District honors. As a senior in 2010–11, he led the Monarchs to a 22–9 record, a No. 4 state ranking and the Class AAAAA state finals. He subsequently earned All-State, All-District and All-Metro selection, and was named the district's Defensive Player of the Year.[1]

College career

Holyfield played four seasons of college basketball for Sam Houston State University. He had a minor role over his first two seasons, coming off the bench for much of his freshman and sophomore campaigns and averaging just 15 minutes per game. As a junior in 2013–14, he increased his numbers in every statistical category, averaging 6.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game, while starting all 35 contests.[2] His 61 blocks was the fourth highest season total at SHSU. He scored in double figures in seven games, including a season-high 20 points against Northwestern State.[1]

As a senior in 2014–15, Holyfield set the school's single-season blocks record with 86 and subsequently earned Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.[3] He also earned third-team All-Southland Conference honors after averaging 8.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game, as he started in 34 of 35 games.[2]

Holyfield completed his career as Sam Houston's fourth all-time leader in blocked shots (105) and fifth all-time in rebounds (769).[4]

Professional career

NBA Summer League and preseason

After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft, Holyfield joined the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2015 Orlando Summer League.[5] He helped the Grizzlies win the Orlando Summer League title,[4] and over five games for the team, he averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. He later joined the Boston Celtics for the Las Vegas Summer League, where he appeared in one game.[6] On September 28, 2015, he signed with the Grizzlies,[7] but was later waived by the team on October 7 after appearing in one preseason game.[8]

NBA D-League

On October 31, 2015, Holyfield was acquired by the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Grizzlies.[9] He appeared in 22 games for Iowa in 2015–16 before being traded to the Los Angeles D-Fenders on January 29, 2016.[10] In the D-Fenders' regular season finale on April 2, Holyfield had a season-best game with 19 points and 15 rebounds in a 128–121 loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.[11] He helped the D-Fenders reach the 2016 D-League Finals, where they were defeated 2–1 by the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In 24 games for the D-Fenders, he averaged 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.[12]

Illawarra Hawks

On August 11, 2016, Holyfield signed with the Illawarra Hawks for the 2016–17 NBL season.[13][14] He made his debut for the Hawks in their season opener on October 7, 2016, recording 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks off the bench in a 122–88 win over the Adelaide 36ers.[15] Holyfield appeared in all 34 games for the Hawks in 2016–17, averaging 4.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

China

In June 2018, Holyfield signed with Hunan Jinjian Miye of the Chinese NBL.[16]

Zhejiang Lions signed Holyfield in April 2020.[17] As the 2020 CBA season was still halted due to the COVID-19 at the time, he discontinued the contract and left the team shortly after.[18]

Career statistics

Professional
Legend
  GP Games played  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     Led the league
Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Illawarra Hawks NBL-Australia 3411.0.5571.000.6304.0.3.2.54.1
2016–17 Beijing Eastern Buck NBL-China 2443.4.644.333.54023.61.01.02.227.2
2017–18 Hunan Yongshang NBL-China 3536.6.651.000.54117.71.0.81.418.0
2018–19 Tauoyuan Pauian Taiwan League 821.5.574.000.57510.81.1.41.011.6
2018–19 Beijing Eastern Buck NBL-China 2142.4.621.333.57321.91.11.51.724.8
2018–19 Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions ASEAN League 1030.9.600.000.56916.4.6.52.915.5
2019–20 Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions ASEAN League 1029.2.571.000.50014.6.3.62.012.7
Career All Leagues 14230.7.626.250.55715.3.8.71.516.3


References
  1. "Michael Holyfield Bio". GoBearkats.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  2. "#35 Michael Holyfield". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  3. "HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR". GoBearkats.com. March 10, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  4. "HOLYFIELD HELPS GRIZZLIES TO NBA SUMMER TITLE". GoBearkats.com. July 10, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  5. "Grizzlies announce 2015 Orlando Pro Summer League Roster". NBA.com. July 1, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  6. Conte, Rich (July 15, 2015). "Boston Celtics rout Miami Heat in Vegas Summer League Action". CLNSRadio.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  7. "Grizzlies announce 2015 training camp roster". NBA.com. September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. "Memphis Grizzlies waive Michael Holyfield". NBA.com. October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  9. "Energy Announce Returning, Affiliate & Tryout Players". NBA.com. October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  10. "D-Fenders Acquire Lazar Hayward and Michael Holyfield In Two Separate Trades". NBA.com. January 29, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  11. "Threatt Sparks Vipers Over D-Fenders". NBA.com. April 2, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  12. "Michael Holyfield D-League Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  13. "MICHAEL HOLYFIELD TO ADD MUSCLE TO HAWKS". Hawks.com.au. August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  14. Jennings, Mitch (August 11, 2016). "Hawks sign man-mountain". IllawarraMercury.com.au. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  15. "IRRESISTIBLE HAWKS CRUSH SIXERS, SET SCORING RECORD". NBL.com.au. October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  16. "Regular Season Round 1: Hunan - Hubei 110-105". EuroBasket.com. June 10, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  17. "Michael Holyfield (ex Hong Kong ELL) agreed terms with Zhejiang Guangsha Lions". asia-basket.com. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  18. "又一外援离队！曝广厦队霍利菲尔德已返回美国 (Another foreign player leaves the team, Zhejiang Lions' Holyfield has returned to the USA)". sina.com.cn (in Chinese). 26 April 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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