Malevy Leons
| 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 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
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.
Early career
[edit]Leons 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
[edit]In 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
[edit]After 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 re-signed twelve days later.[7] On 1 November 2024, 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
[edit]Standing 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.