- Name
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Position
- Forward
- Class
- FR
- Hometown (Last School)
- Houston, TX (Victory Prep Academy)
- Ht
- 6'9"
- Wt
- 214
- Seasons
- 2017-18
- Birthday
- April 3, 1999
Jarred Vanderbilt was born on April 3, 1999, in Houston, Texas. He played college basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017–2018 season before declaring for the NBA draft.
He attended Victory Prep Academy, where he emerged as one of the top high school players in the country. Vanderbilt was a five-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American in the class of 2017, ranked among the top 20 players nationally. In his senior year, he averaged 28.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. Vanderbilt, a lefty, was an AAU teammate of former UK All-America guard De’Aaron Fox.
Vanderbilt committed to play for John Calipari at the University of Kentucky, joining a loaded 2017 recruiting class that included Kevin Knox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and PJ Washington.
Unfortunately, injuries significantly limited his time on the court. He missed the first 17 games of the season due to a left foot injury and re-aggravated the injury late in the season.
Season Highlights:
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Played in 14 games, starting 0, but made a strong impact off the bench.
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Averaged 5.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in just 17 minutes per game.
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Recorded double-digit rebounds in 6 of the 14 games he played.
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Notably had 11 rebounds in a win over Missouri and 11 rebounds, 5 assists vs. Alabama.
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Helped Kentucky win the 2018 SEC Tournament, though he was unavailable for the NCAA Tournament due to injury.
Despite the limited action, Vanderbilt’s rebounding instincts and energy stood out. He was widely regarded as one of the best rebounders per minute in college basketball that season.
Despite limited college exposure, Vanderbilt declared for the 2018 NBA Draft and was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic, who traded his rights to the Denver Nuggets. He made his NBA debut on January 25, 2019, against the Phoenix Suns.
He has since played for several NBA teams, including:
-
Denver Nuggets
-
Minnesota Timberwolves
-
Utah Jazz
-
Los Angeles Lakers (acquired in 2023 as part of a midseason trade)
With the Lakers, Vanderbilt quickly became known for his defense, hustle, and versatility, guarding elite scorers and contributing to the team’s playoff run in 2023.
