Elijah Hughes

Elijah Hughes's Biography

Elijah Wayne Hughes was born on March 10, 1998, in Poughkeepsie, New York. He spent his childhood in Beacon, New York, where he discovered his talent and passion for basketball. Hughes began his basketball journey in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and subsequently solidified his skills in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) while playing under the tutelage of local coach Kenney Dawson. The promising talent swiftly made a name for himself in Beacon’s basketball community, impressing spectators with his dominance in games held at the local Loopers Park.

Following his eighth-grade basketball season, Hughes joined the varsity team at Beacon High School. Earlier in his high school journey, despite his exceptional size, Hughes often found himself in the position of a point guard. Aspiring for broader exposure and greater opportunities, after two years at Beacon High, he transferred to John F. Kennedy Catholic High School located in Somers, New York.

During his junior year at JFK, Hughes powered his team to an impressive 26–2 record, leading them to second place at the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) championship. His exceptional performance earned him the Class A All-State first-team title and the prestigious CHSAA Class A Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Hughes’ remarkable ability was further highlighted when he scored a staggering 42 points in a single game against Jamesville Dewitt High School. Subsequently, in the pursuit of higher education and collegiate basketball, Hughes committed to East Carolina.

However, Hughes faced academic struggles at East Carolina due to the long commute and demanding academic environment of the school. To improve his grades and meet the requirements of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), he transferred to South Kent School— a boarding school in South Kent, Connecticut. He also opted to attend summer school. At South Kent, Hughes was part of a team that included several other prospective NCAA Division I players including Tremont Waters and Myles Powell. Hughes was rated a three-star recruit and ranked as the 5th best player in his state according to 247Sports.

Beginning his college basketball career at East Carolina, Hughes averaged 7.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 27 games in his freshman year; however, he missed seven games due to an injury. The Pirates concluded the season with a 15–18 record while Hughes encountered further issues related to weight gain due to his injury. Following the end of the season, Hughes announced his departure from East Carolina.

Hughes next moved to Syracuse, choosing the Orange over an offer from Seton Hall. After sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, he dramatically improved his strength and dietary habits and earned his spot as a starter for the Syracuse Orange team by the time he was a redshirt sophomore. During his time at Syracuse University, Hughes gradually became the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 13.7 points per game alongside 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. After a strong season, which culminated in a career-high 25 points against Baylor, Hughes declared for the 2020 NBA draft after his junior year.

The New Orleans Pelicans selected Hughes as the 39th pick in the 2020 NBA’s second round; however, he was subsequently traded to the Utah Jazz, where he officially signed on November 24, 2020. Hughes was then assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League on February 15, 2021.

In an unexpected turn, Hughes was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade on February 9, 2022, only to land a position on the opening-night roster for the Wisconsin Herd on November 3, 2022. The following year on July 3, Hughes signed with Manisa BB of the Turkish Basketball Super League. However, without having played a single game, Hughes left the club due to personal reasons on August 22. He went back to the United States and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on October 19. Unfortunately, he was cut off from the team just two days later, but soon joined the Wisconsin Herd nine days afterward.

Despite the rollercoaster of professional undertakings, Hughes saw another opportunity overseas and signed with Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League on July 9, 2024. However, before his basketball journey could take off there, he returned to the US once again, signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 16, 2024. After being waived by the Cavaliers within two days, Hughes joined the Cleveland Charge later that month.

Away from the court, Hughes is the sixth of seven siblings in his family. His father, Wayne Hughes, is employed by the IT company IBM while his mother, Penny, used to be a teacher’s aide for Beacon City Schools before counseling at a methadone clinic. His older sister, Talah Hughes, also shares his passion for basketball, having played college basketball for Saint Peter’s and achieving over 1,000 career points. Elijah Wayne Hughes’ journey from modest Beacon, New York beginnings to a professional basketball career is a testament to his talent, determination, and resilience.