Isaiah Todd

Isaiah Todd's Biography

Isaiah Todd was born on October 17, 2001, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was raised by his mother, Marlene Venable. His early years were fraught with struggle as his mother juggled the difficulties of life involving drug trade and prison. In spite of these challenges, Todd carved out a different path for himself that would lead to extraordinary achievements in the realm of basketball. He was introduced to the sport at age seven, when he already stood five feet tall, a height that hinted at his future size advantage. With the guidance of Derrick Wilson, his first coach, Todd jumped into the basketball scene by joining recreational teams and competing on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit.

Before reaching eighth grade, Todd relocated with his family to Richmond, Virginia. This move was fueled by his desire to fully commit to his AAU program, Team Loaded, allowing him to play basketball the whole year round. His hard work and dedication were manifested in the strong performances he posted for John Marshall High School during his first two years of high school. As a freshman, his stats were already impressive, averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. His outstanding play led his team to district and regional championship titles, inevitably drawing comparisons with the legend Moses Malone. In his sophomore year, he further excelled by averaging 18.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. This led his team to a Class 3 state championship victory earning him the title of Class 3 State Player of the Year and first-team All-Metro honors.

In his junior year, Todd transferred to Trinity Academy, a private Christian school in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was lured there by coach Bryan Burrell whom he had previous ties with, and the move also put him closer to his personal trainer, Drew Hanlen. Despite the school team’s previous losing seasons, Todd aided to turn their fortunes around, guiding them to a 21-12 record while posting an impressive stat line of 28 points and 15 rebounds per game. He capped off this terrific season by earning the USA Today All-USA North Carolina Player of the Year award. For his final high school season, Todd then moved on to the Word of God Christian Academy, another school in Raleigh.

Todd’s basketball talents were commonly acknowledged on a national level, becoming a unanimous five-star recruit and was considered one of the best power forwards in the 2020 class. He was even selected to join prestigious games such as the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, showing just how sought after his talents were. However, his decision for college basketball took an unprecedented turn when he chose to bypass the traditional college route.

Previously committed to play for Michigan, Todd decided to decommit and announced that he was setting his sights on embarking on a professional basketball career. This made him the first player in history to sign with NBA G League Ignite, a developmental team associated with the NBA G League. Playing for the Ignite, Todd made valuable strides towards improving his game, maintaining averages of 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.

Todd’s ability didn’t go unnoticed as he was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 31st pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. After a series of trades, he landed with the Washington Wizards. However, his journey didn’t stop there and through the 2022-2023 season, an array of trades took him from the Wizards to the Phoenix Suns, to the Memphis Grizzlies, and ultimately back to the NBA G League Ignite.

Despite the wavering state of his professional career, Todd took to the international stage with brilliant composure. He was part of the United States team that secured gold at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Argentina, where he contributed with averages of 5.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

His lifelong journey, from the streets of Baltimore to the heights of professional basketball, serves as a testament to his resilience, hard work, and unshakeable love for the game of basketball. His career in the sport of basketball, once merely a shimmering dream, is now a reality that continues to unfold. Isaiah Todd, thus far, has shown that his journey is far from finished as he continues to reach for new heights in professional basketball.