Justise Winslow

Justise Winslow's Biography

Justise Jon Winslow, born on March 26, 1996, is a celebrated American professional basketball player who has made a significant mark in the basketball world. Currently, he plays for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League, but his career is long and fruitful, starting from his time in high school, through to his college days, and moving on to his period in the NBA and G League.

Winslow’s basketball journey started at St. John’s School in Houston, Texas, where he spent four successful years as a starter, beginning and wrapping up his tenure with league championships. He was a remarkable player in his senior year in 2013–14 and was honored as the 2013 Gatorade Texas Player of the Year. His stat line boasted impressive numbers including 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.8 steals per game.

Recognition for his skills propelled Winslow to becoming a McDonald’s All-American in 2014, setting the stage for his fruitful college basketball career. He moved on to play for the Duke Blue Devils, sparking comparisons to previous Duke greats Tommy Amaker and Grant Hill. Winslow’s freshman year with Duke culminated in the 2015 NCAA championship victory, with him averaging 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the tournament.

In April 2015, Winslow decided to take his skills to the professional level by declaring for the NBA draft, giving up the final three years of eligibility he had left in college. The Miami Heat picked him 10th overall in the 2015 NBA draft, which gave him a fresh platform to demonstrate his basketball acumen.

His debut with the Heat in October 2015 saw him record five points and seven rebounds in a win against the Charlotte Hornets. As his first season progressed, Winslow found himself defending giants of the game like LeBron James and James Harden, earning the title of a defensive stopper. He closed his rookie year on a high, landing NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors.

Two seasons later, Winslow’s career was temporarily halted due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder, requiring him to sit out for the rest of the 2016–17 season. He bounced back in the 2017–18 season, only to be sidelined again with a knee strain after the initial 27 games. Despite these hiccups, he put up solid performances throughout the season and even set a season-best 19 points in a playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 2018, Winslow was named Miami’s starting point guard, and he lived up to the title by recording career-high numbers. However, his playing time for the Heat in the 2019–20 season was cut short due to a back injury. Winslow was then moved to the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2020 as part of a three-team trade. Unfortunately, he suffered a hip injury and was ruled out for the remainder of that season.

His journey brought him to the Los Angeles Clippers in August 2021, where he inked a two-year contract. However, by February 2022, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he was sidelined once more due to a Grade 2 ankle sprain. His recovery period included a bone marrow aspirate concentrate procedure, culminating in a season-ending ankle surgery in March.

In October 2023, Winslow joined the Toronto Raptors briefly before being waived. He then joined Raptors 905, the G League affiliate of the Raptors. Within a few months, Winslow signed a 10-day contract with Toronto, but he did not get a chance to play for them. By October 2024, Winslow was back to the drawing board, with the Milwaukee Bucks offering him a contract but waiving him shortly after. He finally signed with the Wisconsin Herd, marking his current position in the basketball world.

Winslow’s career isn’t only limited to the NBA and G League; he has also represented the United States on an international platform at different stages, including the FIBA Under-17 World Championship in 2012 where he made the All-Tournament Team, the FIBA Under-19 World Championship in 2013, and the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship in 2014.

When it comes to his personal life, Winslow is the son of Robin Davis and Rickie Winslow, with his father having been a standout basketball player himself in the 1980s. Rickie Winslow was part of the legendary Phi Slama Jama team at the University of Houston and was later drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Justise Winslow’s siblings – Cedrick, Brandon, Josh, and Bianca – are equally sports-inclined, with both Josh and Bianca having played college-level sports.