Marvin Bagley III

Marvin Bagley III's Biography

Marvin Bagley III, known for his tremendous skill on the basketball court, was born on March 14, 1999, and currently plays as a professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This young American athlete has successfully built a reputable career in the NBA, earning him recognition as a talented upcoming player.

As an individual, Marvin has always been passionate about basketball, a trait that could be observed in his early high school years. His freshman year was spent at Corona del Sol High School situated in Tempe, Arizona. During this time, he played a pivotal role in leading his team to victory by winning the state championship, an achievement that led him to be named National Freshman Basketball Player of the Year by MaxPreps.

Hoping for more growth and development in his basketball skills, Marvin transferred to Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona for his sophomore year. Here, he shared the basketball court with future #1 NBA draft pick Deandre Ayton. However, he shortly left Hillcrest Prep in November 2015 due to undisclosed reasons. Following this, he joined Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, in January of 2016. Unfortunately, due to some regulations of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), Marvin was not allowed to play during his first year at Sierra Canyon. But, undeterred by this, Marvin made sure to leave a substantial impact during his last season at the school by averaging 24.9 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game. This excellent track record led him to being named for the All-USA Today First Team in the year of 2017. Having done all of this, Marvin graduated a year early and was reclassified into the 2017 class.

Despite these challenges during his early high school basketball journey, Marvin Bagley proved himself to be a top-tier player. This was demonstrated by his being rated as a five-star recruit and eventually being ranked as the topmost player in the 2018 class before his reclassification. He played for WACG (We All Can Go), a team participating in the EYBL circuit, alongside prominent players such as Darius Garland and Tray Boyd III. During Marvin’s time with WACG, he gained significant recognition and several awards, especially after they were selected to participate in the EYBL Peach Jam Tournament. This period of his life also saw him being ranked as the No.1 overall recruit and No.1 power forward in the 2017 high school class.

Recognizing his prodigious potential in the sport, Northern Arizona University offered Marvin his first college basketball scholarship even when he was just 14 years old. After reclassifying into the Class of 2017, Marvin announced in August 2017 that he had successfully graduated from Sierra Canyon and was eligible to play college basketball for Duke University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men’s basketball season. His performance at Duke was so exemplary that he was allowed to enter the 2018 NBA draft as an early entry. After finishing up his high school academics, Marvin went to Duke. At Duke, Marvin made a crushing debut by recording 25 points and 10 rebounds during a game against Elon. Throughout his games at Duke, he consistently performed exceptionally and won numerous awards, with his skills being compared to those of Deandre Ayton and Trae Young. He maintained such remarkable performances, resulting in him being named as both the ACC’s Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year. He also made it to the All-ACC first team.

Marvin’s college career was cut short as he declared his intention to leave Duke and pursue his professional career after the team’s unfortunate exit from the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. His decision was pivotal for his career, as he got selected as the second overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2018 NBA draft. On July 1, 2018, he signed a rookie scale contract with the Kings and made his professional debut in October of the same year. Throughout his career with the Sacramento Kings, despite suffering various injuries, Bagley III played fiercely and achieved new career highs.

His career led him to be a part of the Detroit Pistons after a trade deal in February 2022, wherein he signed a three-year contract worth $37.5 million. His career saw yet another shift as he was traded to the Washington Wizards in January 2024, where he currently exhibits his basketball prowess. Off the court, Bagley is a loving brother to Marcus and Martray and a proud son of Marvin Jr, a professional football player, and Tracy Caldwell. He also spends his free time honing his skills as a rapper and hip-hop artist, expressing his life story through his songs. It’s clear that Bagley III, with his skill, determination and passion for his sport, has an exciting professional journey ahead of him.