Nassir Little

Born on February 11, 2000, Nassir Shamai Little is recognized as one of the most dynamic professional basketball players in the United States. He is currently playing for the Phoenix Suns in the highly reputable National Basketball Association (NBA). Throughout his high school tenure, Little became renowned as a top-tier player in his class, guiding Orlando Christian Prep to successive state championships in Florida.

Originally, Little began his high school basketball career at Oakleaf High School, where he played for his freshman and sophomore seasons from 2014 to 2016. Subsequently, he transferred to Orlando Christian Prep and continued his high school journey. From 2016 to 2018, spanning his junior and senior seasons, Little demonstrated exemplary leadership by steering Orlando Christian Prep to Florida state titles consecutively.

Little’s game during the McDonald’s All-American Game in 2018 was a highlight of his high school career. He scored 28 points along with 5 rebounds, an assist, and a steal to help secure a victory for the West against the East. His performance earned him the most valuable player (MVP) award. Little shone once again at the Jordan Brand Classic, scoring 24 points in just 25 minutes and again winning the MVP honors. Consequently, he joined LeBron James to be the second player to receive MVP awards at both All-American games. As testament to his incredible basketball prowess, recruiting service Rivals ranked Little as the second-best high school basketball prospect of 2018.

On October 4, 2017, Little committed to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels at a collegiate level. In his debut match for the Tar Heels on November 6, 2018, he gave a noteworthy performance, scoring 7 points with 3 assists and 2 blocks contributing to North Carolina’s 78–67 victory over Wofford. A particular highlight encompassed an impressive 23-point score, in addition to 6 rebounds and 3 assists, in a match against Virginia Tech which ended in North Carolina’s favor with a score of 103–82.

After completing his freshman season, Little decided to forfeit his collegiate eligibility to declare for the NBA draft of 2019, where he was anticipated to be a first-round selection. This projection came true on June 20, 2019, when the Portland Trail Blazers picked Little as the 25th overall choice in the draft. By July 1, 2019, he had officially signed with the Blazers.

Despite a shoulder injury in January 2022 which saw him ruled out for the rest of the season and undergoing surgery later in May, Little bounced back to score a career-high 30 points on February 1, 2021, along with 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, a steal, and an assist. His comeback story continued on October 17, 2022, when he agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Trail Blazers at $28 million.

However, his journey with the Blazers culminated in mid-April 2023. After what seemed a routine abdominal surgery on his right side, on September 27, 2023, Little, alongside players Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkić, and Keon Johnson, was traded to the Phoenix Suns. This was part of a three-team trade that involved Damian Lillard moving to the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, Deandre Ayton, and a 2029 first-round draft pick heading to the Portland Trail Blazers. Little’s dynamic performances and dedication thus mark an exciting journey from the high school courts to the halls of professional NBA basketball.