Romeo Langford

Romeo Langford's Biography

Romeo James Langford, born on October 25, 1999, has carved a name for himself as an American professional basketball player currently signed to BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the French LNB Elite. This biography traces his journey from his teenage years to his professional basketball career, expanded over 2500 words.

Langford’s journey began in New Albany High School, where, despite high interest from multiple prep schools, he opted to spend all his four years. His freshman year marked the starting point of his success, leading his team to a 23-3 record and the regional tournament while averaging 17.1 points and 6.0 rebounds.

During his sophomore year, he raised the bar, averaging 30.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, leading his team to an impressive 27-1 record culminating in a Class 4A state championship – the school’s first state title since 1973. His successful trajectory continued in his junior year, where he averaged 28.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, leading New Albany to a 25-4 record and to the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

Achievements don’t fall too far from this tree – on November 21, 2017, Langford set a new career-high scoring 48 points in a 110-36 victory over Charlestown. His skills were further showcased when he scored a whopping 63 points against Jennings County on February 1. A highlight of Langford’s high school career was being announced as a McDonald’s All-American in the 2018 game, where he competed and won the Legends and Stars Shootout competition.

Langford finished his high school career ranking fourth on the all-time Indiana state scoring list with 3,002 points. The proudest honor was being crowned as Indiana Mr. Basketball of 2018 at the annual IndyStar Sports Awards and also named as the Boys Athlete of the Year.

High-profile schools nationwide recognized Langford’s exceptional talent, and he was offered numerous recruitment opportunities. His fantastic playmaking abilities won him praise from Rivals, 247Sports, Scouts, and ESPN, each rating him as a five-star recruit. He was heavily courted by coaches from Indiana, Louisville, Kansas, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, UCLA, and Duke. However, when the dust settled, it was his home state Indiana University that won the race.

Langford, the 27th former Indiana Mr. Basketball and 21st former McDonald’s All-American, was ESPN’s No.1 shooting guard in the Class of 2018 and Indiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year. Despite an injury setback in his college season at Indiana University that saw him tearing a ligament in his thumb, he soldiered on to play impressively. As a result, he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times. He averaged 16.5 points per game, the highest among Big Ten freshmen and the third-highest all-time among Indiana University freshmen. After an astonishing season, Langford made the call to declare for the 2019 NBA draft.

Langford did not hold back when he entered the 2019 NBA draft being picked 14th overall by the Boston Celtics. However, the journey wasn’t entirely smooth. He began his rookie season with a severe ankle roll and the following season was cut short due to a surgery to repair the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist. Despite the challenges, Langford made a strong comeback in the 2021 NBA playoffs.

After some amazing performances with the Celtics, and a stint with the San Antonio Spurs, where he scored a career-high 23 points in a win over the New York Knicks, Langford’s journey took a new turn. On August 30, 2023, Langford signed with the Utah Jazz, but things didn’t pan out, and he was waived in October. Shortly after, he joined the Salt Lake City Stars. In October 2024, he signed a six-week contract with BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the LNB Elite.

Away from the basketball court, Langford is the son of Tim and Sabrina Langford, and a sibling to Tiffany and Tisha. He’s been shooting hoops since the first grade, inspired by the iconic NBA player LeBron James. Known for his love for challenging himself academically, Langford has held mathematics in high regard and expressed his desire for a college that would not just help him succeed in basketball, but also bag a good degree. Langford shares a close friendship with NFL player Rondale Moore, and the two share common roots from New Albany.

Despite the fame and accolades, Langford remains humble and connected to his roots – a fitting example of which is the basketball court named after him in a community park in New Albany. Romeo Langford’s rise to the global basketball stage is a story of grit, resilience, and an undying passion for the game that started at an early age – truly an inspiration for all young athletes. His journey is far from over as he continues to strive and make his mark in the professional basketball arena.