Trey Jemison

Trey Jemison's Biography

Richard Lee “Trey” Jemison III was born on November 28, 1999, in Birmingham, Alabama. As an American professional basketball player, he currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA), but his commitment is bifocal because he remains connected to the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League through a two-way contract. His basketball journey began in the classrooms of different high schools and extended to college sports.

During his freshman year, he joined Ramsay High School but following his freshman year moved to Homewood High School where he was part of the basketball team that clinched the coveted 2016 Alabama 6A state championship. However, his senior year was spent at Hoover High School when his mother got a job there. His eye-catching averages of 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks per game as a senior bagged him an all-state honorable mention, which affirmed his potential as a three-star prospect.

The pivot toward college basketball came when Jemison committed to play college basketball for the Clemson Tigers, despite having offers from the prestigious Harvard Crimson and the Alabama Crimson Tide. During his stint with the Tigers, he played 20 games as a freshman and 30 games in his sophomore season. However, his on-court time was limited to an average of 8.4 minutes per game as a sophomore. A significant change came on May 6, 2020, when Jemison decided to explore the transfer portal. Consequently, on May 14, he discovered his hometown connection and committed to his hometown team, the UAB Blazers.

The 2020-21 NCAA season got a green light for Jemison because he was granted immediate eligibility. Hitting the Kansas plains as a junior with the Blazers, he played an instrumental role in leading the Blazers to the sixth-best scoring defense in the NCAA. For that season, he earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Defensive team.

Jemison’s contributions were significant during the 2021-22 season as he led the Blazers in total rebounds (252) and blocks (52). He decided to play for the fifth year of eligibility during the 2022-23 season. As a senior, his averages stood at 9.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, with his impressive 329 rebounds setting a single-season record for the Blazers. He garnered the All-Conference USA third-team honor and another All-Defensive team selection in 2023.

Although he did not get drafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Jemison got the chance to play for the Phoenix Suns in the 2023 NBA Summer League. He later signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on September 30, 2023, but his tenure with them was a short-lived one as he got waived on October 22. Within eight days, he joined the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans affiliate in the NBA G League.

In 2024, the first half of the year saw him move around with different teams. On January 20, he signed with the Washington Wizards but only played for them in two games. Post-January 30, he was onto his next stint, signing with the Memphis Grizzlies. The game against the Cleveland Cavaliers saw Jemison register his first NBA points with a notable five-point performance. He later recorded a career-high 12 points and 7 rebounds against the New York Knicks and secured a two-way contract with the Grizzlies. Then he marked another feat by recording a 24-point career high against the Washington Wizards on March 12.

Despite the progress, in July 2024, he was waived by the Grizzlies. However, this setback was short-lived as he was quickly waved in by the New Orleans Pelicans on July 26, 2024, where he currently contributes his talents. His career’s trajectory has traversed different terrains from schools to colleges till the NBA, making Trey Jemison III a player of noteworthy resilience and dedication.