Trey Jemison III

Trey Jemison III's Biography

Richard Lee “Trey” Jemison III, an American professional basketball player, was born on November 28, 1999. An formidable addition to the New Orleans Pelicans team playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Jemison plays for the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League as well. His basketball journey has travelled through various educational institutions, including the Clemson Tigers and the UAB Blazers, where he played college basketball.

Life started for Jemison in Birmingham, Alabama, where he spent his initial days of high school at Ramsay. Later, he moved to Homewood High School during his sophomore year and contributed to his team’s win in the 2016 Alabama 6A state championship. His final year of high school saw him moving to Hoover High School due to his mother’s employment there. This was a significant year for Jemison, as he scored impressive average stats of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks per game, earning him the honor of being named all-state.

Known for his extraordinary skills, Jemison was rated as a three-star prospect. Despite receiving offers from the esteemed Harvard Crimson and Alabama Crimson Tide, he pledged his game to the Clemson Tigers. He completed a total of 20 and 30 games in his freshman and sophomore years respectively, but saw an average playtime of only 8.4 minutes during his sophomore year. This led to his decision to enter the transfer portal in 2020, where he chose to commit to his hometown team, the UAB Blazers, given an eligibility passage by the NCAA for the 2020-2021 season.

In the team of UAB Blazers, Jemison played a crucial role as a junior in leading the team to the sixth-best scoring defense in the NCAA and received an honor in 2021 by being named to the Conference USA All-Defensive team. His strong stats of total rebounds (252) and blocks (52) during the 2021-22 season saw him recommit to the Blazers for their fifth year of eligibility in the 2022-23 season.

Jemison set a single-season record for the Blazers with a total of 329 rebounds and an average of 9.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a senior. These performances led to his selection to both All-Conference USA third-team and All-Defensive team in 2023.

Despite going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Jemison was committed to progress in his professional career. He joined the Phoenix Suns for the NBA Summer League that year and subsequently signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. However, his tenure was short-lived as he was waived within a month but was rebounded into the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans affiliate in the NBA G League.

His journey resumed with the Washington Wizards on a ten-day contract in January 2024, granting him his first NBA appearance. Although it resulted in one rebound and turnover in his only two minutes, it was an important step. Memphis Grizzlies signed him on a similar short-term contract after it expired. He made his mark by scoring his first NBA points in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

His consistent performances and tangible progress saw him move to the Grizzlies starting line-up, scoring a remarkable career-high of 24 points against the Washington Wizards. Although waived off by the Grizzlies eventually, Jemison’s journey was far from over. The New Orleans Pelicans claimed his two-way contract off waivers, solidifying Jemison’s place as a rising star in American basketball.