Zach LaVine

Zachary Thomas LaVine (born March 10, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), LaVine plays primarily at shooting guard but is also capable of playing small forward and point guard. After one year of college basketball with the UCLA Bruins, he was drafted 13th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2014 NBA draft.

LaVine is a two-time NBA All-Star (2021, 2022) and a two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion (2015, 2016). He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2015 and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Known for his elite athleticism and prolific three-point shooting, LaVine spent eight seasons with the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the Sacramento Kings in early 2025. Throughout his career, he has been recognized as one of the league’s premier scoring guards, though his trajectory has frequently been impacted by various injuries.

Early Life

LaVine was born on March 10, 1995, in Renton, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, to athletic parents. His father, Paul, played professional American football in the USFL and NFL, while his mother, CJ, was a softball player. Around the age of five, LaVine became interested in basketball after watching Michael Jordan in the film Space Jam. He later modeled his game after Kobe Bryant.

He attended Bothell High School in Bothell, Washington, where he played as a point guard and the primary ball-handler. By his senior year, LaVine averaged 28.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. In 2013, he was named the Associated Press Washington state player of the year and “Mr. Basketball” by the state’s coaches association. He was a first-team Parade All-American and was ranked among the top high school players in the country.

College Career

On June 20, 2012, LaVine committed to playing for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During his lone season with the Bruins in 2013–14, he played in all 37 games, primarily as a “sixth man” off the bench. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. LaVine’s freshman season was highlighted by his 48 made three-pointers, the second-highest total for a freshman in UCLA history at the time. He earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors before declaring for the 2014 NBA draft.

NBA Career

Minnesota Timberwolves (2014–2017)

The Minnesota Timberwolves selected LaVine with the 13th overall pick in 2014. As a rookie, he moved into the starting lineup following an injury to Ricky Rubio. He won the 2015 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest champion since Kobe Bryant at age 18, and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. In 2016, he became only the fourth player to win consecutive dunk contests, following a memorable final round against Aaron Gordon. He also earned MVP honors in the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge after scoring 30 points. His tenure in Minnesota ended prematurely when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in February 2017.

Chicago Bulls (2017–2025)

On June 22, 2017, LaVine was traded to the Chicago Bulls in a deal for Jimmy Butler. After returning from his knee surgery in January 2018, he emerged as the team’s primary scoring option. During the 2020–21 season, he averaged a career-high 27.4 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field and 41% from three-point range. These performances led to his first career All-Star selection in 2021, followed by a second in 2022. In 2022, he led the Bulls to their first playoff appearance in five years. During his eight seasons in Chicago, he became the franchise’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, surpassing Kirk Hinrich.

Sacramento Kings (2025–present)

In February 2025, LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings. In the remaining 32 games of the 2024–25 season for Sacramento, he averaged 22.4 points and 3.8 assists. Through the 2025–26 season (as of February 10, 2026), at age 30, LaVine has averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 39 games. His impact has been curtailed by health issues, including ankle and back injuries that caused him to miss 12 games earlier in the 2025–26 campaign. Despite these setbacks, he remains the team’s most prolific threat from beyond the arc.

International Career

LaVine has represented the United States in international competition, most notably at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021). Despite initially being placed in COVID-19 health and safety protocols just before the tournament, he was cleared in time to join the team in Japan. Serving as a key contributor off the bench, he helped Team USA secure its fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal. He missed out on the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics following foot surgery that sidelined him for much of the preceding NBA season.

Personal Life and Legacy

LaVine is the son of Paul and Cheryl Johnson-LaVine and has three sisters: Chandi, Linda, and Camryn. He is known for his philanthropy, including a $10,000 donation from his Slam Dunk Contest winnings to the Metro Deaf School for a new kitchen.

Regarded as one of the most explosive athletes in NBA history, LaVine’s legacy is defined by his historic dunk contest performances and his evolution into an elite perimeter scorer. Despite facing significant injuries, including a major knee reconstruction and foot surgery, he has maintained a career scoring average of over 20 points per game across more than 650 appearances.

References

External Links

• Zach LaVine on NBA.com
• Zach LaVine on Basketball-Reference.com
• Zach LaVine on TeamUSA.com