![]() Burns with Winthrop in 2020. | |
No. 40–Cleveland Cavaliers | |
---|---|
Position | Power forward / center |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | October 13, 2000 |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Listed weight | 275 lb (125 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | York Prep Academy (Rock Hill, South Carolina) |
College | |
NBA draft | 2024: undrafted |
Playing career | 2024–present |
Career history | |
2024–present | Cleveland Cavaliers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Dwight Keith Burns Jr. (born October 13, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the NC State Wolfpack of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Winthrop Eagles of the Big South Conference.
Burns grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina and attended Clover Intermediate School, standing 6'7" in eighth grade. He enrolled at York Preparatory Academy. [1] As a freshman, Burns averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds per game. [2] He averaged 14.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.1 blocks per game as a sophomore. As a junior, Burns averaged 14.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, earning MVP honors of the C. Dan Joyner Poinsettia Classic and the USA National Prep Championship. He reclassified from the Class of 2019 to the Class of 2018. [3] In three seasons, Burns recorded over 1,000 career points and over 1,000 rebounds. A top 100 recruit, Burns committed to playing college basketball for Tennessee in June 2018, choosing the Volunteers over offers from South Carolina and Virginia. [4]
Burns redshirted his freshman season at Tennessee and lost weight. Following the season, he transferred to Winthrop and received a waiver for immediate eligibility. Burns was named Big South Freshman of the Year. [1] He averaged 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. [5] As a sophomore, Burns averaged 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, earning Honorable Mention All-Big South honors. [6] He declared for the 2021 NBA draft, but ultimately returned to Winthrop. [7] In his junior season debut, he scored a career-high 30 points in a 110–78 win against Mary Baldwin University. [8] As a junior, Burns was named Big South Player of the Year. [9]
In May 2022, Burns announced he would play for NC State in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2022–23 season. [10] At the conclusion of that season, Burns was named All-ACC Honorable mention. [11] On March 16, 2024, Burns was named ACC Tournament MVP after leading NC State to its first ACC crown since 1987. [12] Burns had 20 points, 7 assists, and hit the first three-pointer of his college career in the Championship game against rival North Carolina. [13] On March 31, 2024, Burns was named MOP of the NCAA Tournament's South Region after leading NC State to its first Final Four since 1983. [14] Burns scored 29 points in the Elite Eight game against rival Duke. [15]
After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Burns signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for them during the 2024 NBA Summer League. [16]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018–19 | Tennessee | ![]() | ||||||||||
2019–20 | Winthrop | 33 | 16 | 17.5 | .583 | .000 | .571 | 4.1 | 1.2 | .5 | .7 | 11.9 |
2020–21 | Winthrop | 25 | 24 | 15.7 | .582 | .000 | .610 | 3.4 | .6 | .6 | .5 | 10.1 |
2021–22 | Winthrop | 32 | 27 | 20.9 | .626 | .000 | .646 | 4.5 | 1.1 | .5 | .4 | 15.0 |
2022–23 | NC State | 34 | 22 | 22.9 | .561 | .000 | .615 | 4.8 | 1.5 | .7 | .9 | 12.5 |
Career | 124 | 89 | 19.5 | .589 | .000 | .612 | 4.2 | 1.1 | .6 | .6 | 12.5 |
Burns's father, Dwight Sr., is the agent in charge of York County for South Carolina Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. His mother, Takela, is an assistant principal at Mount Gallant Elementary School. [1] Burns has a younger sister, Nadia. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing the stand-up bass, tuba, piano, handbells and saxophone. [2] Burns is a devout Christian. [17]
Andrew Tyler Hansbrough is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for seven seasons, as well as internationally.
The Winthrop Eagles men's basketball team represents Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States and competes in the Big South Conference. Winthrop plays their home games in the 6,100 seat Winthrop Coliseum. Winthrop has appeared in 11 NCAA Tournaments and has won 11 conference season championships, 13 conference tournament championships, and 1 conference division title. The Eagles have played 45 seasons of basketball since their inaugural 1978–79 campaign.
Patrick Kelsey is an American college basketball coach. He is the current head men's basketball coach at the University of Louisville. He previously served as head coach for the College of Charleston and Winthrop University.
Joseph Malcolm Harris is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, before being selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, He spent one-and-a-half seasons with the team before being traded and waived due to injury. He was signed by the Brooklyn Nets in 2016, and is one of three players to make 200 three-pointers in one season in the history of the Nets franchise. Harris led the NBA in three-point shooting accuracy in 2018–19 and repeated the feat in 2020–21. Also in 2021, Harris surpassed Dražen Petrović as the Nets' all-time leader in three-point field goal percentage and surpassed Jason Kidd as the Nets' all-time leader in three-point field goals made. Harris ranks first in NBA history for career three-point field goal percentage as of March 5, 2024.
Anthony "T. J." Warren Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball as a small forward for the NC State Wolfpack in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In the 2013–14 season, he earned consensus second-team All-American honors and was named the ACC Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring with 24.9 points per game.
Dennis Cliff Smith Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended North Carolina State University for one season of college basketball and earned second-team all-conference honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a freshman as well as ACC Freshman of the Year.
Wendell Andre Carter Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.
Zion Lateef Williamson is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward position. Following a freshman-year stint with the Duke Blue Devils, Williamson was selected by the Pelicans with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020. In 2021, he became the fourth youngest NBA player to be selected to an All-Star game.
Xavier Cooks is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Winthrop Eagles, where he was named the 2018 Big South Conference Player of the Year. In 2022, he helped the Sydney Kings win the NBL championship while earning grand final MVP honours. In 2023, he was named NBL MVP and won his second straight NBL championship.
Armando Linwood Bacot Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He holds the program records for double-doubles and career rebounds. Over his 5-year career, Bacot played in a UNC-record 171 games.
Matthew Christopher Hurt is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.
Scott Wayne Barnes Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles, earning third-team all-conference honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a freshman in 2021 and was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Raptors in the 2021 NBA draft. Barnes was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2022. In 2024, Barnes was named to the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, which was his first All-Star appearance.
Patrick Lee Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles. He was the fourth pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Markell Davon Johnson is an American professional basketball player for BC Astana of the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship and the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the NC State Wolfpack.
Mark Oluwafemi Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.
Paolo Napoleon James Banchero is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. Banchero was named the Rookie of the Year of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2022. Following his freshman season, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, where he was selected with the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic. Banchero was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2023.
Harrison Claiborne Ingram is an American basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal and the North Carolina Tar Heels. He attended St. Mark's School of Texas in Dallas, Texas and was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school.
Chandler Reed Vaudrin is an American professional basketball player for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Walsh Cavaliers and the Winthrop Eagles.
Dereon Seabron is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the NC State Wolfpack.
DJ Horne is a college basketball player for the NC State Wolfpack. A point guard, he previously played for the Illinois State Redbirds and for the Arizona State Devils.