Kevin Xavier Punter Jr. (born June 25, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Partizan of the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. In addition to being a citizen of the United States, Punter also has Serbian citizenship.
After playing two years each of college basketball at State Fair Community College and Tennessee, Punter went undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft. He started his professional career in Europe, where he has played for elite teams like Virtus Bologna, Olympiacos, KK Crvena Zvezda,Olimpia Milano, and Partizan.
After high school, Punter played college basketball at State Fair Community College, from 2012 to 2014, and at the University of Tennessee, with the Tennessee Volunteers. In his senior year at Tennessee, Punter averaged 22.1 points per game, and 3.4 rebounds per game. Though he missed five games of SEC Conference play, he was named Second Team All-SEC, after finishing with the third-highest scoring average (22.1 points per game), and the fourth-highest free-throw percentage (.853), during conference league games. [1]
After failing to be drafted in the 2016 NBA draft, Punter played with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2016 NBA Summer League. [2] In 2016, he signed with Lavrio of the Greek Basket League for 40.000 eur per year. [3] He played in 21 games for Lavrio, averaging 12.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. On March 27, 2017, he left Lavrio, and signed with the Antwerp Giants, until the end of the season. [4]
In July 2017, he signed with Rosa Radom. [5] He played in 16 games with Rosa Radom, and went on to average 20.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in the FIBA Basketball Champions League. His very good performances gained the interest of the Turkish Super League club Gaziantep, in February but the player didn't leave the team. [6]
On February 10, 2018, he moved to AEK Athens for the rest of the season. [7] With AEK, he won the Greek Cup title, in 2018. On May 6, 2018, Punter also won the FIBA Champions League title. In the final, Punter was one of the best players of his team, scoring 16 points. [8] Over 11 Greek Basket League games, Punter averaged 11.4 points and 2.3 rebounds on 44% shooting from the field.
On July 6, 2018, Punter signed a deal with Virtus Bologna for the 2018–19 season. [9] He led the team to winning the Basketball Champions League crown by posting 21 points and eight rebounds in the semifinal over Brose Bamberg, plus 27 points and seven rebounds in the Final against Iberostar Tenerife. He claimed MVP of the Final Four, [10] after also being named to the competition's Star Lineup. [11]
On June 28, 2019, Punter signed a two-year contract with the Greek EuroLeague club Olympiacos. [12] On December 24, 2019, he was released by Olympiacos. [13] Three days later, he signed with the Serbian EuroLeague club Crvena zvezda for the rest of the season. [14] On February 11, 2020, Punter obtained a Serbian passport and Serbian citizenship. [15] [16]
On June 18, 2020, Punter signed with the Italian EuroLeague club Olimpia Milano. [17] With Olimpia, he appeared in 36 EuroLeague games, and averaged 14.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Olimpia managed to reach the 2021 EuroLeague Final Four, where they won the third place.
On July 2, 2021, Punter signed a two-year contract with Partizan of the ABA League and the EuroCup. [18]
During the 2022–23 season, Partizan was eliminated by Real Madrid in a tight EuroLeague playoffs series. Over the season, Punter averaged 16.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. Partizan ended the 2022–23 season by lifting the ABA League championship trophy, after a 3–2 winning series over Crvena zvezda in the finals. [19] In the fifth decisive game, Punter scored 32 points, recorded 5 rebounds and 2 assists and was awarded the ABA League Finals MVP.
On June 29, 2023, after controversial negotiations with both Panathinaikos and FC Barcelona, Punter renewed his contract with Partizan for another two years. Over the 2023–24 season, Punter averaged 15 points, and career-high 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists over 28 EuroLeague games.
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 | PIR | Performance Index Rating |
Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019–20 | Olympiacos | 11 | 3 | 10.7 | .300 | .179 | .700 | 1.9 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 6.8 | 2.6 |
2019–20 | Crvena zvezda | 12 | 0 | 22.1 | .477 | .481 | .894 | 1.1 | 1.5 | .6 | .1 | 15.9 | 13.7 |
2020–21 | Olimpia Milano | 36 | 33 | 24.7 | .456 | .392 | .894 | 1.6 | 1.4 | .8 | .1 | 14.3 | 11.6 |
2022–23 | Partizan | 37 | 24 | 27.9 | .469 | .443 | .917 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .1 | 16.1 | 15.0 |
2023–24 | 28 | 24 | 29.1 | .463 | .350 | .902 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .2 | 15.0 | 14.2 | |
Career | 124 | 84 | 25.8 | .453 | .393 | .894 | 2.0 | 2.0 | .9 | .1 | 14.5 | 12.6 |
† | Denotes seasons in which Punter won the FIBA Champions League |
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017–18 | Rosa Radom | 16 | 31.0 | .429 | .358 | .785 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .1 | 20.6 |
2017–18† | A.E.K. | 6 | 23.1 | .470 | .419 | .680 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 15.3 |
2018–19† | Virtus Bologna | 20 | 27.0 | .449 | .418 | .807 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .3 | 16.0 |
Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a Greek former professional basketball player and Olympian.
Loukas Mavrokefalidis is a Greek professional basketball player who last played for Ionikos Nikaias of the Greek Basket League. He has also represented the senior Hellenic national team. Born in Jeseník, Czechoslovakia, he is a 2.10 m, 120 kg (265 lbs.) power forward and center. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2nd round of the 2006 NBA draft.
Miloš Teodosić is a Serbian professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS, the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. He also represents the National Basketball Team of Serbia internationally. He primarily plays the point guard and shooting guard positions. He is a six time All-EuroLeague selection, and was voted EuroLeague MVP in 2010.
Andre Keith Langford is an American professional basketball player, currently playing his final season of professional basketball for Mass Street Kansas Alumni team in the 2023 The Basketball Tournament. Standing at 6' 4", he primarily played at the shooting guard position. He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. Langford was an All-EuroLeague First Team selection in 2014 and won the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy twice.
Mirza Begić is a retired Bosnian-born Slovenian professional basketball player. The 2.16 m center, he represented the Slovenian national team in the international competitions.
Stefan Marković is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He also represented the Serbia national basketball team internationally. He is a 1.99 metres tall combo guard.
Kelvin Creswell Rivers is an American professional basketball player who last played for BC Samara of the VTB United League. Standing at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), he plays at the shooting guard and small forward positions.
Danilo Anđušić is a Serbian professional basketball player for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian KLS, the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. He has also represented the Serbian national basketball team in international competition.
Kyle Jordan Weems is an American professional basketball player for Derthona Basket of the Italian LBA. He played collegiately for Missouri State University and was named Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and an All-American in 2011.
Vassilis Kavvadas is a Greek professional basketball player for Lavrio of the Greek Basket League. He is 2.05 m tall and he plays at the center position.
Nikola Milutinov is a Serbian professional basketball player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the Serbian national team in international competition. Standing at 2.13 m, Milutinov plays at the center position.
Ioannis Papapetrou is a Greek professional basketball player and the vice-captain for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. Standing at 206 cm (6’9’’) tall, he can play at both the small forward and power forward positions.
Milan Milošević is a Bosnian professional basketball player who plays for Shabab Al Ahli Basket. He also represents the senior men's Bosnia and Herzegovina national basketball team. He is 2.05 m tall, and he can play at both the small forward and power forward positions.
Ognjen Dobrić is a Serbian professional basketball player for Virtus Bologna of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague.
Vincent Hunter is an American professional basketball player for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for UTEP.
Julian Gamble is an American professional basketball player for Scafati Basket of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He plays the center position.
Ismaël Bako is a Belgian professional basketball player for UNICS Kazan of the Russian VTB United League. Standing at 208 cm, he plays at the center position. He started his career in 2012 with Leuven Bears and transferred to Antwerp Giants in April 2017.
Zachary Vincent LeDay is an American-born naturalized Azerbaijani professional basketball player for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian League, the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the University of South Florida and Virginia Tech. At a height of 2.02 m tall, and a weight of 107 kg (235 lbs.), LeDay primarily plays at the power forward position.
Filip Petrušev is a Serbian professional basketball player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Tristan Tsalikis Vukčević is a Serbian-Swedish professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA).