Jaden Shackelford

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Jaden Shackelford

| image = Jaden Shackelford.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Shackelford with Alabama in 2022

| position = Point guard / shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 200

| league = NBA G League

| team = Valley Suns

| number = 23

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|2|14}}

| birth_place = Hesperia, California, U.S.

| high_school =

Hesperia
(Hesperia, California)

| college = Alabama (2019–2022)

| draftyear = 2022

| career_start = 2022

| career_end =

| years1 = 2022–2024

| team1 = Oklahoma City Blue

| years2 = 2024–present

| team2 = Valley Suns

| highlights =

NBA G League champion (2024)
Second-team All SEC (2022)
Second-team All-SEC – Coaches (2021)
SEC All-Freshman Team (2020)

}}

Jaden Shackelford (born February 14, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

High school career

In his first two years of high school, Shackelford attended Oak Hills High School in Oak Hills, California.{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Erik |title=Jaden Shackelford: 3 things to know about the Alabama men's basketball guard |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2021/01/16/jaden-shackelford-5-facts-alabama-mens-basketball-guard/4189889001/ |website=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=January 16, 2021}} For his junior season, he transferred to Hesperia High School in Hesperia, California.{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=John |title=Inland Boys Basketball Preview: Jaden Shackelford ready to roll at Hesperia |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2018/11/13/boys-basketball-preview-jaden-shackelford-ready-to-roll-at-hesperia/ |website=Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=November 13, 2018}} Shackelford averaged 34 points, 11 rebounds, 5.5 assists and four steals per game as a senior. He was named Mojave River League MVP and Daily Press Basketball Athlete of the Year.{{cite web |last1=Quintero |first1=Jose |title=Hesperia's Jaden Shackelford, Alabama teammates 'bummed' about canceled season |url=https://www.vvdailypress.com/sports/20200313/hesperias-jaden-shackelford-alabama-teammates-bummed-about-canceled-season |website=Daily Press |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=March 13, 2020}} He committed to playing college basketball for Alabama over offers from Kansas State, Pepperdine and UNLV, among others.{{cite web |title=Jaden Shackelford commits to Alabama men's basketball |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/news/20180930/jaden-shackelford-commits-to-alabama-mens-basketball |website=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=September 30, 2018}}

College career

On February 12, 2020, Shackelford matched his freshman season-high of 28 points, with eight rebounds and seven three-pointers, in a 95–91 loss to Auburn in overtime.{{cite web |last1=Goodman |first1=Joseph |title=Stunning Jaden Shackelford pointing Alabama basketball in right direction |url=https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2020/03/stunning-jaden-shackelford-pointing-alabama-basketball-in-right-direction.html |website=AL.com |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=March 3, 2020}} Six days later, he was named USBWA National Freshman of the Week.{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Tyler |title=Jaden Shackelford Earns National Freshman of the Week Honors |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/alabama-basketball-jaden-shackelford-national-freshman-of-the-week |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=February 18, 2020}} As a freshman, Shackelford averaged 15 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors. He averaged 14 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game as a sophomore. Shackelford was named to the Second Team All-SEC. Following the season he entered the 2021 NBA draft without hiring an agent, and also entered the transfer portal.{{cite news |last1=Potter |first1=Charlie |title=Alabama's Jaden Shackelford plans to enter transfer portal, per report |url=https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Basketball-Jaden-Shackelford-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal-per-report-167252241/ |access-date=July 2, 2021 |work=247 Sports |date=June 30, 2021}} Shackelford decided to return to Alabama in July 2021.{{cite news |last1=Rodak |first1=Mike |title=Jaden Shackelford returning to Alabama after exploring transfer |url=https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2021/07/jaden-shackelford-returning-to-alabama-after-exploring-transfer.html |access-date=September 19, 2021 |work=AL.com |date=July 20, 2021}} On February 9, 2022, he posted career-highs of 30 points and eight 3-pointers in a 97–83 win over Ole Miss.{{cite news |title=Shackelford has 8 of Tide's 14 3s in 97-83 win over Ole Miss |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401364923 |access-date=February 11, 2022 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=February 9, 2022}} Shackelford was named to the Second Team All-SEC as a junior after averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.{{cite news |last1=Montgomery |first1=Charles |title=Four Alabama men’s basketball players earn SEC All-Conference honors |url=https://www.waff.com/2022/03/08/four-alabama-mens-basketball-players-earn-sec-all-conference-honors/ |access-date=March 19, 2022 |work=WAFF |date=March 8, 2022}}

On April 3, 2022, Shackelford declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.{{cite web|title=Alabama junior guard Jaden Shackelford declares for 2022 NBA Draft|url=https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Alabama-Basketball-junior-guard-Jaden-Shackelford-declares-for-2022-NBA-Draft-185682543/|first=Charlie|last=Potter|date=April 3, 2022|accessdate=April 5, 2022}}

Professional career

=Oklahoma City Blue (2022–2024)=

After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Shackelford signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 24, 2022.{{cite news|first=Katie|last=Windham|title=Jaden Shackelford Signs Deal with Oklahoma City Thunder|url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/jaden-shackelford-signs-deal-with-oklahoma-city-thunder|website=SI.com|publisher=FanNation|date=June 24, 2022|access-date=July 16, 2022}} On November 3, 2022, Shackelford was named to the opening night roster for the Oklahoma City Blue.{{cite web|title=Oklahoma City Blue Roster 2022-23|url=https://oklahomacity.gleague.nba.com/roster|website=NBA.com|date=November 3, 2022|access-date=November 3, 2022}}

On October 20, 2023, Shackelford signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was waived the same day.{{cite web|first=Luke|last=Adams|title=Thunder Sign, Waive Jahmi’us Ramsey, Jaden Shackelford|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/10/thunder-sign-jahmius-ramsey-jaden-shackelford.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=October 20, 2023|access-date=October 22, 2023}} On October 31, he re-joined the Oklahoma City Blue.{{cite tweet|author=OKC BLUE|title=Let’s work 🫡 2023-24 #OKCBlue Training Camp Roster🔵|number=1719380343176716560|user=okcblue|date=October 31, 2023|access-date=November 21, 2023}} During his second season with them, Shackelford would win the 2024 NBA G League championship while with the Blue.

=Valley Suns (2024–present)=

On September 19, 2024, Shackelford signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Phoenix Suns,{{cite web|first=Rory|last=Maher|title=Suns Sign Jaden Shackelford To Exhibit 10 Deal|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/09/suns-to-sign-jaden-shackelford-to-exhibit-10-deal.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=September 19, 2024|access-date=September 20, 2024}} but was waived on September 26.{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Kirschenbaum|title=Suns Cut Tyrese Samuel, Jaden Shackelford|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/09/suns-cut-tyrese-samuel-jaden-shackelford.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=September 26, 2024|access-date=October 27, 2024}} On October 27, he joined the Valley Suns.{{cite web|title=Valley Suns Announce 2024-25 Training Camp Roster|url=https://valley.gleague.nba.com/news/valley-suns-announce-2024-25-training-camp-roster|website=NBA.com|date=October 27, 2024|access-date=October 31, 2024}}