Kerry Blackshear Jr.
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kerry Blackshear Jr.
| image = Kerry Blackshear Jr Hiroshima DragonFlies 8 20221228.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Blackshear with the Hiroshima Dragonflies in 2022
| league = B.League
| team = Hiroshima Dragonflies
| number = 8
| position = Power forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 241
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|28}}
| birth_place = Orlando, Florida, U.S.
| high_school = Maynard Evans
(Orlando, Florida)
| college = * Virginia Tech (2015–2019)
- Florida (2019–2020)
| draft_year = 2020
| career_start = 2020
| years1 = 2020–2021
| team1 = Hapoel Gilboa Galil
| years2 = 2021–2022
| team2 = Galatasaray Nef
| years3 = 2022–present
| team3 = Hiroshima Dragonflies
| highlights =
}}
Kerry Blackshear Jr. (born January 28, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Hiroshima Dragonflies of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Florida Gators.
Early life
Blackshear's father, Kerry Blackshear Sr., played in college at Stetson, where he was the second-leading scorer in program history and the 1994–95 Atlantic Sun Player of the Year before embarking on a professional career. His mother, Lamilia Ford Blackshear, is the third-leading rebounder for the Stetson women.{{cite news |last1=Berman |first1=Mark |title=Kerry Blackshear Jr. blossoms into Virginia Tech star |url=https://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/kerry-blackshear-jr-blossoms-into-virginia-tech-star/article_5a2ba680-9bf1-5d5f-9b27-3b0dd6c6ef97.html |accessdate=July 3, 2019 |work=The Roanoke Times |date=March 10, 2019}} By the time the younger Blackshear reached high school at Maynard Evans in Orlando, Florida, he had been raised around the world and his game resembled a European big man.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Norm |title=Blackshear, Robinson carve out big freshmen roles for Virginia Tech as it preps for No. 2 UNC |url=https://www.dailypress.com/sports/virginia-tech/dp-spt-advance-unc-virginia-tech-mens-hoops-0124-20160123-story.html |accessdate=July 3, 2019 |work=The Daily Press |date=January 23, 2016}} Blackshear was regarded as a four-star prospect in the 2015 class, ranked by 247Sports as the 25th ranked power forward and 88th overall player.{{cite news |last1=Ramey |first1=Grant |title=Vols out of the race for Kerry Blackshear |url=https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/Article/Kerry-Blackshear-Tennessee-Basketball-Transfer-133108023/ |accessdate=July 3, 2019 |work=247 Sports |date=June 26, 2019}}
College career
=Virginia Tech=
As a freshman at Virginia Tech, Blackshear posted 6.2 points per game off the bench. He was forced to redshirt his sophomore season due to a foot injury. Blackshear averaged 12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a redshirt sophomore for Virginia Tech.
After roommate Justin Robinson went down with a foot injury on January 30, 2019, Blackshear picked up his production, scoring 29 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a win at Pittsburgh. As a junior, Blackshear averaged 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 50.8% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc. He was named to the Second Team All-ACC. Blackshear helped lead Virginia Tech to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, contributing 18 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in a narrow defeat to Duke. After the season he declared for the 2019 NBA draft. Blackshear withdrew from the draft shortly before the deadline but announced he was transferring from Virginia Tech. On June 26, 2019, he announced he would play at Florida in his final season of eligibility.{{cite magazine |last1=Rollins |first1=Khadrice |title=Kerry Blackshear Jr. Transferring to Florida From Virginia Tech |url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/06/26/kerry-blackshear-transfer-virginia-tech-florida |accessdate=July 3, 2019 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=June 26, 2019}}
=Florida=
File:Kerry Blackshear Florida.jpg
In his first game in a Florida uniform, Blackshear had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Gators defeated North Florida 74–59.{{cite news |title=Blackshear gets double-double, No. 6 Florida beats UNF 74-59 |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401169796 |accessdate=November 5, 2019 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=November 5, 2019}} On January 4, 2020, Blackshear scored 24 points and had 16 rebounds in a 104–98 win over Alabama in double overtime, during which Florida overcame a 21-point deficit, the largest comeback in school history.{{cite news |title=Florida rallies from 21 points down, beats Alabama in 2OT |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401166274 |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=January 4, 2020}} Blackshear sprained his left wrist during the season finale versus Kentucky. He averaged 12.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game at Florida.{{cite news |title=Florida's Kerry Blackshear may miss SEC tournament with sprained wrist |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28871212/florida-kerry-blackshear-miss-sec-tournament-sprained-left-wrist |accessdate=March 23, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=March 9, 2020}} At the conclusion of the regular season, Blackshear was named to the Second Team All-SEC.{{cite press release|url=https://www.secsports.com/article/28877731/sec-announces-2020-men-basketball-awards |title=SEC announces 2020 Men's Basketball Awards |publisher=Southeastern Conference |date=March 10, 2020 |accessdate=March 10, 2020}}
Professional career
=Hapoel Gilboa Galil=
On August 9, 2020, Blackshear signed with Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the Israeli Premier League.{{cite web |title=Kerry Blackshear inks with Hapoel Galil Gilboa |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/kerry-blackshear-inks-with-hapoel-galil-gilboa/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=August 9, 2020 |date=August 9, 2020}}
=Galatasaray Nef=
On August 24, 2021, he signed a one-year deal with Galatasaray Nef of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL), with the option of an additional season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.galatasaray.org/haber/basketbol/erkek-basketbol/kerry-blackshear-jr-galatasaray-nef-te/49221|title=Kerry Blackshear Jr. Galatasaray NEF'te|last=|first=|date=August 24, 2021|website=|publisher=Galatasaray|language=tr|access-date=August 25, 2021}}
=Hiroshima Dragonflies=
On July 12, 2022, Blackshear signed with Hiroshima Dragonflies of the B.League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/tr/tbl-tr/1367878/galatasarayli-kerry-blackshearin-yeni-duragi-japonya/|title=Galatasaray'lı Kerry Blackshear'ın Yeni Durağı Japonya|last=|first=|date=July 12, 2022|website=|publisher=Eurohoops|language=En|access-date=July 12, 2022}}{{cite web |title=ケリー・ブラックシアー・ジュニア選手 契約合意（新規）のお知らせ |url=https://hiroshimadragonflies.com/news/detail/id=17296 |publisher=広島ドラゴンフライズ |access-date=24 November 2024 |date=12 July 2022}} On May 24, 2023, he re- signed with Hiroshima Dragonflies.{{cite web |title=2023-24シーズン 契約合意（継続）選手のお知らせ |url=https://hiroshimadragonflies.com/news/detail/id=18406 |publisher=広島ドラゴンフライズ |access-date=24 November 2024 |date=24 May 2023}} On June 6, 2024, he re- signed with Hiroshima Dragonflies.{{cite web |title=2024-25シーズン 契約合意（継続）選手のお知らせ |url=https://hiroshimadragonflies.com/news/detail/id=19632 |publisher=広島ドラゴンフライズ |access-date=24 November 2024 |date=6 June 2024}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16
| style="text-align:left;"| Virginia Tech
| 35 || 5 || 19.2 || .553 || .235 || .558 || 4.5 || .6 || .5 || .4 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17
| style="text-align:left;"| Virginia Tech
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| File:Redshirt.svg Redshirt
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18
| style="text-align:left;"| Virginia Tech
| 33 || 32 || 25.2 || .558 || .306 || .747 || 5.9 || 1.2 || .8 || .9 || 12.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19
| style="text-align:left;"| Virginia Tech
| 35 || 35 || 30.0 || .508 || .333 || .736 || 7.5 || 2.4 || .7 || .8 || 14.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida
| 31 || 31 || 27.2 || .436 || .305 || .792 || 7.5 || 1.6 || .6 || .6 || 12.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 134 || 103 || 25.3 || .509 || .308 || .731 || 6.3 || 1.4 || .6 || .7 || 11.6
{{S-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kerry-blackshear-jr-/11835 Florida Gators bio]
- [https://hokiesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kerry-blackshear-jr-/9316 Virginia Tech Hokies bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackshear, Kerry Jr.}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Orlando, Florida
Category:Florida Gators men's basketball players
Category:Galatasaray S.K. (men's basketball) players
Category:Hapoel Gilboa Galil players
Category:Hiroshima Dragonflies players
Category:Israeli Basketball Premier League players
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Maynard Evans High School alumni