Kris Bankston
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1999)}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kris Bankston
| image =
| alt =
| league = Basketbol Süper Ligi
| team = Tofaş
| number = 30
| position = Power forward / center
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|06|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 230
| high_school = J. A. Fair (Little Rock, Arkansas)
| college =
- Little Rock (2017–2021)
- Norfolk State (2021–2023)
| draft_year = 2023
| career_start = 2023
| years1 = 2023
| team1 = Hapoel Be'er Sheva
| years2 = 2024
| team2 = Aris Midea Thessaloniki
| years3 = 2024–present
| team3 = Tofaş
| highlights =
}}
Kristeon Lamar Bankston (born June 11, 1999) is an American professional basketball player who plays forward and center for Tofaş of Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and played basketball for the Little Rock Trojans. As a sophomore in 2018–19 he led the NCAA in two-point field goal percentage percentage at 82.0%. He transferred to Norfolk State University, where he played for the Norfolk State Sparts. In 2021–22 he had a .711 two-point field goal percentage, leading the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In July 2023, he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves' NBA Summer League team. In 2023, he played with Aris Midea Thessaloniki in the Greek Basket League, and with Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Early life
Bankston was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to Kristery Holly and Dameon Bankston.{{Cite web|url=https://lrtrojans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kris-bankston/5387|title=Kris Bankston - 2020-21 - Men's Basketball|website=Little Rock Athletics}} He has three siblings; brothers Damareon and Deaveon, and sister, Kayla . He is 6-9 tall, and weighs 230 pounds.
High school
Bankston played basketball at J.A. Fair High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. As a senior, he averaged 13 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, four assists, and four steals a game.
College
Bankston attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and played basketball for the Little Rock Trojans, playing the forward position. As a freshman in 2017-18 he averaged 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks (10th in the Sun Belt Conference) per game, with a field goal percentage of 62.3%.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/kris-bankston-1.html|title=Kris Bankston College Stats|website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com}} As a sophomore in 2018-19 he averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks (5th) per game, and led the NCAA and set the team's single-season two-point field goal percentage percentage at 82.0%. As a junior in 2019-20 he played three games before missing the rest of the season with an injury, and averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebound, shooting 82.4% from the floor. In his redshirt season of 2020-21 he played only 16 games and 11.5 minutes per game, and averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
After the coronavirus epidemic Bankston transferred to Norfolk State University, where he played forward for the Norfolk State Spartans.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Israel/news/818960/Kris-Bankston-signs-with-Hapoel-Beer-Sheva|title=Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings|website=Eurobasket}}{{Cite web|url=https://hbcugameday.com/2023/07/17/norfolk-state-university-star-kris-bankston-signs-deal/|title=Norfolk State University star Kris Bankston signs deal|first=Steven J.|last=Gaither|date=July 17, 2023|website=HBCU Gameday}} In 2021-22 he averaged 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds (3rd in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference; MEAC), and 1.2 blocks (4th) per game, with a .711 two-point field goal percentage (1st in the MEAC, 7th in the NCAA, and a school single-season record).{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/let-run-back-former-lake-144000462.html|title=‘Let’s run it back’: Joe Bryant Jr., Kris Bankston will return to Norfolk State for another season|date=May 5, 2022|website=Yahoo|author=Jami Frankenberry }} He was named 2021-22 All-MEAC 2nd Team, and 2021-22 MEAC All-Defense, while also being named NSU AD Honor Roll both semesters.{{Cite web|url=https://meacsports.com/news/2023/6/26/mens-basketball-nsus-bankston-named-to-minnesota-timberwolves-summer-league-roster.aspx|title=NSU's Bankston Named to Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League Roster|date=June 25, 2023|website=MEAC Sports}} In 2022-23 he averaged 14.2 points (5th in the MEAC), 7.1 rebounds (2nd), and 1.5 blocks (2nd) per game, with a .694 two-point field goal percentage (1st in the MEAC). He was named 2022-23 All-MEAC 1st Team, 2022-23 MEAC All-Defense, and 2023 All-MEAC Tournament.
In college, in 143 games Bankston scored 70.8% of his field goal attempts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/basketball/hbcu-all-star-signed-by-minnesota-for-nba-summer-league|title=HBCU All-Star Bankston Signed By Minnesota T-Wolves for NBA Summer League|first=Kyle T.|last=Mosley|date=June 25, 2023|website=HBCU Legends}}
Following the 2022-23 season, he played in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, averaging 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game in three games.{{Cite web|url=https://clutchpoints.com/hbcu-news-norfolk-state-center-kris-bankston-timberwolves-nba-summer-league|title=MEAC's Kris Bankston to play for Timberwolves in Summer League|first=Quenton|last=Albertie|date=June 28, 2023|website=ClutchPoints}} On April 2, 2023, Bankston was an Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) All-Star at the 2nd Annual HBCU All-Star Game in Houston, Texas.
In April 2023, Bankston jumped a vertical jump of 34.5 inches at the HBCU Pro Day Combine, which would have been second-best at the 2022 NBA Combine.{{Cite web|url=https://hbcugameday.com/2023/04/02/hbcu-all-star-kris-bankston-incredible-vertical-leap/|title=HBCU All-Star: Kris Bankston shows off incredible vertical leap|first=Steven J.|last=Gaither|date=April 2, 2023|website=HBCU Gameday}}
Professional career
In July 2023, Bankston played for the Minnesota Timberwolves' NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas, Nevada.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/06/25/region-state-roundup-timberwolves-sign-norfolk-states-kris-bankston-for-nba-vegas-summer-league/|title=Region/state roundup: Timberwolves sign Norfolk State’s Kris Bankston for NBA Vegas Summer League|work=The Virginian-Pilot|date=June 26, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://hbcusports.com/2023/06/25/norfolk-state-center-kris-bankston-to-play-in-nba-summer-league/|title=Norfolk State center Kris Bankston to play in NBA Summer League|first=Jarrett|last=Hoffman|date=June 25, 2023|work=HBCU Sports}} In a total of 34 minutes of play, he had 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/|title=2024 Fantasy Basketball Rankings, News and Draft Kit|website=RotoWire}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/basketball/nba-summer-league-hbcu-players-to-watch-2023|title=NBA Summer League | HBCU Players To Watch|first=Mason Smith and Kyle T.|last=Mosley|date=July 6, 2023|website=HBCU Legends}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/2023-summer-league-vegas-player-stats?dir=A&sort=MIN|title=2023 Summer League | Vegas | Player Stats|website=NBA.com}}
=Aris Midea Thessaloniki=
In 2023 he played with Aris Midea Thessaloniki.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/kris-bankston-1.html|title=Kris Bankston International Stats|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://germanhoops.com/2024/01/29/kris-bangstonaris-thessaloniki-is-working-to-add-more-of-a-perimeter-game-in-greece/|title=Kris Bankston(Aris Thessaloniki) Is Working To Add More Of A Perimeter Game In Greece|work=German Hoops|first=Miles|last=Schmidt-Scheuber|date=January 29, 2024}} Bankston was 9th in the Greek Basket League with an average of 0.8 blocks per game, as he averaged 8.2 points and shot 70.2% on two-point shots from the field.
=Hapoel Be'er Sheva=
On July 17, 2023, Bankston signed with Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, for whom he has played forward and center, wearing uniform #30.{{Cite web|url=https://basket.co.il/player.asp?PlayerId=13273&lang=en|title=ISRAEL BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE | Israel Basketball | 2023-24 Season | Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Be'er Sheva/Dimona | Kris Bankston|website=basket.co.il}} He has been playing for the team since.{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Kris-Bankston/Summary/122332|title=Kris Bankston Player Profile, Norfolk State - RealGM|website=basketball.realgm.com}} He said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am blessed to be able to experience it."{{Cite web|url=https://nsuspartans.com/news/2023/7/21/mens-basketball-bankston-tate-ink-professional-contracts-overseas.aspx|title=Bankston, Tate Ink Professional Contracts Overseas|date=June 13, 2024|website=Norfolk State University Athletics}}
=Tofaş=
On July 5, 2024, he signed with Tofaş of Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).{{Cite web|url=https://www.tofasspor.com/haber-3152-ailemize_hos_geldin_kris_bankston|title=Ailemize Hoş Geldin: Kris Bankston|last=|first=|date=July 5, 2024|website=tofasspor.com|publisher=|language=tr|access-date=October 5, 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
- [https://www.instagram.com/kristhefuture/?hl=en Instagram page]
{{Tofaş S.K. current roster}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bankston, Kris}}
{{Authority control|qid=Q100744406}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Arkansas
Category:Hapoel Be'er Sheva B.C. players
Category:Little Rock Trojans men's basketball players
Category:Norfolk State Spartans men's basketball players