Marcus Sasser
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Marcus Sasser
| image = Marcus Sasser (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Sasser with Houston in 2019
| position = Shooting guard / point guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 195
| number = 25
| team = Detroit Pistons
| league = NBA
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|9|21}}
| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.
| high_school = Red Oak (Red Oak, Texas)
| college = Houston (2019–2023)
| draft_year = 2023
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 25
| draft_team = Memphis Grizzlies
| career_start = 2023
| years1 = {{nbay|2023|start}}–present
| team1 = Detroit Pistons
| highlights =
- Consensus first-team All-American (2023)
- Jerry West Award (2023)
- AAC Player of the Year (2023)
- First-team All-AAC (2023)
- Second-team All-AAC (2021)
- AAC All-Freshman Team (2020)
}}
Marcus Jerome Sasser Jr. (born September 21, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Houston Cougars.
High school career
Sasser played basketball for Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas under the coaching of his uncle, Jason.{{cite web |last1=Duarte |first1=Joseph |title=Houston freshman Marcus Sasser carries on family legacy |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Houston-freshman-Marcus-Sasser-carries-on-family-15058002.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=February 14, 2020}} As a senior, he was named District 14-5A most valuable player and Class 5A All-State.{{cite web |title=Dallas-area all-district boys basketball teams: See MVPs, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year and more |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/2019/03/21/dallas-area-all-district-boys-basketball-teams-see-mvps-offensive-and-defensive-players-of-the-year-and-more/ |website=The Dallas Morning News |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=March 21, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Gosset |first1=Brian |title=Check out which high school boys and girls basketball players from DFW made TABC All-State |url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/dfwvarsity/article228061149.html |website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=March 17, 2019}} Sasser committed to playing college basketball for Houston over offers from Colorado State, SMU and UTEP.{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Kris |title=Marcus Sasser Jr. commits to Houston Cougars |url=https://www.thehrr.com/NCAAM/News_and_info/2018/9/25_Marcus_SasserJr_commits_to_UH.html |website=The Houston Roundball Review |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=September 25, 2018}}
College career
After struggling at first, Sasser joined Houston's starting lineup in the second half of his freshman season.{{cite web |last1=Duarte |first1=Joseph |title=Marcus Sasser travels uphill road to become UH starter |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/cougars/article/Marcus-Sasser-travels-uphill-road-to-become-UH-15011589.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=January 28, 2020}} On February 15, 2020, he scored a season-high 26 points in a 73–72 overtime loss to SMU.{{cite web |last1=Duarte |first1=Joseph |title=Future of UH basketball: Caleb Mills and Marcus Sasser |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Future-of-UH-basketball-Caleb-Mills-Marcus-15074437.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=February 21, 2020}} As a freshman, Sasser averaged 8.1 points and shot 35.2 percent from three-point range.{{cite web |last1=Mueller |first1=James |title=Conquering the third lap: How Marcus Sasser has taken the next step as both a player and leader |url=https://thedailycougar.com/2020/11/03/conquering-the-third-lap-how-marcus-sasser-has-taken-the-next-step-as-both-a-player-and-leader/ |website=The Daily Cougar |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=November 3, 2020}} He was named to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) All-Freshman Team.{{cite web |last1=Romero |first1=Jhair |title=Caleb Mills, Nate Hinton among Cougars on All-AAC teams |url=http://thedailycougar.com/2020/03/10/caleb-mills-nate-hinton-among-cougars-on-all-aac-teams/ |website=The Daily Cougar |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=March 10, 2020}} In his sophomore season debut on November 25, Sasser scored 25 points, making seven three-pointers, in an 89–45 victory over Lamar.{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=Jala |title=UH routs Lamar behind Marcus Sasser's dominant outing |url=https://thedailycougar.com/2020/11/25/uh-lamar-marcus-sasser/ |website=The Daily Cougar |access-date=December 31, 2020 |date=November 25, 2020}} On January 9, 2021, he scored 28 points with eight three-pointers in a 71–50 win over Tulane.{{cite web |title=Sasser scores 28, No. 11 Houston beats Tulane 71-50 |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401264266 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=January 10, 2021 |date=January 9, 2021}} As a sophomore, Sasser averaged 13.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, helping Houston reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.{{cite news |last1=Duarte |first1=Joseph |title=Breaking it down: Houston vs. Hofstra basketball season opener |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Houston-Cougars-Hofstra-basketball-preview-16606773.php |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=November 9, 2021}} He was named to the Second Team All-AAC.{{cite web |title=American Athletic Conference Announces Men's Basketball Honors |url=https://theamerican.org/news/2021/3/9/american-athletic-conference-announces-mens-basketball-honors.aspx |website=American Athletic Conference |access-date=December 12, 2021 |date=March 10, 2021}} On December 24, 2021, Sasser announced that an injury to his toe would end his 2021–22 season. At the time, he led Houston with 17.7 points per game.{{cite news |last1=Medcalf |first1=Myron |title=Houston Cougars' Marcus Sasser done for season with toe injury |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/32935128/houston-marcus-sasser-says-done-season-toe-injury |access-date=December 25, 2021 |work=ESPN |date=December 24, 2021}}
Professional career
=Detroit Pistons (2023–present)=
Sasser was drafted 25th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2023 NBA draft. On draft day, his rights were traded to the Detroit Pistons.{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2023/06/22/detroit-pistons-trade-marcus-sasser-nba-draft-boston-celtics/70346726007/ |title=Detroit Pistons trade up for Houston's Marcus Sasser with No. 25 pick in NBA draft 2023 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |first1=Omari |last1=Sankofa II |first2=Marlowe |last2=Alter |date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=June 22, 2023}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=NBA=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2023}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Detroit
| 71 || 11 || 19.0 || .428 || .375 || .879 || 1.8 || 3.3 || .6 || .2 || 8.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2024}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Detroit
| 57 || 1 || 14.2 || .463 || .382 || .843 || 1.2 || 2.3 || .6 || .1 || 6.6
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 128 || 12 || 16.9 || .441 || .378 || .863 || 1.5 || 2.9 || .6 || .1 || 7.5
{{S-end}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 30 || 17 || 23.8 || .363 || .352 || .758 || 2.4 || 1.7 || .6 || .1 || 8.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 29 || 28 || 31.9 || .380 || .335 || .852 || 2.6 || 2.2 || 1.4 || .0 || 13.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 12 || 12 || 32.0 || .437 || .437 || .744 || 2.8 || 2.6 || 2.2 || .1 || 17.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 36 || 36 || 30.8 || .438 || .384 || .848 || 2.8 || 3.1 || 1.6 || .2 || 16.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 107 || 93 || 29.3 || .406 || .369 || .824 || 2.7 || 2.4 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.6
{{S-end}}
Personal life
Sasser's father, Marcus Sr., played basketball for Frank Phillips College. His uncles, Jeryl and Jason, were All-American college players and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Sasser's great-grandfather, John Barber, played in the NBA.{{cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Keith |title=Former Red Oak Star Marcus Sasser Has Houston In Sweet 16 And Basketball In His Blood |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/former-red-oak-star-marcus-sasser-houston-sweet-16/ |website=CBS News |access-date=September 9, 2023 |date=March 26, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://uhcougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/marcus-sasser/5904 Houston Cougars bio]
{{Detroit Pistons current roster}}
{{navboxes|list=
{{2023 NBA draft}}
{{2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Jerry West Award}}
{{American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sasser, Marcus}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:All-American college men's basketball players
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Dallas
Category:Detroit Pistons players
Category:Houston Cougars men's basketball players