Noah Vonleh

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Noah Vonleh

| image = Noah Vonleh (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Vonleh with the Indiana Hoosiers in 2014

| position = Power forward / Center

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 257

| league =

| team = Free agent

| number =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|8|24}}

| birth_place = Salem, Massachusetts, U.S.

| high_school = * Haverhill (Haverhill, Massachusetts)

New Hampton School
(New Hampton, New Hampshire)

| college = Indiana (2013–2014)

| draft_year = 2014

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 9

| draft_team = Charlotte Hornets

| career_start = 2014

| years1 = {{nbay|2014|full=y}}

| team1 = Charlotte Hornets

| years2 = 2014

| team2 = →Fort Wayne Mad Ants

| years3 = {{nbay|2015|start}}–{{nbay|2017|end}}

| team3 = Portland Trail Blazers

| years4 = {{nbay|2017|end}}

| team4 = Chicago Bulls

| years5 = {{nbay|2018|full=y}}

| team5 = New York Knicks

| years6 = {{nbay|2019|full=y}}

| team6 = Minnesota Timberwolves

| years7 = {{nbay|2019|end}}

| team7 = Denver Nuggets

| years8 = {{nbay|2020|end}}

| team8 = Brooklyn Nets

| years9 = 2021–2022

| team9 = Shanghai Sharks

| team10 = Boston Celtics

| years10 = {{nbay|2022|full=y}}

| years11 = 2023–2024

| team11 = Shanghai Sharks

| highlights = * Third-team All-Big Ten (2014)

Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2014)
Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2014)
McDonald's All-American (2013)

}}

Noah Vonleh ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|v|ɒ|n|l|eɪ}} {{respell|VON|lay}}; born August 24, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers.

High school career

Vonleh attended Haverhill High School in Haverhill, Massachusetts, before transferring to New Hampton School in New Hampton, New Hampshire, in 2011.{{cite web | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/23/teams-intrigued-noah-vonleh-physical-tools/FvhO9ZZssQxOTIxTDZMmUO/story.html | title=Noah Vonleh's physical tools intrigue NBA teams | work=BostonGlobe.com | date=June 24, 2014 | access-date=June 25, 2014 | last=Holmes | first=Baxter}} He reclassified and repeated his sophomore year at New Hampton.{{cite web|first=Brendan C.|last=Hall|title=Player Perspective: Noah Vonleh|date=August 4, 2011|work=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/8749/player-perspective-noah-vonleh|access-date=March 10, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Will|last=McCulloch|title=A Statement Regarding Reclassification of Noah Vonleh|date=September 24, 2012|publisher=New Hampton School|url=https://www.newhampton.org/news-detail?pk=801316|access-date=March 10, 2023}} In 2011–12, Vonleh averaged 16 points and nine rebounds per game. Prior to the 2012–13 season, he reclassified back to the class of 2013.{{cite web|first=Dave|last=Telep|title=Noah Vonleh re-enters Class of 2013|date=September 25, 2012|work=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/8420550/blue-chip-forward-noah-vonleh-reclassify-class-2013|access-date=March 10, 2023}} As a senior, he averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per game, going on to earn McDonald's All-American honors.{{cite web|url=http://iuhoosiers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4455&path=mbball|title=Indiana Hoosiers – Noah Vonleh – 2013–14|work=IUHoosiers.com|access-date=November 20, 2017}}

On November 10, 2012, Vonleh signed a letter of intent to play for Indiana University, turning down offers from Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA, and Ohio State, among others. Upon committing to Indiana he said, "Their academics are good, they're the No. 1 team in the country and they've got another great class coming in next year."{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/8618967/no-8-senior-prospect-noah-vonleh-chooses-hoosiers | title=Noah Vonleh chooses Indiana | work=ESPN.com | date=November 11, 2012 | access-date=February 3, 2013 | author=Finkelstein, Adam}}

{{College athlete recruit entry

| recruit = Noah Vonleh

| position = PF

| hometown = Haverhill, Massachusetts

| highschool = New Hampton School

| feet = 6

| inches = 9

| weight = 235

| commitdate = November 10, 2012

| scout stars = 5

| rivals stars = 5

| 247 stars = 5

| espn stars = 5

}}

{{College athlete recruit end

| 40 = no

| year =

| rivals ref title =

| scout ref title =

| espn ref title =

| rivals school =

| scout s =

| espn schoolid =

| accessdate = April 8, 2014

| archivedate =

| rivals archiveurl=

| scout archiveurl =

| espn archiveurl =

| bball = yes

}}

College career

In his lone season at Indiana, Vonleh was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and third team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. In 30 games (29 starts), he averaged 11.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/noah-vonleh-1.html|title=Noah Vonleh Stats|work=sports-reference.com|access-date=September 30, 2015}}

On April 3, 2014, Vonleh declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.{{cite web | url=http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/040314aad.html | title=Noah Vonleh Declares For NBA Draft | work=IUHoosiers.com | date=April 3, 2014 | access-date=April 8, 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409011751/http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/040314aad.html | archive-date=April 9, 2014 }}

Professional career

=Charlotte Hornets (2014–2015)=

On June 26, 2014, Vonleh was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-select-noah-vonleh|title=Hornets Select Noah Vonleh|work=NBA.com|date=June 26, 2014|access-date=September 30, 2015}} On July 25, 2014, he signed with the Hornets.{{cite web|url=http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=16332|title=Hornets sign first-round draft pick Noah Vonleh|work=InsideHoops.com|date=July 25, 2014|access-date=September 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514151647/http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=16332|archive-date=May 14, 2018|url-status=dead}} On September 2, 2014, he underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia and was ruled out for six to eight weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hornets/vonleh-undergoes-successful-surgery|title=Vonleh Undergoes Successful Surgery|work=NBA.com|date=September 2, 2014|access-date=September 30, 2015}} After making just four appearances for the Hornets to start the 2014–15 season, he was assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League on December 28, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-assign-noah-vonleh-fort-wayne-mad-ants-nba-d-league|title=Hornets Assign Noah Vonleh To Fort Wayne Mad Ants of NBA D-League|work=NBA.com|date=December 28, 2014|access-date=September 30, 2015}} He was recalled three days later.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-recall-noah-vonleh-fort-wayne-mad-ants|title=Hornets Recall Noah Vonleh from Fort Wayne Mad Ants|work=NBA.com|date=December 31, 2014|access-date=December 31, 2014}} On April 12, 2015, he had a season-best game with 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons. Three days later in Charlotte's season finale, Vonleh had another 12-rebound game against the Toronto Raptors.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vonleno01/gamelog/2015/|title=Noah Vonleh 2014-15 Game Log|work=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=November 20, 2017}}

=Portland Trail Blazers (2015–2018)=

On June 24, 2015, Vonleh was traded, along with Gerald Henderson, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Nicolas Batum.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-acquire-gerald-henderson-and-noah-vonleh-nicolas-batum|title=Trail Blazers Acquire Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson from Charlotte|work=NBA.com|date=June 24, 2015|access-date=June 24, 2015}} On November 15, 2015, he registered his first career start in a game against his former team, the Charlotte Hornets. In just under 24 minutes of action, he recorded nine points and six rebounds.{{cite web|last=Freeman|first=Joe|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2015/11/trail_blazers_notes_firsts_for_noah_vonleh_and_cli.html|title=Trail Blazers notes: Noah Vonleh and Cliff Alexander make different debuts, Damian Lillard makes progress|work=oregonlive.com|date=November 16, 2015|access-date=November 16, 2015}} On January 23, 2016, he scored a season-high 11 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. In late March, Vonleh was replaced in the starting lineup by Maurice Harkless.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vonleno01/gamelog/2016/|title=Noah Vonleh 2015-16 Game Log|work=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=June 20, 2016}}

In his 47 games prior to center Jusuf Nurkić joining the Trail Blazers in a trade in February 2017, Vonleh averaged just 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 13 minutes per game. With Nurkić in the lineup, Vonleh began to thrive after the All-Star Break,{{cite web|last=Buchanan|first=Ryne|url=https://www.blazersedge.com/2017/5/11/15587498/noah-vonleh-2016-17-nba-season-review-portland-trail-blazers|title=Noah Vonleh 2016-17 Season in Review|work=blazersedge.com|date=May 11, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2017}} averaging 6.7 points on 57.5% shooting and 7.2 rebounds in the final 26 games of the season. Vonleh recorded four double-doubles in that span, and netted his first game-winner as Portland topped the San Antonio Spurs at the buzzer on April 10.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/2016-17-player-profile-noah-vonleh/|title=2016-17 Player Profile: Noah Vonleh|work=NBA.com|date=May 12, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514172355/http://www.nba.com/blazers/2016-17-player-profile-noah-vonleh/|archive-date=May 14, 2018|url-status=dead}} He had 11 double-digit rebounding performances during the season, with six coming in March and April, culminating in a career-high 19-rebound game against the New Orleans Pelicans in the regular season finale.

On November 20, 2017, Vonleh had a season-best game with 11 points and 18 rebounds in a 100–92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400974997|title=McCollum has 29 points to lead Portland past Memphis|work=ESPN.com|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2017}}

=Chicago Bulls (2018)=

On February 8, 2018, Vonleh was traded, along with cash considerations, to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Milovan Raković.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-complete-trade-trail-blazers|title=BULLS COMPLETE TRADE WITH TRAIL BLAZERS|work=NBA.com|date=February 8, 2018|access-date=February 8, 2018}}

=New York Knicks (2018–2019)=

On July 24, 2018, Vonleh signed with the New York Knicks.{{cite web |title=New York Knicks Sign Noah Vonleh |url=https://www.nba.com/knicks/front-office-news/new-york-knicks-sign-noah-vonleh |website=NBA.com |access-date=July 24, 2018 |date=July 24, 2018}} On January 25, 2019, he had a career-high 22 points and 13 rebounds in a 109–99 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071394|title=Even without Dinwiddie, Nets' bench too much for Knicks|work=ESPN.com|date=January 25, 2019|access-date=January 25, 2019}}

=Minnesota Timberwolves (2019–2020)=

On July 8, 2019, Vonleh signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves.{{cite web|title=Timberwolves Sign Noah Vonleh|url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/timberwolves-sign-noah-vonleh|website=NBA.com|access-date=July 9, 2019|date=July 8, 2019}}

=Denver Nuggets (2020)=

On February 5, 2020, the Timberwolves traded Vonleh to the Denver Nuggets in a four-team trade.{{cite web |title=Denver Nuggets Acquire Bates-Diop, Napier, Vonleh, Green and First-Round Pick in Four-Team Trade |url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets-four-team-trade-020520a |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 6, 2020 |date=February 5, 2020}}

On November 27, 2020, Vonleh signed with the Chicago Bulls.{{cite tweet |user=chicagobulls |number=1332383192142278658 |date=November 27, 2020 |title=We have signed forward Noah Vonleh. Welcome back, Noah!}}{{cite web |last1=Collier |first1=Jamal |title=Chicago Bulls agree to 1-year deals with Noah Vonleh and Zach Norvell before training camp starts next week |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/ct-chicago-bulls-noah-vonleh-20201126-o72hvhm37zdhrimy7quzcj7ori-story.html |website=chicagotribune.com |access-date=December 1, 2020 |date=November 26, 2020}} He was waived by the Bulls on December 14.

=Brooklyn Nets (2021)=

On February 8, 2021, Vonleh signed with the Brooklyn Nets.{{cite web |title=Brooklyn Nets Sign Noah Vonleh |url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2021/02/08/brooklyn-nets-sign-noah-vonleh |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 8, 2021 |date=February 8, 2021}} He played four games for the Nets before being waived.{{cite web |title=Brooklyn Nets Waive Three Players |url=https://www.nba.com/nets/brooklyn-nets-waive-three-players |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 24, 2021 |date=February 23, 2021}}

=Shanghai Sharks (2021–2022)=

On September 18, 2021, Vonleh signed with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.{{cite web|title=Jimmer Fredette, Noah Vonleh Sign With Shanghai Sharks|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/264112/Jimmer-Fredette-Noah-Vonleh-Sign-With-Shanghai-Sharks|website=RealGM.com|date=September 18, 2021|access-date=September 19, 2021}}

= Boston Celtics (2022–2023) =

On August 2, 2022, Vonleh signed with his hometown team the Boston Celtics on a 1-year deal.{{cite web|first=Kurt|last=Helin|title=Celtics reportedly sign forward Noah Vonleh to one-year contract|url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/02/celtics-reportedly-sign-forward-noah-vonleh-to-one-year-contract/|website=ProBasketballTalk {{!}} NBC Sports|date=August 2, 2022|access-date=October 2, 2022}} On October 15, 2022, reports confirmed Vonleh secured a Celtics roster spot for the 2022 regular season.{{cite web|first=Adam|last=Himmelsbach|title=Haverhill native Noah Vonleh earns roster spot with Celtics|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/15/sports/noah-vonleh-earns-roster-spot-with-celtics/|work=Boston Globe|date=October 15, 2022|access-date=October 15, 2022}} On January 5, 2023, Vonleh was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for draft consideration. The Spurs then waived Vonleh later that day.{{cite web|title=Celtics Complete Trade|url=https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/celtics-complete-trade|website=NBA.com|date=January 5, 2023|access-date=January 5, 2023}}

=Second stint with the Shanghai Sharks (2023–present)=

On August 17, 2023, Vonleh signed with the Shanghai Sharks.{{cite news|first=Dario|last=Skerletic|title=Shangai Sharks sign Noah Vonleh, Yogi Ferrell|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/shangai-sharks-sign-noah-vonleh-yogi-ferrell/|newspaper=Sportando|date=August 17, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}

Career statistics

=NBA=

==Regular season==

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2014}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Charlotte

| 25 || 0 || 10.4 || .395 || .385 || .692 || 3.4 || .2 || .2 || .4 || 3.3

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2015}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 78 || 56 || 15.1 || .421 || .239 || .745 || 3.9 || .4 || .3 || .3 || 3.6

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2016}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 74 || 41 || 17.1 || .481 || .350 || .638 || 5.2 || .4 || .4 || .4 || 4.4

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2017}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 33 || 12 || 14.4 || .490 || .333 || .742 || 5.1 || .4 || .2 || .3 || 3.6

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2017}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Chicago

| 21 || 4 || 19.0 || .413 || .300 || .481 || 6.9 || 1.0 || .6 || .3 || 6.9

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2018}}

| style="text-align:left;"|New York

| 68 || 57 || 25.3 || .470 || .336 || .712 || 7.8 || 1.9 || .7 || .8 || 8.4

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2019}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Minnesota

| 29 || 1 || 12.0 || .547 || .143 || .821 || 4.0 || .9 || .4 || .2 || 4.1

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2019}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Denver

| 7 || 0 || 4.3 || .833 || 1.000 || .500 || 1.1 || .3 || .0 || .0 || 1.9

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2020}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .000 || .000 || {{sort|-|—}} || .3 || .3 || .0 || .0 || .0

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2022}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Boston

| 23 || 1 || 7.4 || .458 || .250 || 1.000 || 2.1 || .3 || .1 || .3 || 1.1

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 362 || 172 || 16.2 || .459 || .307 || .692 || 4.9 || .7 || .4 || .4 || 4.7

==Playoffs==

| style="text-align:left;"|2016

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 6 || 0 || 2.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .7 || .3 || .3 || .0 || .0

| style="text-align:left;"|2017

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 4 || 2 || 25.0 || .444 || .000 || .000 || 7.3 || 2.0 || .3 || 1.0 || 4.5

| style="text-align:left;"|2020

| style="text-align:left;"|Denver

| 1 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 11 || 2 || 10.5 || .364 || .000 || .400 || 3.0 || .9 || .3 || .3 || 1.6

=College=

| style="text-align:left;"|2013–14

| style="text-align:left;"|Indiana

| 30 || 29 || 26.5 || .523 || .485 || .716 || 9.0 || .6 || .9 || 1.4 || 11.3

Personal life

Vonleh is the son of Samuel Vonleh and Renell Kumeh, and has two siblings: Samnell Vonleh, and Aaronette Vonleh, a college basketball player currently at Baylor University. She previously played at the University of Arizona (2021-2022) and the University of Colorado Boulder (2022-2024).{{cite web|url= https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/aaronette-vonleh/13222|title=Aaronette Vonleh - Women’s Basketball - Baylor University|work=baylorbears.com|date= March 9, 2025|access-date=March 9, 2025}} His paternal great-grandfather, Chief Blahsue Vonleh, was Paramount Chief of the Doe Clan, Nimba County, Liberia from 1920 until his death in 1947.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201405220536.html|title=Liberia: NBA Bound - Grandson of Former Nimba Chief On Lakers, Celtics Radar|work=AllAfrica.com|date=May 22, 2015|access-date=September 30, 2015}}