Jamaal Eric Franklin (born July 21, 1991) is an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the

Chinese Basketball Association The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier men's professional basketball league in China. The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...

(CBA). Franklin played

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

for

San Diego State San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system. SDSU is ...

, where he was the

Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...

Player of the Year as well as an

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

in his junior season. He was selected with the 41st overall pick in the

2013 NBA draft The 2013 NBA draft was held on June 27, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including internation ...

by the

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...

and spent two seasons in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA) with the Grizzlies and

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

. Franklin played eight seasons in the

from 2014 to 2022. He has also played in the

NBA Development League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is a professional basketball league in North America that serves as the developmental league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of the 2024–25 season, ...

, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

Early life

Franklin was raised by his mother, Felicia Price. He and Price moved from

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

to the rural town of

Phelan, California Phelan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, in the Victor Valley of the Mojave Desert, north of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population was 14,304 in the 2010 census. History Origin ...

, when he was aged eight.

High school career

Franklin played four years at

Serrano High School Serrano High School is a public high school in the High Desert (California), California High Desert community of Phelan, California. It serves students from Phelan, Wrightwood, California, Wrightwood and Piñon Hills, California, Piñon Hills. It i ...

in Phelan then played a prep season at Westwind Prep in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

. As a senior at Serrano, he led the state of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in scoring at 31.7

points per game Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player or team per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of poi ...

and was a two-time All-

California Interscholastic Federation The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is the governing body for high school sports in the U.S. state of California. CIF membership includes both public and private high schools. Unlike most other state organizations, it does not have s ...

selection. In his season at Westwind, he averaged 18.5 points and 6.3

rebounds per game 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...

. Franklin was rated as the 24th-best shooting guard in the class of 2009 coming out of

and had an

ESPN.com ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN. It is owned by ESPN Internet Ventures, a division of ESPN Inc. History Since launching in April 1995 as ESPNET.SportsZone.com (ESPNET SportsZone), the website has developed numerous sections including ...

grade of 90. Out of high school, Franklin was offered to play basketball at

Long Beach State University California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known in athletics as Long Beach State University (LBSU), is a public teaching-focused institution in Long Beach, California, United States. The 322-acre campus is the second largest in the ...

and

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...

. Franklin played three different sports at

: basketball, football (wide receiver and free safety), and track and field, where he was a state high jumper.

College career

Franklin enrolled at

to play for coach Steve Fisher. As a freshman, he was part of arguably the best season in school history, along with teammates

Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Anthony Leonard ( ; born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A two-time NBA champion, he is a six-time NBA All-Star, All-Star and a six- ...

and

Malcolm Thomas Malcolm Thomas may refer to: * Malcolm Thomas (basketball, born 1988), American professional basketball player * Malcolm Thomas (basketball, born 1963), American college basketball player * Malcolm Thomas (rugby union) (1929–2012), Welsh rugby pla ...

, as the Aztecs went 34–3 and captured a #2 seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Franklin averaged 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per game. In his sophomore campaign, Franklin was thrust into the starting lineup as the Aztecs returned only one starter. He responded by averaging 17.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and leading the Aztecs to an unexpected shared regular-season title and a #6 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Franklin was named Mountain West player of the year and was recognized nationally as an

by the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

. Franklin resisted the lure of the professional ranks and returned to San Diego State in

2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

for his junior season. He went on to average 16.9 points and 9.5 rebounds in 32 games. On April 12, 2013, Franklin announced he would forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft.

Professional career

Memphis Grizzlies (2013–2014)

On June 27, 2013, Franklin was selected with the 41st overall pick by the

. On July 26, 2013, he signed with the Grizzlies despite not appearing for them in the

2013 NBA Summer League The 2013 NBA Summer League is a pro basketball league run by the NBA just after the 2013 NBA draft. It gives newly drafted players a chance to test their skills against each other, and to give them a feel for professional basketball. All 30 NBA ...

. During his rookie season, he had multiple assignments with the

Fort Wayne Mad Ants The Noblesville Boom are an American professional basketball team based in Noblesville, Indiana that competes in the NBA G League. The Boom are the affiliate team of the NBA's Indiana Pacers and, since 2025, they have played their home games at ...

of the

. In July 2014, Franklin joined the Grizzlies for the

2014 NBA Summer League The 2014 NBA Summer League consists of two pro basketball leagues organized by the NBA and the Orlando Magic just after the 2014 NBA draft. Ten teams took part in the week-long summer league at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, from July 5 t ...

. On August 31, 2014, he was waived by the Grizzlies.

Zhejiang Lions (2014–2015)

On October 7, 2014, Franklin signed a two-month contract with the

Zhejiang Lions The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions () are a Chinese professional basketball team based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, which plays in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association. Guangsha is the name of the club's corporate sponsor, but to prevent con ...

of the

. On November 26, 2014, he signed a one-month contract extension with the Lions. Later that day, he scored 53 points on 19-of-29 shooting in Zhejiang's 120–112 win over the Chongqing Flying Dragons. On January 5, 2015, he left Zhejiang after appearing in 26 games. Over those 26 games, he averaged 28.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Los Angeles D-Fenders (2015)

On January 21, 2015, Franklin was acquired by the

Los Angeles D-Fenders The South Bay Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, that competes in the NBA G League. Founded in 2006 as the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were the first ...

of the NBA Development League. On February 21, he had a season-best game with 27 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to the

Austin Spurs The Austin Spurs are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Cedar Park, Texas, and are affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs. The team plays their home games at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. The team has made the po ...

Denver Nuggets (2015)

On April 12, 2015, Franklin signed with the

. He made his debut for the team later that day, recording one rebound and one assist in a 122–111 win over the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...

. On July 13, 2015, he was waived by the Nuggets.

Second stint in D-League (2015–2016)

On August 29, 2015, Franklin signed with the

Guangdong Southern Tigers Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers () or Guangdong Southern Tigers, also known as Guangdong Dongguan Bank () for sponsorship reasons, are a Chinese professional basketball team owned by the Guangdong Winnerway (Hongyuan) Group. The team is one of ...

of the Chinese Basketball Association, but left the team before appearing in a game for them. On December 4, he was reacquired by the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

Shanxi Brave Dragons (2015–2016)

On December 18, Franklin parted ways with the D-Fenders and signed with the

Shanxi Brave Dragons The Shanxi Loongs, also known as Shanxi SDIC Raptors Club or Shanxi Fenjiu Shares are a Chinese professional basketball team based in Taiyuan, Shanxi, which plays in the Northern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). The Shanxi Fe ...

(Shanxi Zhongyu) of the Chinese Basketball Association. On January 10, 2016, Franklin recorded 44 points, 10 rebounds and 20 assists in a 133–123 win over the Jilin Tigers. He dominated the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging incredible numbers during his time with Shanxi. In 19 games, he averaged a

triple-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...

with 33.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 10.3 assists, in addition to 3.3 steals and 1.5 blocks.

Brujos de Guayama (2016)

On April 5, 2016, Franklin signed with Brujos de Guayama of the Puerto Rican

Baloncesto Superior Nacional The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. T ...

. He left the team later that month after appearing in just four games.

Third stint in China (2016–2017)

In May 2016, Franklin re-signed with the

for the 2016–17 season. On November 14, 2016, Franklin scored 61 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in a 125–104 win over the

Beijing Ducks The Beijing Shougang Ducks (''simplified Chinese'': 北京首钢霹雳鸭俱乐部篮球队), also known as Beijing Shougang or Beijing Ducks, are a professional basketball team based in Beijing, China, which plays in the North Division of th ...

. Franklin's performance was the first 60-point triple-double in the history of the CBA.

Sichuan Blue Whales (2017–2019)

In July 2017, Franklin signed with the

Sichuan Blue Whales The Sichuan Jinqiang Blue Whales (sometimes spelled Whale) (四川金强蓝鲸), also known as Sichuan Jinqiang or Sichuan Jinrong Industry, are a professional basketball team based in Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, which plays in t ...

. He re-signed with the team in August 2018.

Shanxi Loongs (2019–2021)

On July 29, 2019, Franklin agreed to a contract to re-join the Shanxi team, which had been renamed the Shanxi Loongs. On December 10, 2019, Franklin collected a quadruple-double with forty-two points, twelve rebounds, twelve assists and ten steals in a 110–114 loss to the

Xinjiang Flying Tigers The Xinjiang Flying Tigers () is a professional basketball team based in Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China. The team plays its home games at the Urumqi Olympic Sports Center, which has a capacity for 12,000 spectators. The club joined the Chinese Bas ...

. He averaged 30.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. On September 12, 2020, Franklin re-signed with the team.

Shanghai Sharks (2021–2022)

In October 2021, Franklin joined the

Shanghai Sharks The Shanghai Sharks ( zh, s=上海久事大鲨鱼, t=上海久事大鯊魚, p=Shànghǎi Jǐushì Dàshāyú) are a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai. The Sharks, who share their colors with the New York Knicks, are best know ...

of the Chinese Basketball Association. He played 40 games for the Sharks during the 2021–22 season. He re-joined the Sharks for the 2022–23 season, but left after nine games.

Converge FiberXers (2023)

On January 25, 2023, Franklin signed with the

Converge FiberXers The Converge FiberXers are a professional basketball team owned by Converge ICT. The team competes in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The franchise began after acquiring the former Alaska Aces franchise on March 23, 2022. History ...

of the

Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines, composed of twelve company-branded Franchising, franchise teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia ...

(PBA) to replace Ethan Rusbatch as the team's import for the

2023 PBA Governors' Cup The 2023 PBA Governors' Cup was the third and final conference of the 2022–23 PBA season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The 21st edition of the Governors' Cup started on January 22 and ended on April 21, 2023. The tournament ...

. On July 28, 2023, Franklin signed with the

Adelaide 36ers The Adelaide 36ers are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in the state's capital of Adela ...

of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2023–24 season. He was released by the 36ers on September 25, 2023, prior to the start of the regular season.

Guangzhou Loong Lions (2025–present)

On March 4, 2025, Franklin signed with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

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Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Mem ...

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Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

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Playoffs

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Personal life

Franklin is the cousin of platinum music producer,

Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), known professionally as Hit-Boy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first signed with fellow producer Polow da Don in 2007 as in-house production staff for his l ...

References

External links

SDSU bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Jamaal 1991 births Living people 21st-century African-American sportsmen American expatriate basketball people in China American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines American men's basketball players Converge FiberXers players Denver Nuggets players Fort Wayne Mad Ants players Los Angeles D-Fenders players Memphis Grizzlies draft picks Memphis Grizzlies players Sportspeople from Moreno Valley, California Philippine Basketball Association imports San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball players Shanghai Sharks players Shanxi Loongs players Shooting guards Sichuan Blue Whales players Sportspeople from Hawthorne, California Basketball players from Los Angeles County, California Basketball players from Riverside County, California Zhejiang Lions players Brujos de Guayama players 21st-century American sportsmen