History of Kyle Anderson (basketball) in Timeline

Kyle Anderson, also known as Li Kai'er, is an American-Chinese professional basketball player currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA. He played college basketball at UCLA, earning All-American honors during his sophomore year in 2013-14. He was selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

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Full Timeline

1952: Grandfather's NFL Career

In 1952, Clifton Anderson, Kyle Anderson's grandfather, played college football at Indiana and had a two-year professional career in the NFL, starting with the Chicago Cardinals in 1952.

1953: Grandfather's NFL Career

In 1953, Clifton Anderson, Kyle Anderson's grandfather, played college football at Indiana and had a two-year professional career in the NFL with the New York Giants in 1953.

September 20, 1993: Kyle Anderson's birth

On September 20, 1993, Kyle Forman Anderson, also known as Li Kai'er, was born. He is now an American-Chinese professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies.

2009: Participated in U16 training camp for USA Basketball

In 2009, Kyle Anderson participated in the U16 training camp for USA Basketball, marking an early step in his international basketball involvement.

September 19, 2011: Committed to UCLA

On September 19, 2011, Kyle Anderson committed to attending University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to play Division I basketball for the Bruins.

2012: "Slow Mo" Nickname

In 2012, Kevin Boyle, who coached Kyle Anderson on the national team, acknowledged Anderson's unique use of speed and angles despite not being super fast, noting his intelligence on the court. Anderson's methodical style earned him the nickname "Slow Mo" in eighth grade.

2012: Nike Hoop Summit

In 2012, Kyle Anderson started at power forward for the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team that competed at the Nike Hoop Summit, which featured top American high school seniors against an international team.

2012: Ranked as top small forward recruit

In 2012, Kyle Anderson, who is 6-foot-8-inch, was ranked the No. 1 small forward by Rivals.com, and No. 2 by ESPN.com and Scout.com among 2012 recruits.

November 22, 2013: Achieved first triple-double

On November 22, 2013, Kyle Anderson achieved the school's first triple-double since Toby Bailey in 1995, with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in an 81–70 win over Morehead State.

2013: Comparisons to Magic Johnson

In 2013, during Kyle Anderson's sophomore year in UCLA, CBSSports.com noted that Anderson was starting to resemble Magic Johnson in college basketball. ESPN analyst Dick Vitale cautioned against directly comparing him to Magic Johnson but acknowledged he possessed a mini-version of Johnson's skill set.

2013: Considered leaving UCLA

Projected by NBA executives to be chosen in the first half of the second round of the 2013 NBA draft if he declared himself eligible, Anderson gave major consideration to leaving college in 2013.

April 16, 2014: Announced intent to enter NBA draft

On April 16, 2014, Kyle Anderson announced that he would forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and enter the 2014 NBA draft.

July 12, 2014: Signed with the San Antonio Spurs

On July 12, 2014, Kyle Anderson signed with the San Antonio Spurs and joined them for the Las Vegas Summer League.

2014: Named Most Outstanding Player of Pac-12 tournament

In 2014, Kyle Anderson was honored as the Most Outstanding Player of the Pac-12 tournament, which UCLA won for their first conference tournament title in six years.

2014: Acknowledged Versatility

In 2014, SI.com described Kyle Anderson as potentially the most versatile player in the country, highlighting his unique skill set and ability to play multiple positions effectively, with exceptional size and ball-handling skills for a player of his stature.

2014: Declared for the NBA draft

In 2014, after earning All-American honors as a sophomore in 2013, Kyle Anderson declared for the 2014 NBA draft and was selected in the first round with the 30th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs.

2015: Named NBA Summer League MVP

During the offseason, Kyle Anderson played with the Spurs in the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and was named the league's MVP.

March 28, 2016: Recorded 13 points, seven assists, and four steals

On March 28, 2016, Kyle Anderson played 36 minutes and recorded 13 points, seven assists, and four steals in a 101–87 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He established career highs in minutes and assists.

2016: Declared top player in the Summer League

In 2016, Kyle Anderson participated in the Summer League again, and Spurs summer league coach Becky Hammon declared him the top player in the league.

November 20, 2017: Career-high 10 assists

On November 20, 2017, Kyle Anderson had 13 points and a career-high 10 assists in a 96–85 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

2017: Defensive Improvements

In 2017, Kyle Anderson's defense improved with the Spurs, where he guarded both forward positions, leveraging his wingspan and instincts.

March 2018: Moved to power forward

In March 2018, Kyle Anderson was moved to power forward as the Spurs went to a smaller lineup with Aldridge at center and Pau Gasol moving to the bench.

November 10, 2018: Career-high 13 rebounds

On November 10, 2018, Kyle Anderson had eight points and a career-high 13 rebounds in a 112–106 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

2018: Signed with the Memphis Grizzlies

In 2018, Kyle Anderson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies after playing four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

2018: Visit to China

In 2018, after researching his ancestry, Kyle Anderson visited China to meet distant family in Shenzhen.

January 2019: Missed time due to ankle injury

In January 2019, Kyle Anderson missed two weeks with an ankle injury.

2019: Experiencing discomfort from shoulder surgery

Kyle Anderson was still experiencing discomfort from the shoulder surgery as preseason began in 2019, and there were doubts on his health for the upcoming season.

December 26, 2020: Double-Double vs Atlanta

On December 26, 2020, Kyle Anderson opened the season with double figures in rebounds and tied his personal best with 20 points against Atlanta. He also logged consecutive 10+ rebound games for the second time in his career, marking his first game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

May 10, 2021: Career-high four blocks

On May 10, 2021, Kyle Anderson logged a career-high four blocks as the team tied a franchise record with 19 blocks in a 115–110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The win clinched a spot for Memphis in the play-in tournament.

March 3, 2022: Career-High Six Steals

On March 3, 2022, Kyle Anderson recorded a career-high six steals in a game against the Boston Celtics.

July 8, 2022: Signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves

On July 8, 2022, Kyle Anderson signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

April 9, 2023: Altercation with Rudy Gobert

On April 9, 2023, during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Kyle Anderson was involved in an altercation with his teammate, Rudy Gobert. Gobert struck Anderson after a verbal exchange and was subsequently escorted off the court.

July 24, 2023: Granted Chinese Citizenship

On July 24, 2023, the Chinese Basketball Association announced that Kyle Anderson had obtained Chinese citizenship in advance of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

2023: Became a naturalized Chinese citizen

In 2023, Kyle Anderson became a naturalized Chinese citizen and played for their national team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

July 6, 2024: Traded to the Golden State Warriors

On July 6, 2024, Kyle Anderson was traded to the Golden State Warriors as part of a six-team trade involving multiple NBA teams, marking the NBA's first six-team transaction.

February 6, 2025: Traded to the Miami Heat

On February 6, 2025, Kyle Anderson was traded to the Miami Heat in a five-team trade, with Jimmy Butler going to the Warriors.

July 7, 2025: Traded to the Utah Jazz

On July 7, 2025, Kyle Anderson was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team trade that included the Los Angeles Clippers.

February 3, 2026: Traded to the Grizzlies

On February 3, 2026, Kyle Anderson was traded to the Grizzlies along with Walter Clayton Jr., Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three first-round draft picks in exchange for Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr.