{{short description|American basketball player (born 1997)}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Damien Jefferson | image = Damien Jefferson 23 Karşıyaka Basket TBSL 20241229 (8) (cropped).jpg | caption = Jefferson with [[Karşıyaka Basket|Karşıyaka]] in 2024 | position = [[Small forward]] | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5 | weight_lbs = 220 | league = [[Greek Basketball League]] | team = ASK Karditsas | number = 23 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|10|3}} | birth_place = [[East Chicago, Indiana]], U.S. | high_school = [[Central High School (East Chicago, Indiana)|Central]]<br>(East Chicago, Indiana) | college = * [[New Mexico Lobos men's basketball|New Mexico]] (2016–2017) * [[Creighton Bluejays men's basketball|Creighton]] (2018–2021) | draftyear = 2021 | career_start = 2021 | years1 = [[2021–22 NBA G League season|2021–2022]] | team1 = [[Stockton Kings]] | years2 = [[2021–22 NBA G League season|2022–2023]] | team2 = [[Memphis Hustle]] | years3 = 2023–2024 | team3 = [[B.C. Oostende|Oostende]] | years4 = 2024 | team4 = [[Karşıyaka Basket|Karşıyaka]] | years5 = 2025–present | team5 = [[ASK Karditsas B.C.|Karditsa]] | highlights = * [[BNXT League]] champion (2024) * [[List of Belgian basketball champions|Belgian League]] champion (2024) * [[BNXT Supercup]] winner (2023) * [[BNXT League Most Valuable Player|BNXT League MVP]] (2024) * [[BNXT League Finals MVP]] (2024) * [[BNXT League National Finals MVP|BNXT Belgian Finals MVP]] (2024) * [[BNXT League Dream Team]] ([[2023–24 BNXT League|2024]]) * Second-team [[List of All-Big East Conference men's basketball teams|All-Big East]] (2021) }} '''Damien Jefferson''' (born October 3, 1997) is an American professional [[basketball]] player for [[ASK Karditsas B.C.|Karditsa]] of the [[Greek Basketball League]]. He played [[college basketball]] for the [[New Mexico Lobos men's basketball|New Mexico Lobos]] and the [[Creighton Bluejays men's basketball|Creighton Bluejays]].
==Early life== Jefferson attended [[Central High School (East Chicago, Indiana)|Central High School]] in [[East Chicago, Indiana]]. As a senior, he averaged 26.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and was named ''[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]]'' Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hanlon |first1=Steve |title=Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Damien Jefferson, E.C. Central |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/times-boys-basketball-player-of-the-year-damien-jefferson-e-c-central/article_481cedae-c4d4-5330-a75a-28ae9d00cb74.html |website=[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=March 31, 2016}}</ref> Jefferson led his team to a Class 4A sectional title and was named an Indiana All-Star.<ref name="boyd">{{cite web |last1=Boyd |first1=James |title=EC Central grad, Creighton forward Damien Jefferson declares for NBA Draft |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/high-school/ec-central-grad-creighton-forward-damien-jefferson-declares-for-nba-draft/article_29bfbadf-4a04-508e-9981-aed2e4dc66ca.html |website=[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> He committed to playing college basketball for [[New Mexico Lobos men's basketball|New Mexico]], his father's alma mater.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hanlon |first1=Steve |title=E.C. Central's Damien Jefferson visits New Mexico, verbally commits to play for the Lobos |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/e-c-centrals-damien-jefferson-visits-new-mexico-verbally-commits-to-play-for-the-lobos/article_b99017ad-4c6e-5042-a826-8d662b5fc54e.html |website=[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=September 21, 2015}}</ref>
==College career== Jefferson averaged 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds as a freshman at New Mexico. For his sophomore season, he transferred to [[Creighton Bluejays men's basketball|Creighton]] and sat out for one year due to transfer rules.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nyatawa |first1=Jon |title=Former New Mexico guard Damien Jefferson announces he'll transfer to Creighton |url=https://omaha.com/sports/college/creighton/former-new-mexico-guard-damien-jefferson-announces-hell-transfer-to-creighton/article_3471c1fc-578d-11e7-8b9b-876e5b653499.html |website=[[Omaha World-Herald]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=June 22, 2017}}</ref> As a sophomore, Jefferson averaged 6.2 points and four rebounds per game before his season was cut short due to a high ankle sprain injury.<ref name="bio">{{cite web |title=Damien Jefferson – 2020-21 – Men's Basketball |url=https://gocreighton.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/damien-jefferson/6829 |website=Creighton University Athletics |access-date=March 23, 2021}}</ref> In his junior season, he averaged 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Jefferson declared for the [[2020 NBA draft]] before withdrawing and returning to college.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Aaron |title=East Chicago's Damien Jefferson withdraws from NBA Draft, returns to Creighton |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/east-chicagos-damien-jefferson-withdraws-from-nba-draft-returns-to-creighton/article_e49bc603-de87-5eb9-aab4-9abd11b06430.html |website=[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=August 1, 2020}}</ref> On December 17, 2020, he flirted with a [[triple-double]], recording 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 94–76 win over [[St. John's Red Storm men's basketball|St. John's]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=DeMarinis |first1=Matt |title=Damien Jefferson is proving that he doesn’t need a spotlight in order to shine |url=https://whiteandbluereview.com/damien-jefferson-is-proving-that-he-doesnt-need-a-spotlight-in-order-to-shine/ |website=White & Blue Review |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=December 18, 2020}}</ref> As a senior, Jefferson earned Second Team All-[[Big East Conference|Big East]] honors.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nyatawa |first1=Jon |title=Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski, Damien Jefferson and Denzel Mahoney earn Big East honors |url=https://omaha.com/sports/college/creighton/creightons-marcus-zegarowski-damien-jefferson-and-denzel-mahoney-earn-big-east-honors/article_6cd738f6-7f9d-11eb-b042-a3d5ae25f5c1.html |website=[[Omaha World-Herald]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=March 7, 2021}}</ref> He averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Jefferson declared for the [[2021 NBA draft]], forgoing an additional season of eligibility the NCAA granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goodman |first1=Jeff |title=Stadium’s 2021 NBA Draft Entry Tracker |url=https://watchstadium.com/stadiums-2021-nba-draft-entry-tracker-05-03-2021/ |website=WatchStadium.com |access-date=October 8, 2021 |date=May 3, 2021}}</ref>
==Professional career== Jefferson joined the [[Sacramento Kings]] for the [[2021 NBA Summer League]], winning a summer league championship.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sam|last=Westrick|title=Damien Jefferson is NBA Summer League Champion|url=https://247sports.com/college/creighton/Article/Damien-Jefferson-is-NBA-Summer-League-Champion-169294981/|website=247Sports.com|date=August 18, 2021|access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref> He joined the [[Stockton Kings]] as an affiliate player on October 25, 2021,<ref>{{cite web|title=Stockton Kings Announce 2021-22 Training Camp Roster|url=https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/stockton-kings-announce-2021-22-training-camp-roster/|website=NBA.com|date=October 25, 2021|access-date=November 2, 2021}}</ref> but was later waived on January 29, 2022. He was acquired by the [[Memphis Hustle]] on February 14.<ref>{{cite web|title=2021-22 NBA G League Transactions|url=https://gleague.nba.com/transactions/|website=NBA.com|date=February 14, 2022|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref>
On July 31, 2023, Jefferson signed with [[B.C. Oostende|Filou Oostende]] of the [[BNXT League]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NEW PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENT|url=https://bcoostende.be/nieuws/new-player-announcement/|website=BCOostende.be|date=July 31, 2023|access-date=July 31, 2023}}</ref>
On August 11, 2024, he signed with [[Karşıyaka Basket]] of the [[Basketbol Süper Ligi]] (BSL).<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=KSKBasket |number=1819013125158371402 |title=Damien Jefferson Pınar Karşıyaka’mızda!}}</ref>
On August 8, 2025, Jefferson signed with Greek club [[ASK Karditsas B.C.|Karditsa]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Damien Jefferson signed with Karditsa Iaponiki and returns to the BCL - Eurohoops |url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba-champions-league/1855308/damien-jefferson-signed-with-karditsa-iaponiki-and-returns-to-the-bcl/ |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=www.eurohoops.net}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}}
===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2016–17]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2016–17 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team|New Mexico]] | 29 || 6 || 15.1 || .438 || .214 || .490 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .4 || .1 || 5.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2017–18]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2017–18 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team|Creighton]] | style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| [[File:Redshirt.svg|15px|Redshirt]] Redshirt |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2018–19]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2018–19 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team|Creighton]] | 26 || 16 || 18.0 || '''.535''' || '''.412''' || .634 || 4.0 || .8 || .4 || .1 || 6.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2019–20]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team|Creighton]] | 30 || 29 || 27.1 || .533 || .217 || '''.635''' || '''5.5''' || 1.4 || .6 || .2 || 9.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2020–21]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team|Creighton]] | '''31''' || '''31''' || '''30.9''' || .512 || .348 || .605 || 5.4 || '''2.4''' || '''1.2''' || '''.3''' || '''11.9''' |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 116 || 82 || 23.0 || .509 || .304 || .592 || 4.4 || 1.4 || .7 || .2 || 8.3 {{S-end}}
==Personal life== Jefferson's father, Everette, played college basketball at New Mexico.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tate |first1=Van |title=Lobos’ Damien Jefferson has a big smile and big game |url=https://www.krqe.com/news/lobos-damien-jefferson-has-a-big-smile-and-big-game/ |website=[[KRQE]] |access-date=March 23, 2021 |date=October 24, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons}} *[https://www.tbf.org.tr/ligler/bsl-2024-2025/basketbolcu-detay/667625 Damien Jefferson] at Turkish Basketball Federation *[https://gocreighton.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/damien-jefferson/6829 Creighton Bluejays bio] *[https://golobos.com/roster/damien-jefferson/ New Mexico Lobos bio]
{{navboxes|list1= {{BNXT League Season MVP}} {{BNXT League Finals MVP}} {{BNXT League National Finals MVP}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Damien}} [[Category:1997 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Belgium]] [[Category:American men's basketball players]] [[Category:Basketball players from East Chicago, Indiana]] [[Category:BC Oostende players]] [[Category:Creighton Bluejays men's basketball players]] [[Category:Karşıyaka basketball players]] [[Category:Memphis Hustle players]] [[Category:New Mexico Lobos men's basketball players]] [[Category:Small forwards]] [[Category:Stockton Kings players]]