Justin Gorham
PositionPower forward
Height6 ft
Height in7
Weight lb225
Number4
LeagueLBA
TeamDerthona Basket
Birth dateAugust 6, 1998 (age 28)
Birth placeColumbia, Maryland, U.S.
High schoolCalvert Hall
(Towson, Maryland)
College
Draft year2021
Years 12021–2022
Team 1Telekom Baskets Bonn
Years 22022–2023
Team 2Hapoel Gilboa Galil
Years 32023–2024
Team 3Rytas Vilnius
Years 42024–present
Team 4Derthona Basket
Highlights

Justin Terrell Gorham (born August 6, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for Derthona Basket of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the Towson Tigers and the Houston Cougars.

High school career

Gorham attended Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, Maryland. A three-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Towson.[1] He was drawn to the program in part due to its proximity, allowing him to be close to his father, who had been diagnosed with duodenal cancer.[2]

College career

As a freshman at Towson, Gorham averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.[2] He averaged 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore, despite playing through an ankle sprain.[3] For his junior season, Gorham transferred to Houston and sat out for one year due to transfer rules.[4] He improved his shooting ability under the guidance of assistant coach Kellen Sampson.[5] As a junior, Gorham averaged three points and 2.5 rebounds per game.[6]

He became a regular starter in his senior season.[7] On January 3, 2021, Gorham posted 11 points and a career-high 19 rebounds in a 74–60 win over SMU.[8] He collected Second Team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) honors and was named AAC Most Improved Player at the conclusion of the season.[9] Gorham averaged 8.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.[10]

Professional career

After his time at Towson and Houston, Gorham signed on July 15, 2021 with Telekom Baskets Bonn of the German Basketball Bundesliga.[11] In 2021-22 he averaged 9.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.[12]

On July 21, 2022, Gorham signed with Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.[13]

On March 16, 2023, Gorham signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).[14]

On June 25, 2024, he signed with Derthona Basket of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).[15]

Career statistics

College

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17 | style="text-align:left;"| Towson | 32 || 3 || 10.3 || .521 || – || .452 || 2.8 || .3 || .2 || .0 || 2.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18 | style="text-align:left;"| Towson | 32 || 9 || 23.0 || .538 || .214 || .709 || 6.7 || .8 || .3 || .2 || 9.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| Redshirt |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 30 || 0 || 12.9 || .341 || .303 || .793 || 2.5 || .5 || .1 || .1 || 3.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 31 || 31 || 27.8 || .495 || .354 || .674 || 8.6 || 1.2 || .8 || .5 || 8.4 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 125 || 43 || 18.5 || .493 || .316 || .675 || 5.2 || .7 || .4 || .2 || 6.0

Personal life

Gorham is the son of Tonya and Jerry Gorham. His father died from duodenal cancer in 2016, at age 53. He has an older brother, Gerald Jr.[2]

References

  1. ^ Graham, Glenn (August 3, 2015). "Calvert Hall basketball forward Justin Gorham commits to Towson". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  2. ^ Duarte, Joseph (February 10, 2021). "Memories of dad help make University of Houston's Justin Gorham a rebounding machine". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  3. ^ Yanez, Andy (February 23, 2021). "Justin Gorham, UH's 'heart and soul', comes to form in senior season". The Daily Cougar. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  4. ^ Shaffer, Jonas (June 26, 2018). "Former Towson forward Justin Gorham (Calvert Hall) transfers to Houston". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Baldwin, Chris (January 7, 2021). "The Story of a Jump Shot — How Justin Gorham and Kellen Sampson Worked Together to Retool His Game and Create Something Bigger at Houston". PaperCity Magazine. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  6. ^ Gardner, Kris (November 11, 2020). "Justin Gorham: "I'm just trying to be more consistent."". The Houston Roundball Review. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  7. ^ St. Croix, Josh (March 25, 2021). "College basketball: Houston's Gorham brings father's influence to game against Syracuse". Watertown Daily Times. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  8. ^ Hawkins, Stephen (January 3, 2021). "#5 Houston Rebounds with Win at SMU". University of Houston Athletics. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Yanez, Andy (March 10, 2021). "Quentin Grimes' Co-Player of the Year headlines UH conference awards". The Daily Cougar. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  10. ^ Womack, Keenan (October 12, 2021). "College Basketball Top 25: No. 15 - No. 11". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "Reboundstarker Forward Justin Gorham verstärkt die Baskets" (in German). Telekom Baskets Bonn. July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "Justin Gorham Player Profile, Houston - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com
  13. ^ "הפורוורד המוכשר ג'אסטין גורהם מגיע לגלבוע גליל" (in Hebrew). Hapoel Gilboa Galil. July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  14. ^ "Rytas Vilnius officially adds Justin Gorham". EuroHoops. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  15. ^ "Justin Gorham: un campione di Lituania per il Derthona" (in Italian). derthonabasket.it. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.