Nerlens Noel

Nerlens Noel is a professional American basketball player who plays for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association. Born on April 10, 1994, in Malden, Massachusetts, Noel played for several other teams in the NBA league. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2015 and earned honors on many other occasions.

In the 2013 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans drafted him with the sixth overall pick but later transferred to the Philadelphia 76ers. After that, Noel joined some other NBA teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets.

Nerlens Noel Early Life

Nerlens Noel was born in a Christian family. He belongs to the African-American ethnicity. Noel’s parents moved to the US from Haiti in 1990. He has three siblings – Rodman, Jim and Nashdah. All his siblings were born in the US except for his elder brother (Jim). His father, Yonel Noel, was a taxi driver working to meet the family’s financial needs. His mother, Dorcina Noel, was a nurse and worked as a caregiver at various locations in Boston. After his husband left the family, she attended double shifts to support her children’s needs.

During the early years of life, Nerlens Noel found sports interesting due to the sports-friendly environment in the family. He used to play football because his brothers loved the game. His brothers played football for their college teams, but Nerlens shifted his mindset to basketball to make a career. Nerlens’ brothers Jim and Rodman played football for Boston College and North Carolina State. However, his sister Nashdah played basketball for Tabor Academy based in Massachusetts.

Nerlens Noel NBA Journey

Nerlens Noel became one of the top contenders to be drafted in the NBA after playing one season at the University of Kentucky. He entered the NBA 2013 draft and ended up being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 6th overall pick. Later, his draft rights were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for guard Jrue Holiday. He signed with the 76ers on September 24, 2013, but joined the team for the 2014 NBA Summer League.

Noel played his debut game for the 76ers on October 29, 2014, against the Indiana Pacers. He secured 6 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in his 35-minute playing time. Nerlens posted 14 points and a career-high 6 rebounds on January 30 in a victory against the Timberwolves. He was ruled out for 3-5 weeks in October 2016 due to an inflamed plica above his left knee. Noel scored a season-high 19 points against the Clippers in January 2017.

Nerlens Noel signed a 1-year contract with the New York Knicks on November 25, 2020. In his debut game for the Knicks, he scored 2 points and 3 rebounds against the Pacers. Against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 15, 2021, Noel registered a season-high six blocks along with 4 points. Further, the centre scored a season-high 13 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 21. In August 2021, Noel extended his agreement with the Knicks by signing a three-year (US$32 million) deal. In a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, he posted a season-high 13 rebounds along with 6 points on November 5.

In July 2022, Nerlens Noel was traded to the Detroit Pistons and played his first game for them on October 31 against the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 2 points, 2 assists and 4 rebounds in a 110-108 loss. The Detroit Pistons waived Noel on February 28, 2023.

Nerlens Noel Education

Since Nerlens was born to Haitian immigrant parents, he took the chance to study in different schools. He played high school basketball for two different schools because his family had to move to New Hampshire from Massachusetts. Initially, Noel attended Everett High School and spent two years there. After that, Nerlens shifted to Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire and repeated his sophomore year. As a senior, Noel posted 12.6 points, 3.9 blocks and 7.2 rebounds. His performance was appreciated in the community and earned headlines in various sports magazines, including The New York Times.

Due to his tremendous performance on the court at the high-school level, Nerlens received scholarship offers from multiple elite institutions. However, he decided to join the University of Kentucky. Noel gathered 15 points, 4 assists and 7 rebounds in his third game on November 16, 2012. In a game against Texas A&M, he posted 15 points and 11 rebounds on January 12, 2013.

Nerlens Noel Championship

Nerlens Noel entered the NBA professional basketball league in 2013. Since then, he had played for several teams. However, Noel is still waiting for the first NBA championship in his professional basketball career.

Nerlens Noel Awards and Achievements

Nerlens Noel Net Worth

According to various sources, the net worth of Nerlens Noel is approximately USD 13 million. The professional basketball player amassed a handsome fortune from his NBA career and some brand endorsements. His income and net worth are most likely to increase by leaps and bounds in the future.

Nerlens Noel Contract

Noel created several contracts and deals throughout his professional NBA career. He signed a multi-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013. Later, he moved to the Dallas Mavericks under a fresh agreement in February 2017. A few months later, the Mavericks tendered a qualifying offer worth US$4.1 million to make Nerlens a restricted-free agent. However, Noel accepted the same deal in August of the same year.

Nerlens joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in July 2018 under a two-year contract and then signed a one-year contract with the New York Knicks in November 2020. In August 2021, the Knicks re-signed Nerlens Noel under a three-year contract worth US$32 million. He was then shifted to the Detroit Pistons under a short-term contract. However, Noel signed the shortest-ever (10-day) contract of his career with the Brooklyn Nets in March 2023.

Nerlens Noel Family

Nerlens Noel was born in an African-American family based in Malden, Massachusetts. In 1990, his parents migrated from Haiti to Massachusetts. Noel is Black by ethnicity. Currently, Noel is single, and he isn't dating any person.

Nerlens Noel's Girlfriend

Currently, Nerlens Noel is single and has no girlfriend. Previously, Noel was in a relationship with Jordan Walsh. Initially, he tried to keep his personal life secret, but his connection with Walsh went public soon. However, Walsh filed a complaint in court against Nerlens in 2014. She claimed that Noel isn't accepting their 14-month-old baby girl and offering financial support to raise her. Noel denied his children, but the DNA test revealed the truth. Following the DNA report, the court instructed him to deliver all the possible financial support to raise the child. Also, there were rumours that Noel was dating a Canadian model named Suzie.

Nerlens Noel Dad

Nerlens’ father’s name is Yonel Noel. He worked as a taxi driver and drove cabs to earn a fortune for his family. Also, Yonel worked at a cafeteria to support his family’s financial needs efficiently. Thereafter, he turned abusive and started neglecting his family. This incident affected the relationship with his wife and children adversely, and the family bifurcated.

Nerlens Noel Shoe

Nerlens Noel put his feet in various shoes throughout his career. He primarily wore Nike Kyrie Low 4 shoes. Noel also liked to wear the LeBron signatures, including LeBron 16s, LeBron 15s, and Soldier 11s.