Kyle Anderson
American and Chinese professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors, known for his point guard skills and versatility as a forward.
Kyle Forman Anderson (born September 20, 1993), also known as Li Kai'er, is an American and Chinese professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in the United States, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. After earning All-American honors as a sophomore in 2013–14, he declared for the 2014 NBA draft and was selected in the first round with the 30th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs.
Quick Facts
- Draft year
- 2014
- Position
- Forward (SF/PF)
- Tenure
- 2018–2022
- Nickname
- Mojo
- College
- UCLA
Lore & Background
Nicknamed 'Slow Mo', Anderson developed the ball-handling skills of a point guard at an early age, but his height provided him the versatility to play as a forward. As a high school player in New Jersey, Anderson led his teams to two consecutive state titles, and was named state player of the year during his senior year. One of the top recruits out of high school, Anderson was named second-team all-conference in the Pac-12 as a freshman at UCLA while playing mostly at forward. The following season, he moved to point guard, and was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Pac-12 tournament as the Bruins won their first conference tournament title in six years. He played four seasons with San Antonio before signing with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2018. After four seasons with the Grizzlies, he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anderson has also played for the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, and Miami Heat. In 2023, Anderson became a naturalized Chinese citizen and played for their national team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Reader's Guide
Anderson was born on September 20, 1993, in New York City, and grew up in Fairview. He attended his first basketball camp at the age of three. Anderson's father, who played basketball at Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) and became a longtime high school coach in New Jersey, groomed him to be a point guard. Although Anderson was tall, his father did not want him to be 'pigeonholed' as a post player. He had his son play with older players on Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) teams; usually the smallest player on the court, Anderson developed point guard skills early while passing to his larger teammates. He began his high school career at Paterson Catholic High School. Although he possessed the skills of a point guard, his 6 ft height led coaches to play him on the wing or in the post. After two years at Paterson Catholic, the school closed, and Anderson moved to St. Anthony High School. Overall, he compiled 119–6 record as a four-year starter, including 65–0 in his two years at St. Anthony. When St. Anthony captured its second straight New Jersey Tournament of champions title and concluded its second straight undefeated season with a 66–62 victory over Plainfield, Anderson was the team's third-leading scorer with 14 points. Still, St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley said Anderson was the team's 'heart and soul and he was the reason we won the game.' For the season, Anderson led the team in scoring (14.7 points per game), rebounding (6.5 per game), assists (3.9 per game), blocked shots (2.0 per game) and deflections. The Star-Ledger named him their state boys basketball Player of the Year. He received national recognition as a Parade All-American, McDonald's All-American, and he was invited to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. In spite of all the praise he had received in his career, Anderson was described by Hurley as 'unassuming', which the coach credited to Anderson's family doing a 'great job keeping him balanced.' The 6 ft Anderson was often listed as a small forward, but still considered himself a point guard. Among 2012 recruits, he was ranked the No. 1 small forward by Rivals.com, and No. 2 by ESPN.com and Scout.com behind Shabazz Muhammad. Hurley called Anderson's passing 'his best asset.'
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