Tyler Honeycutt
Tyler Deon Honeycutt (July 15, 1990 – July 7, 2018) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, where he earned first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-10 (known now as the Pac-12) as a sophomore in 2011. Honeycutt was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft. He played with the Kings for two seasons and in 2013 moved to Europe, where he played for EuroLeague clubs Khimki and Anadolu Efes. He committed suicide at age 27 following a shootout with police.
Honeycutt at UCLA in 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1990 Sylmar, California |
| Died | July 7, 2018 (aged 27) Sherman Oaks, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sylmar (Sylmar, California) |
| College | UCLA (2009–2011) |
| NBA draft | 2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35th overall |
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
| Playing career | 2011–2018 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 3, 9, 10, 2 |
| Career history | |
| 2011–2013 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2012 | →Reno Bighorns |
| 2013 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2013–2014 | Ironi Nes Ziona |
| 2014–2016 | Khimki |
| 2016–2017 | Anadolu Efes |
| 2017–2018 | Khimki |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
High school career
Honeycutt attended Sylmar High School in Sylmar, California. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Honeycutt was listed as the No. 4 small forward and the No. 28 player in the nation in 2009.[1][2]
College career
In his freshman year at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2009–10, Honeycutt played in the final 26 games, starting 18, and led the team in rebounding at 6.5 per game. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team.[1] In the following season, he was named the team's co-MVP (with Malcolm Lee and Reeves Nelson) and first-team All-Pac-10 after averaging 12.8 points per game and leading the conference in blocks with 2.1 per game.[3] He declared for the NBA draft after the season.[4] Honeycutt was projected as a late lottery pick to mid first round pick in the 2011 NBA draft but concerns over inconsistency and less-than-maximum effort dropped him to the second round. Sacramento took him with the 35th overall pick.[5]
Professional career
Sacramento Kings (2011–2013)
Honeycutt was drafted in the second round with the 35th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 NBA draft.[6] He played in his first NBA game on December 31, 2011, and scored two points in four minutes.[7] On January 1, 2012, Honeycutt was assigned to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League.[8] The Kings recalled him on January 24.[9]
During the 2012–13 season, Honeycutt was reassigned to the Bighorns on November 7 and recalled by the Kings on December 17.[10][11]
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2013)
On February 20, 2013, Honeycutt was traded to the Houston Rockets along with Thomas Robinson and Francisco García in exchange for Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas and Cole Aldrich.[12] In two seasons with Sacramento, he played only 24 games with the Kings because of injuries and D-League assignments.[13]
On February 24, Houston assigned him to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League.[14] He was waived by the Rockets on March 5, so they could sign guard Aaron Brooks.[15] Afterwards, he rejoined the Vipers.[16]
Ironi Nes Ziona (2013–2014)
In August 2013, Honeycutt signed with Ironi Nes Ziona, who had recently gained promotion to the Israeli Super League.[17]
Khimki (2014–2016)
On July 8, 2014, he signed a two-year deal with the Russian team Khimki.[18] In 2014–15 season, he won the Eurocup championship with Khimki, Europe's 2nd tier competition.[13] In 2015–16 Euroleague, he made his debut in Europe's top competition. Over 23 EuroLeague games, he averaged 6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.[19]
Anadolu Efes (2016–2017)
On July 22, 2016, Honeycutt signed a 1+1 deal with Turkish club Anadolu Efes,[19] where he won the Turkish Basketball Super League Slam Dunk Contest.[13] Over 35 EuroLeague games, he averaged career-highs of 9.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2 assists per game. On June 28, 2017, Efes officially opted out of their deal with Honeycutt, and he became a free agent.[20]
Return to Khimki (2017–2018)
On July 14, 2017, Honeycutt returned to Moscow-based Khimki. He signed a contract for the 2017–18 season.[21] After missing the first nine games of the EuroLeague season due to injury, he returned to the court in late November 2017.[22][23] He helped Khimki advance to the EuroLeague Playoffs, where they lost to CSKA Moscow 3–1 in the quarterfinal series.[24] Over 17 EuroLeague games, he averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.[23] In VTB United League, Khimki lost the final game to CSKA Moscow, 95–84.[25]
Death
On the afternoon of July 6, 2018, Honeycutt's mother called 911 after he had been acting erratically. She said that he had been using nitrous oxide "for six months overseas and I think it scrambled his brain."[26][27] When police arrived they found that he had barricaded the entrance to his Sherman Oaks home.[28] He fired a shot that hit a wall next to an officer, who fired back at Honeycutt.[26] After nine hours, LAPD SWAT entered the home early the next morning, and found Honeycutt dead.[29]
Bort Escoto, who coached Honeycutt for four years at Sylmar High School, said that "he was a great kid to be around. But he was having some problems", because in Russia he did not know the language and the surroundings, concluding that "he was basically having a hard time with the adjustment. I just kept telling him he needed to get out and meet people".[30] An autopsy determined that he committed suicide by a gunshot wound to the head.[31]
Honeycutt's mother later sued the L.A. Police Department, saying it failed to de-escalate the situation and get him medical care.[32]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance Index Rating |
| Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Sacramento | 15 | 0 | 5.9 | .333 | .333 | .600 | .9 | .5 | .3 | .2 | 1.3 |
| 2012–13 | Sacramento | 9 | 0 | 3.6 | .273 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.1 | .2 | .0 | .1 | .9 |
| Career | 24 | 0 | 5.0 | .314 | .200 | .714 | 1.0 | .4 | .2 | .2 | 1.2 | |
EuroLeague
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Khimki | 23 | 17 | 19.6 | .520 | .359 | .636 | 6.1 | 1.1 | .8 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 11.1 |
| 2016–17 | Anadolu Efes | 35 | 1 | 24.5 | .401 | .303 | .680 | 7.3 | 2.0 | 1.1 | .9 | 9.2 | 13.8 |
| 2017–18 | Khimki | 17 | 0 | 21.2 | .474 | .491 | .870 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 1.1 | .7 | 9.2 | 12.8 |
| Career | 75 | 18 | 22.3 | .443 | .363 | .699 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 | .9 | 8.2 | 12.7 | |
College
See also
References
- ^ a b "Player Bio: Tyler Honeycutt". uclabruins.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
- ^ "Rivals.com". sports.yahoo.com.
- ^ Maya, Adam (April 12, 2011). "UCLA basketball: Lee, Honeycutt, Nelson MVPs". Orange Couinty Register. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Brennan, Eamonn (April 25, 2011). "Final exam: Grading the goners". ESPN.com. from the original on April 27, 2011.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (August 15, 2018). "Two former UCLA basketball stars die tragically, leaving questions behind". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Maya, Adam (June 24, 2011). "What were UCLA's Honeycutt, Lee thinking?". The Orange County Register. from the original on October 21, 2017.
- ^ Ham, James (December 31, 2011). "Notebook: Knicks 114, Kings 92". NBA.com. from the original on January 4, 2012.
- ^ "SACRAMENTO KINGS ASSIGN HONEYCUTT, WHITESIDE TO BIGHORNS". NBA.com.
- ^ "Kings recall Tyler Honeycutt from D-league". Associated Press. January 24, 2012. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012.
- ^ "Sacramento Kings Send Tyler Honeycutt To NBA D-League Affiliate Reno Bighorns In Year's First Assignment". NBA.com.
- ^ "Kings Recall Honeycutt From Reno". Sacramento Kings.
- ^ "Rockets Acquire Robinson, Garcia and Honeycutt". NBA.com. February 20, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
- ^ a b c Jones, Jason (July 7, 2018). "Tyler Honeycutt's career: Drafted by Kings, a dunk champ in Turkey, and a EuroCup title". The Sacramento Bee.
- ^ "Houston Rockets Assign Tyler Honeycutt to NBA D-League Affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers". NBA.com.
- ^ "He's Back - Rockets Sign Free Agent Aaron Brooks". NBA.com. March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ "2012-13 Transactions". NBA.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "Ironi Nes Ziona announced Tyler Honeycutt and Mitchell Watt". Sportando.net. August 18, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ "Khimki lands Honeycutt". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 8, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ a b "Anadolu Efes lands athletic forward Honeycutt". Euroleague.net. July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
- ^ "Anadolu Efes Istanbul part ways with Tyler Honeycutt and DeShaun Thomas". Sportando.com. June 28, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ "WELCOME BACK, TYLER!". en.bckhimki.ru. July 14, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ Gancedo, Javier (February 6, 2018). "Tyler Honeycutt, Khimki: 'We still have to see our full potential'". Euroleague.net. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "Tyler Honeycutt International Stats". Basketball Reference. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Higgins sends CSKA Moscow back to the Final Four". Eurohoops.net. April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic leagues roundup: June 10, 2018". EuroleagueBasketball.net. June 10, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Bolch, Ben (August 21, 2018). "Tyler Honeycutt's mother told police the late UCLA basketball star was 'sucking laughing gas'". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Former UCLA star and NBA Player Tyler Honeycutt found dead following shootout with police". Yahoo! Sports. July 7, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
- ^ "Tyler Honeycutt dies following gunfire exchange with police". ESPN. July 7, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
Lozano, Amina Khan, Carlos (July 7, 2018). "Former NBA, UCLA player Tyler Honeycutt dead after exchanging gunfire with police in Sherman Oaks". Los Angeles Times. - ^ Gleeson, Scott (July 8, 2018). "Tyler Honeycutt, former UCLA and Sacramento Kings basketball player, dies after standoff with police". USA Today. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
Downen, Robert (July 7, 2018). "Former Rockets player dead after SWAT standoff". Chronicle. Houston. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
Bravo, Kristina (July 7, 2018). "Former UCLA Player Dead After Exchanging Gunfire With LAPD in Sherman Oaks, Family Friend Says". KTLA. Los Angeles. Retrieved July 13, 2018. - ^ Amin Khan (July 7, 2018). "Former NBA, UCLA player Tyler Honeycutt dead after exchanging gunfire with police in Sherman Oaks". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019.
- ^ Perez, A. J. (July 19, 2018). "Coroner confirms former NBA, UCLA player Tyler Honeycutt died by suicide". USA Today.
- ^ staff, ABC7 com (July 22, 2019). "Mother of former UCLA player Tyler Honeycutt suing L.A. for negligence in son's death". ABC7 Los Angeles.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- UCLA Bruins bio
- EuroLeague profile