Brandon Jennings
He rewrote the rules for American basketball prospects by skipping college to play professionally in Europe, paving a new path.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 23·Millennials
Biography
Brandon Jennings scored 55 points as a rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2009, a record for a first-year player at the time. He skipped college to play for Lottomatica Roma in Italy, the first major American prospect to challenge the NBA's apprenticeship system. The Bucks drafted him 10th overall. His style blended flashy handles, fearless shooting, and streetball flair, though consistency eluded him. After stints with several teams, including the Detroit Pistons as a sparkplug sixth man, injuries curtailed his prime. His European detour inspired a generation of players to consider alternative routes to the pros, contributing to the end of the NBA's age-limit rule.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Brandon was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brandon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Brandon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 55 points in a single game during his rookie NBA season, setting a record for points by a Milwaukee Bucks rookie.
- Became the first American player to go directly from high school to a professional European basketball league, signing with Lottomatica Roma in 2008.
- Averaged 15.4 points and 5.7 assists per game over a nine-season NBA career with multiple teams.
- Named the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November 2009 after his historic scoring outburst.
Did You Know?
He wore jersey number 55 for a period with the Milwaukee Bucks in honor of his 55-point rookie game.
Before his professional career, he was named the 2008 Naismith Prep Player of the Year.
He played for the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association during the 2017-2018 season.
His son, A.J. Jennings, was born in 2013.
“I'm not a player that's going to back down from anybody. That's just not in my blood.”
