Kevin Huerter
A sharpshooting guard nicknamed 'Red Velvet' whose smooth three-point stroke has defined his role as a valuable floor-spacer in the NBA.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: August 27·Generation Z
Biography
Kevin Huerter's game is defined by a specific, coveted skill: he can shoot the lights out. Dubbed 'Red Velvet' for his red hair and smooth playing style, Huerter left the University of Maryland after two seasons and was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2018. He quickly became a fan favorite, known for his quick release and confidence from beyond the arc. His shooting gravity was a key component of the Hawks' unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, where his timely baskets provided crucial spacing for star guard Trae Young. Traded to the Sacramento Kings and later to the Detroit Pistons, Huerter's value remains clear—in a league obsessed with three-point efficiency, a player who can consistently knock down shots and move without the ball will always find a home. His career is a case study in how a single elite skill, mastered and weaponized, can forge a lasting NBA identity.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Kevin was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kevin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Kevin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
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 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played a key role in the Atlanta Hawks' run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
- Set a Hawks franchise rookie record for three-pointers made in a season in 2019.
- Scored a career-high 27 points in a 2022 playoff game against the Miami Heat.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Red Velvet' was given to him by a Hawks broadcaster during his rookie season.
He was a highly ranked baseball pitcher as a teenager in New York before focusing solely on basketball.
He played high school basketball at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, New York.
“My job is to make shots when the ball swings to me.”
