Trey Jemison
An American center whose journey through college transfers and the G League forged a resilient, defensive-minded NBA prospect.
Born 1999 (age 27)·American basketball player·Birthday: November 28·Generation Z
Biography
Trey Jemison's path to the NBA was a testament to persistence and physical development. A towering presence from Birmingham, Alabama, his college career took a winding route, beginning at Clemson before he transferred home to UAB. It was with the Blazers that he blossomed, using his 6'11", 260-pound frame to dominate the paint as a rebounder and shot-blocker. Undrafted in 2023, he embraced the grind of the NBA G League, honing his skills with the Westchester Knicks. His defensive hustle and improving footwork earned him a coveted two-way contract, first a brief stint with the Los Angeles Lakers and then with the New York Knicks. Jemison represents the classic basketball archetype of the late-blooming big man, carving out a professional opportunity through sheer work ethic and a willingness to do the unglamorous work under the rim.
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.
Trey was born in 1999, 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 Trey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Trey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned an NBA two-way contract with the New York Knicks after demonstrating his skills in the G League.
- Led Conference USA in defensive rebounds during his final collegiate season at UAB.
- Was named to the Conference USA All-Defensive Team in 2023.
Did You Know?
He played his final two years of high school basketball at Hoover High School, a Alabama sports powerhouse.
His father, Richard Jemison Jr., played college basketball at UAB in the 1990s.
He wore number 25 at UAB, the same number his father wore for the Blazers.
“I had to get stronger and work on my body to get to this level.”
