Wesley Matthews
From an undrafted rookie to a tenacious NBA starter, he built a long career on defensive grit and clutch three-point shooting.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 14·Millennials
Biography
Wesley Matthews authored one of the NBA's great underdog stories, defining himself through sheer will and an unwavering competitive fire. The son of a former NBA player, he wasn't a blue-chip prospect and went undrafted in 2009 after his college career at Marquette. He refused to let that be the end, clawing his way onto the Utah Jazz roster and immediately proving he belonged. His breakthrough came with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he became the starting shooting guard and a cornerstone of a playoff team, earning a reputation as one of the league's premier '3-and-D' specialists. A devastating Achilles tear in 2015 could have ended his career, but Matthews rehabbed fiercely and returned to start for Dallas, Milwaukee, Indiana, and others. For over a decade, he was the player coaches trusted to guard the opponent's best perimeter scorer and take a big shot with the game on the line, his journey a testament to self-made success.
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.
Wesley was born in 1986, 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 Wesley Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Wesley's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
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
2007Turned 21
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
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Started 507 consecutive games from 2010 to 2015, a streak that was among the longest active in the NBA at the time.
- Signed a five-year, $34 million offer sheet with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2010 after his rookie year, a landmark deal for an undrafted player.
- Led the NBA in total three-pointers made during the 2012-13 season with 201.
Did You Know?
He and his father, Wes Matthews, are one of the few father-son duos to both win an NBA championship (his father with the Lakers in 1988, Wesley with the Lakers in 2020).
He played his college basketball at Marquette University after transferring from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
He is known for his distinctive, high-energy defensive stance, often referred to as 'pitbull' defense.
“Undrafted is something that happened to me, it's not who I am.”
