Kenny Lofton Jr. Signs with Hapoel!

Hapoel "Midtown" Jerusalem Basketball Club is pleased to announce the signing of American forward Kenneth (Kenny) Lofton Jr. (23, 1.98m) for the 2026/27 season.

Lofton Jr. joins Hapoel after gaining experience in the NBA, the NBA G League, and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He began his NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies before also spending time with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz. Across two NBA seasons, he appeared in 49 games. His breakout performance came in April 2023, when he scored 42 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in his first NBA start for Memphis against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At the same time, Lofton established himself as one of the G League's premier players. In his rookie season (2022/23), he was named NBA G League Rookie of the Year while playing for the Memphis Hustle, and he earned All-NBA G League First Team honors in both of his seasons. In 51 G League games, he averaged an outstanding 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

In October 2024, Lofton signed with the Shanghai Sharks, where he spent the past two seasons and quickly became one of the biggest stars in the CBA. In his first season, he led the team and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) after averaging 24.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. Last season, he helped lead Shanghai to the league championship.

Lofton Jr. also starred for Team USA at the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, helping the United States capture the gold medal. His performance in the championship game against France was one of the tournament's standout displays, as he played a key role in securing the title.

Kenny Lofton Jr.:

"I'm excited to join Hapoel Jerusalem and begin my journey in European basketball. From the very beginning, I was impressed by the club's high ambitions, and I'd like to thank Head Coach Saša Obradovi? and the management for believing in me. I can't wait to arrive in Jerusalem, meet the Fans, get to know my new teammates, and fight for this club every single game. Yalla Hapoel!"

Head Coach Saša Obradovi?:

"Kenny is a player with a rare combination of strength, talent, and the ability to impact the game in many different ways. He'll give us a strong presence in the paint, excellent rebounding, and a versatile offensive skill set. He's proven himself everywhere he's played, and we're confident he'll add significant quality on both ends of the floor. We're thrilled to welcome him to Hapoel."