 Pelle withPallacanestro Varese in 2016 | |
| No. 14 – Beirut Club | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Lebanese Basketball League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1993-02-03)February 3, 1993 (age 32) St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda |
| Nationality | American[1] / Antiguan / Lebanese |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 231 lb (105 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| NBA draft | 2014:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2013–present |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2014 | Delaware 87ers |
| 2014–2015 | Dacin Tigers |
| 2015 | Delaware 87ers |
| 2015–2016 | Homenetmen |
| 2016–2018 | Varese |
| 2018 | Auxilium Torino |
| 2018–2019 | Delaware 87ers |
| 2019 | Homenetmen |
| 2019–2020 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2019–2020 | →Delaware Blue Coats |
| 2021 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2021 | Canton Charge |
| 2021 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2021 | New York Knicks |
| 2021–2022 | Cleveland Charge |
| 2022 | Utah Jazz |
| 2022 | Cleveland Charge |
| 2022–2023 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2023–2024 | Shahrdari Gorgan |
| 2024–present | Beirut Club |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Norvel Pelle Jr. (born February 3, 1993) is a Lebanese-Antiguan professionalbasketball player forBeirut Club of theLebanese Basketball League. A 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m), 231-pound (105 kg)center, he played at three different high schools in theLos Angeles area and was ranked as one of the toprecruits in his class. He was prohibited from competing in college after failing to meet academic requirements, choosing to immediately turn professional in 2013.
Pelle spent his rookie year with theDelaware 87ers of theNBA Development League. He then moved to theDacin Tigers inTaiwan, where he was named an All-Star, and returned to the 87ers at the end of the season. In 2015, Pelle joinedLebanese clubHomenetmen Beirut, leading the league in blocks. In the next season, he began a two-year stint withPallacanestro Varese inItaly, closing the2017–18 season withAuxilium Torino. Pelle has played in the NBA for thePhiladelphia 76ers,Brooklyn Nets,Sacramento Kings,New York Knicks, andUtah Jazz.
He holds Antiguan, American, and Lebanese citizenship, and has experience with theLebanon national basketball team.
Pelle was born inSt. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, to Norvel Sr. and Darlene Pelle.[2][3] When Pelle was three years old, his family moved toSaint Croix in theUnited States Virgin Islands, and when he was seven, they moved to United States for better work opportunities.[3] His father was awelder, while his mother managed the garden center at aHome Depot store.[3]
In his freshman season, Pelle played basketball forLakewood High School inLakewood, California, where he was touted as one of the toprecruits in his class.[4] His school was located near his family's residence inLong Beach, California.[3] As a sophomore, Pelle transferred toManuel Dominguez High School inCompton, California, playing under head coachDuane Cooper.[5] After Cooper was dismissed from the team, Pelle revealed plans to move to a different high school program.[6] He moved to Frederick K. C. Price High School inLos Angeles but was sidelined for his junior season due to transfer rules. Despite his absence, the team won theCIF Southern Section Division 4AA championship, led byAllen Crabbe andRichard Solomon.[7] With three games left in his senior campaign, Pelle was averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks per game.[7]
In his high school career, Pelle was ranked as high as the No. 1center in his class by recruiting serviceRivals.[3] He was rated a four-starrecruit byESPN and247Sports.[8][9] Despite his success on the court, he struggled in the classroom, achieving only a 2.6grade-point average and failing to meet college entrance exam requirements two times.[3] After joiningSt. John's at theNCAA Division I level, he was ruled ineligible for taking summer classes at Northeast Preparatory School inPhiladelphia.[10] He decommitted from the program, signing aletter of intent withIona, but was again ruled academically ineligible.[11] He then played for Los Angeles College Preparatory Academy.[12]
After ultimately skipping college, Pelle entered the2013 NBA draft, attempting to become the first draftee without college or international experience since 2005.[12] However, he withdrew days prior because of severe blisters and warts on his foot that had to be surgically removed.[13] Later in the year, he was selected as the sixth overall pick at the2013 NBA Development League draft by theDelaware 87ers.[14] In the 2013–14 season with the 87ers, Pelle averaged 5.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 13.1 minutes per game.[15] He scored a season-high 18 points on December 11, 2013, against theIdaho Stampede.[16]
On July 29, 2014, Pelle signed with theDacin Tigers of the TaiwaneseSuper Basketball League (SBL).[17] In 30 games with the team, he averaged 15.3 points and 14.2 rebounds.[18] Pelle had a notable performance in December 2014 versusKinmen Kaoliang Liquor Basketball, posting adouble-double of 27 points and 26 rebounds.[19] He was named to the SBL All-Star Game and earned All-SBL honorable mention accolades from basketball website Asia-Basket.[20]
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On March 10, 2015, Pelle returned to the Delaware 87ers of theNBA Development League but played only four games in the2014–15 season.[15] His best performance came on March 20 against theErie BayHawks, recording 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks.[21] He averaged 5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.[15]
On December 14, 2015, Pelle signed withHomenetmen Beirut of theLebanese Basketball League.[22] On January 20, 2016, Pelle only scored 3 points but grabbed 23 rebounds in a 96–88 win over the Al Moutahed.[23] After 32 games, he averaged 11.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, and a league-high 2.9 blocks per game.[24]
Pelle joined theMiami Heat of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) at the 2016 Orlando ProSummer League.[15]
On July 28, 2016, Pelle signed a two-year contract withPallacanestro Varese of the ItalianLega Basket Serie A (LBA).[25] Upon his arrival, head coachPaolo Moretti said, "The qualities of Pelle that have most impressed me are his explosive strength, aggressiveness and athleticism."[25]
Pelle played for the Miami Heat at the 2017 NBA Summer League in both Orlando and Las Vegas.[15]
On February 13, 2018, Pelle signed withAuxilium Pallacanestro Torino for the remainder of the2017–18 season.[26]
After the season concluded, Pelle competed for thePhiladelphia 76ers at2018 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game through five contests.[15] He later joined the 76ers for training camp.[27] On October 10, 2018, Pelle was waived.[28] He signed with theDelaware Blue Coats for their training camp roster.[29] On January 23, 2019, Pelle was suspended for five games without pay for violating the G League's Anti-Drug program.[30]
On March 30, 2019, Pelle signed withHomenetmen Beirut of theLebanese Basketball League for the remainder of the season.[31]
On July 2, 2019, Pelle signed with thePhiladelphia 76ers with a two-way contract.[32] On February 7, 2020, his deal was converted to a standard contract.[33]
On December 19, 2020, Pelle was signed and then waived by theCleveland Cavaliers.[34][35]
On January 22, 2021, Pelle was included in roster of theCanton Charge.[36]
On January 28, 2021, Pelle signed with theBrooklyn Nets,[37] but was later waived by the Nets on February 16 after appearing in three games.[38]
Pelle was officially re-acquired by theCanton Charge on February 21, 2021.[39]
On February 25, 2021, Pelle signed a 10-day contract with theSacramento Kings.[40]
On April 2, 2021, Pelle signed a 10-day contract with theNew York Knicks.[41] On April 12, he signed a second 10-day contract.[42] On April 22, Pelle signed a multi-year deal with the Knicks.[43] On July 31, the Knicks waived Pelle.[44]
On November 15, 2021, Pelle signed with theCleveland Charge as a returning player.[45]
On December 25, 2021, Pelle was signed to a 10-day contract by theBoston Celtics.[46] However, he never played a game for Boston.
On January 7, 2022, theUtah Jazz signed Pelle to a 10-day contact.[47] He appeared in three games for the Jazz.
On January 20, 2022, the Cleveland Charge announced that they reacquired Pelle after his 10-day contract with the Jazz finished.[48]
On August 4, 2022, Pelle signed an Exhibit 10 contract with thePortland Trail Blazers.[49]On September 4, 2022, Pelle was waived by the Trail Blazers.
On October 24, 2022, Pelle joined theFort Wayne Mad Ants training camp roster.[50]
On February 8, 2023, the Mad Ants' social media team, in response to a fan's comment on Facebook, stated Pelle had been away for "personal reasons", with him having last appeared in the Mad Ants' 124–116 victory over the Lakeland Magic on January 28, 2023.[51]
Pelle was traded to theCapitanes de Ciudad de México on February 14, 2023,[52] but didn't play for them. On September 8, he signed withShahrdari Gorgan of theIranian Basketball Super League.[53]
On July 19, 2024, Pelle signed withBeirut Club of theLebanese Basketball League.[54]
Pelle is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, Lebanon, and the United States but representsLebanon at the international level.[55][56] He debuted for them at the2017 FIBA Asia Cup, averaging 9.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game, en route to a 6th-place finish.[15] Against thePhilippines, he nearly recorded a triple-double with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 blocks.[57] He wears #12 in theLebanese national team.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Philadelphia | 24 | 0 | 9.7 | .521 | .000 | .500 | 3.0 | .3 | .1 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| 2020–21 | Brooklyn | 3 | 0 | 9.3 | .429 | .000 | .000 | 2.3 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 2020–21 | Sacramento | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | .000 | .000 | .750 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 3.0 |
| 2020–21 | New York | 9 | 0 | 5.8 | .714 | .000 | .500 | 1.2 | .1 | .1 | .7 | 1.2 |
| 2021–22 | Utah | 3 | 0 | 6.3 | .600 | .000 | .000 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .3 | 2.0 |
| Career | 40 | 0 | 8.4 | .529 | .000 | .550 | 2.4 | .3 | .1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Philadelphia | 1 | 0 | 6.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 6.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | |