- Kahlil Whitney plays professional basketball for Newfoundland Growlers of the CEBL
- The 6 feet 6 inches, former Kentucky player was raised alongside his three siblings
- His father, Kelly Whitney previously played basketball as a forward for Seton Hall
Chicago-born Kahlil Whitney is an American professional basketball player. He was an active member of the Kentucky Wildcats before leaving to join the 2020 NBA draft. Unfortunately, Kahlil’s name wasn’t mentioned on the draft night.
While several disappointments may have fronted his career, the 24 -year-old has remained focused on his dream. At present, he is signed with the Newfoundland Growlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
Brief Biography of Kahlil Whitney
Kahlil Whitney was born to his parents Kelly Whitney and Chanel Tillmon on January 8, 2001. He grew up on the west side of Chicago, Illinois and was raised with his siblings; Kylie, Tyreese, and Isaiah.
With respect to his education, Kahlil proceeded to the Eric Solorio academy high school after his elementary education and thereafter was transferred to Roselle Catholic Highschool in Roselle, New Jersey.
Moving on, Kahlil enrolled at the University of Kentucky even though he later dropped out.
A Look at his Career
Similar to basketball players like Dalen Terry and Didi Louzada, Kahlil’s passion for sports was ignited at an early age. He started off as a football player before switching to basketball.
He was active during his high school days at Eric Solorio academy and exerted the same energy during his freshman year at the University of Kentucky. He was notably one of the star players of the Kentucky Wildcats and appeared in 18 games with eight starts, averaging 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds until he left the team to join the NBA.
Declaring his intentions for the 2020 NBA draft and hiring an agent didn’t actualize. Thusly, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Charlotte Hornets. Thereafter, he joined the Rio Grande Valey Vipers in October 2021, and then in 2022 precisely April 21, he signed with the Newfoundland Growlers of the CEBL. Kahlil is looking out for more opportunities to spread his wings and fly. We presume that the coming years would be fulfilling.
Did You Know These Intriguing Facts about Kahlil Whitney
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1. His Father also had a Career in Basketball
It’s true that an apple doesn’t fall far from its tree. While Kahlil has displayed a mix of talents and hard work. We presume some of his traits were transferred to him from his father. Kahlil’s father, Kelly Whitney was a former basketball player at Seton Hall and even played professionally overseas until his arrest placed him behind bars for 2 years.
As the story goes, Kelly Whitney pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal restrain, and conspiracy for his role in a 2010 attack on eight college students in South Orange and spent 2 years in jail. On his release, he was removed from organized basketball and simply went low-key.
Unsurprisingly, he is remembered for his striking performances as a power forward who anchored the front lines of NCAA Tournament teams in 2004 and 2006.
2. Kahlil Whitney was one of Four Former Kentucky Wildcats to go undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft Night
As stated, Kahlil’s desire to be selected as part of the 2020 NBA Draft came to a halt after his name wasn’t heard. He suffered the same fate as his teammates; Ashton Hagans, EJ Montgomery, and Nate Sestina. Even though he had skills and physical attributes that placed him at advantage such as his height, wingspan, handling methods, pick and roll reads, and passing skills.
While the pandemic was a contributing factor to this, his abrupt drop from school could have as well added to it. Nonetheless, the player has remained relevant as part of the Newfoundland Growlers of the CEBL.
3. His Nickname is Dragon
Former Kentucky forward was nicknamed dragon by his father. Kahlil recalls that he was playing in his final AAU tournament in Las Vegas when his dad suddenly came to meet him and thereafter all he could hear was the crowd screaming ‘he’s a dragon! He’s a dragon!’”.
Interestingly, after the game, his new name was in the mouth of everyone thanks to his Stellar performance. Many fans also added that the name dragon compliments his fierce competitive spirit.
4. Is Kahlil Whitney in a Relationship?
Though a celebrity, former Kentucky forward has done pretty well in maintaining his personal life away from the camera. Consequently, information about his love life is elusive to the media even though he seems to be single.
At present, he is focused on his career, and developing a relationship might not be a priority to him. Notwithstanding, he may have as well kept his ‘sweetheart’ from the prying eyes of the public.
Read Also: Maya Jama Is Ben Simmon’s Girlfriend: Are They Engaged? 10 Facts
5. Kahlil Looks up to his Dad as his Role Model
It’s only true that everyone looks up to someone and for Kahlil, his dad is his someone. He revealed in an interview that his dad had given him countless of advice on what to do and not do as a Black American.
It’s quite unfortunate that Kelly Whitney’s career as a basketball player was cut short when he pleaded guilty to several crimes and was eventually removed. Notwithstanding, he has proven to be a better person and lives his dreams through his son Kahlil Whitney.
Although Kahlil’s desire to play for the NBA was also a failed attempt, he is still looking up to beautiful sunny days.
6. How Tall is He?
It’s a known fact that physical attributes are trigger elements of a basketball player’s performance. Noticeably, Kahlil’s height, weight, and other physical attributes give him an edge over his teammates.
He stands at 6 feet 6 inches (1.98) and weighs 95kg (210Ib). Additionally, Kahlil’s wingspan is 7 feet while his standing reach is 8 feet 9.5 inches.
7. What is Kahlil Whitney’s Net Worth?
24 -year-old Kahlil is still a growing basketball player and hasn’t made many inputs since he got started. Nonetheless, many sites have given varying values to these concerns which we find unreliable. However, by calculations from richatheles.com, it’s safe to say that Kahlil is worth at least $2 million.He has been able to secure an estimated salary of at least $500 – $1,500CAD/per game ($400 – $1,190 USD/gm) by signing with the Newfoundland Growlers of the CEBL. Prior to this, he earned not less than $898,310 with Kentucky Wildcats.
Kahlil had a lot of chances to sell himself out while at the University of Kentucky however, his abrupt decision and hunger to explore prompted his decision to leave the team. Unfortunately, his dream to play in the NBA was also clipped off leaving him undrafted.
While a lot of basketball players like Ben Wallace and Bruce Bowen who also had similar fates later worked their way into the league, the question is – will Kahlil Whitney follow the trail or rather explore a different career like his father?
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