Elijah Hughes Bio
Elijah Wayne Hughes (born March 10, 1998) is an American professional basketball player who most recently signed with Gigantes de Carolina of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico. Standing 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and playing the small forward position, he has built a career that has taken him through the NBA, the NBA G League, and professional leagues in Europe. Hughes played college basketball for the East Carolina Pirates and the Syracuse Orange, earning First-team All-ACC honors in 2020 before being drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans that same year. Over the course of his professional journey, he has suited up for organizations including the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Wisconsin Herd, Cleveland Charge, CB Breogán, and MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, demonstrating his versatility and durability as a perimeter player.
Elijah Hughes
Early Life and Background
Elijah Wayne Hughes was born on March 10, 1998, in Poughkeepsie, New York, and grew up in nearby Beacon, New York. He is the sixth of seven children in his family. Hughes first picked up the sport through the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) before joining the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit, where he played for local coach Kenney Dawson. In Beacon, he became a recognizable figure for his basketball ability, often dominating games at Loopers Park.
His father, Wayne Hughes, works for the information technology company IBM, while his mother, Penny Hughes, was a teacher’s aide for Beacon City Schools before later counseling at a methadone clinic. Hughes’ older sister, Talah, also pursued basketball at the collegiate level, playing for Saint Peter’s and scoring more than 1,000 career points. The basketball environment at home, combined with strong community coaching, helped shape Hughes’ early development and competitive mindset.
Path to Basketball
Following his eighth-grade season, Hughes was called up to the varsity team at Beacon High School in Beacon, New York, where he played the point guard position early in his career despite his size. After two years, he transferred to John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, New York, hoping to gain greater exposure. As a junior, he led his team to a 26–2 record and a runners-up finish at the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) championship, was named first-team Class A All-State, and earned CHSAA Class A MVP honors. He scored 42 points in a single game against Jamesville Dewitt High School.
Hughes committed to play college basketball at East Carolina, but he struggled academically, in part because of a long commute and the school’s competitive academic environment. To improve his grades and meet NCAA requirements, he transferred to South Kent School, a boarding school in South Kent, Connecticut, and later attended summer school. At South Kent, he became teammates with other Division I prospects, including Tremont Waters and Myles Powell, and was rated a three-star recruit and the No. 5 player in his state by 247Sports. These formative steps in three different school settings helped Hughes mature as a player and a student before his collegiate career.
Elijah Hughes Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Hughes began his collegiate career at East Carolina University during the 2016–17 season. As a freshman, he averaged 7.8 points and 2.3 rebounds across 27 games, though he missed seven games because of an injury. The Pirates finished that year with a 15–18 record, and Hughes also gained weight during his recovery. His season-high of 19 points came against South Florida on December 28, 2016. Following the season, Hughes announced his decision to leave the program and pursue a fresh start elsewhere.
He chose to transfer to Syracuse over an offer from Seton Hall. After redshirting a year to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, Hughes used the time to improve his strength and diet, setting the stage for a breakout at the next level.
Syracuse Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Hughes emerged as a starter for the Syracuse Orange going into his redshirt sophomore season, becoming the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.7 points per game while adding 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest. He attempted more three-pointers than any other teammate and connected on 36.9 percent of them. He scored a career-high 25 points in a season-ending loss to Baylor in the NCAA tournament, signaling his scoring potential on a national stage.
Entering his junior year, Hughes was named to the watch list for the Julius Erving Award, which honors the top collegiate small forward. On February 11, 2020, he left a game against NC State early with a lower body injury, but he still finished the regular season strongly. He was selected First Team All-ACC and averaged 19 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game as a junior. After that season, Hughes declared for the 2020 NBA draft, capping one of the more impressive individual turnarounds in the conference.
Elijah Hughes Career in the NBA and Beyond
Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers (2020–2022)
Hughes was selected with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. His draft rights were traded to the Utah Jazz, and on November 24, 2020, the Jazz announced that they had signed him. He was assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League on February 15, 2021, gaining valuable professional experience. On February 9, 2022, Hughes was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team deal, beginning the next phase of his pro career.
Wisconsin Herd and Cleveland Charge (2022–2025)
On November 3, 2022, Hughes was named to the opening night roster for the Wisconsin Herd. The following summer, he signed with Manisa BB of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi but parted ways with the club in August 2023 without playing, citing personal reasons. He briefly signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in October 2023 before being waived two days later, and he returned to the Wisconsin Herd nine days after that. In July 2024, he signed with Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League but never played for them.
On October 16, 2024, Hughes signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, was waived two days later, and joined the Cleveland Charge of the G League on October 26, 2024. That move kept him active in American professional basketball while he continued to refine his game.
CB Breogán, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, and Gigantes de Carolina (2025–Present)
Hughes was announced as a new CB Breogán player on April 12, 2025, joining the Lugo-based Liga ACB team following Darrun Hilliard’s departure. This marked his first experience playing in Europe. For the 2025–26 season, he signed with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the German Basketball Bundesliga, expanding his international footprint. On May 27, 2026, Hughes signed with Gigantes de Carolina of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, continuing his path across multiple top leagues.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Hughes’ career are his First-team All-ACC selection in 2020, his second-round selection in the 2020 NBA draft, and his career-high 25 points against Baylor in the NCAA tournament. He has also shown resilience by continuing to compete at high levels across the NBA, the G League, and European basketball.
Elijah Hughes Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Hughes is the sixth of seven children. His father, Wayne Hughes, works for IBM, while his mother, Penny Hughes, was a teacher’s aide for Beacon City Schools before counseling at a methadone clinic. His older sister, Talah, played college basketball for Saint Peter’s, where she scored more than 1,000 career points, giving the family a strong athletic thread that extends beyond Elijah’s own career.
2025 Season Performance
Hughes’ 2025 storyline began with his move to CB Breogán of Spain’s Liga ACB in April, giving him his first taste of European top-flight basketball. The transition to a new league, country, and style of play was a key chapter in his ongoing development as a versatile forward.
Following his time in Lugo, he signed with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the 2025–26 season, continuing his international tour. Each move has added a new layer of experience, and his adaptability across the NBA, G League, Liga ACB, and Bundesliga reflects a player who has steadily built a long professional career. Looking ahead, his signing with Gigantes de Carolina in 2026 suggests he remains in strong form and motivated to compete at a high level.