Garrett Temple Bio
Garrett Bartholomew Temple is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A versatile guard-forward, Temple has spent more than fifteen seasons navigating the league, the NBA G League, and a season in Italy. Known for his defense and steady professionalism, he played college basketball for the LSU Tigers and is widely respected as a long-tenured role player in the NBA.
Early Life and Background
Garrett Bartholomew Temple was born on May 8, 1986, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the United States. He is the son of Collis Temple and Soundra Johnson Temple. His father, Collis, was the first African American to play basketball at LSU, competing for the Tigers from 1971 to 1974, which gave the family a strong and visible place in Louisiana basketball history.
Temple grew up alongside two older brothers, Collis III and Elliott, and a younger sister, Colleen Noelle. His brother Collis III later played at LSU from 1999 to 2003, continuing the family’s connection to the program. Raised in Baton Rouge, Temple attended LSU Laboratory School, a campus often referred to as University High, where he developed into a high-level multi-sport athlete.
At University High, Temple also competed in track and field, specializing in the long jump and triple jump. As a senior, he averaged 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while leading the school to the 2004 Class 2A state championship. The combination of basketball and track work helped build the speed, jumping ability, and overall athleticism that became part of his profile as a perimeter defender.
Path to Basketball
After high school, Temple stayed close to home and enrolled at Louisiana State University, where he redshirted the 2004–05 season to refine his game. He quickly developed a reputation as a defensive stopper and earned meaningful minutes as a freshman in 2005–06, starting 35 of 36 games and averaging 5.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
By his sophomore year, Temple was a full-time starter and posted a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio that ranked tenth in the Southeastern Conference. In May 2007, he represented the United States on the Reach USA Tour of China, an all-star group that went 6–2 against Chinese league teams. He continued to expand his game as a junior, leading LSU in minutes played with 1,066, and wrapped his college career as LSU’s all-time leader in minutes played, surpassing a record set by Howard Carter in 1983.
As a senior, Temple earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors and was named to the coaches’ All-SEC second team, averaging 7.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals across 35 games. Going undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft, he began a long, persistent climb toward a stable NBA role.
Garrett Temple Career
Early Career (2009–2012)
Temple began his professional career with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League, initially as an affiliate player of the Houston Rockets. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Rockets in February 2010, then a 10-day deal with the Sacramento Kings in March 2010 and another 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs later that same month, ultimately signing with San Antonio for the rest of the 2010 season.
Across 2010 and 2011, Temple bounced between the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Erie BayHawks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Charlotte Bobcats on a series of short contracts. He was named an NBA D-League All-Star in 2011, an important recognition during a stretch when roster turnover was constant. In July 2011, he signed a one-year deal with Novipiù Casale Monferrato of Italy, averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 28 games as the team finished last in its league with an 8–24 record.
Washington Wizards Breakthrough (2012–2016)
Temple signed with the Washington Wizards on December 25, 2012, which marked the start of his first long-term NBA home. He re-signed with Washington in 2013 and again in July 2014 on a two-year, $2 million deal. Although primarily a reserve, he delivered some of the most productive scoring nights of his career while wearing a Wizards uniform.
On November 1, 2014, he set a then-career high with 18 points in a 108–97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, a mark he matched against the Orlando Magic on November 14, 2015. He then erupted for 21 points versus the Charlotte Hornets on December 19, 2015, and 23 points against the Sacramento Kings two nights later, before posting 20 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. That run made him the first NBA player to score at least 20 points in three consecutive games after not reaching that mark in his first 250 career appearances.
Sacramento Kings Era (2016–2018)
On July 9, 2016, Temple signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, beginning a second stint in the California capital. He debuted for the Kings on October 26, 2016, scoring 12 points off the bench in under 18 minutes during a 113–94 win over the Phoenix Suns. He continued to provide instant offense as a reserve, highlighted by a team-high 19 points and a career-tying five three-pointers against the Milwaukee Bucks in November 2016.
Temple missed time in February 2017 with a partial tear of his left biceps femoris muscle, but he returned to post one of the most memorable performances of his career on January 23, 2018. He scored 19 of his career-high 34 points in the final quarter to lift the Kings to a 105–99 win over the Orlando Magic, showcasing the veteran shot-making and poise that had become his trademark.
Memphis Grizzlies and Beyond (2018–2020)
On July 17, 2018, Temple was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a package that included Deyonta Davis, Ben McLemore, a 2021 second-round pick, and cash considerations. He opened his Grizzlies tenure with a 30-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks on October 19, 2018, and added a left shoulder strain to his list of injuries when he was sidelined in late January 2019.
On February 7, 2019, Temple was dealt, alongside JaMychal Green, to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Avery Bradley. That summer, he signed a two-year, $9.7 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets on July 8, 2019, continuing a stretch in which he changed teams almost every year while remaining a valued locker-room presence.
Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans (2020–2023)
Temple signed a one-year, $4.8 million contract with the Chicago Bulls on November 27, 2020, bringing his defense and veteran voice to a young roster. On August 8, 2021, he signed a three-year, $15.5 million deal with his hometown New Orleans Pelicans via a sign-and-trade, returning to Louisiana after more than a decade away.
His time in New Orleans was cut short, however, as the Pelicans waived him on July 5, 2023. The stint nonetheless held clear personal meaning, allowing Temple to play in front of family and friends in his home state before transitioning to the next chapter of his career.
Toronto Raptors Era (2023–Present)
On August 1, 2023, Temple signed with the Toronto Raptors, beginning his current chapter. He appeared in 27 games, two of them starts, during the 2023–24 NBA season, averaging 3.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist. He re-signed with the Raptors on July 6, 2024, and played 28 games in 2024–25, posting averages of 1.9 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.1 assists.
On July 2, 2025, Temple re-signed with the Raptors for another season, underlining his continued value as a defensive-minded veteran and steady presence in the locker room. His role in Toronto has been built less on raw numbers and more on leadership, versatility, and a willingness to take on the most difficult perimeter assignments.
Driving Style and Strengths
Temple built his NBA career on defensive toughness, positional versatility, and an unselfish approach on offense. Listed at 6 ft 5 in and 195 lb, he comfortably shifts between shooting guard and small forward, allowing coaches to use him against a wide range of opponents. His track and field background shows up in his lateral quickness and rebounding effort, while his lengthy track record of high assist-to-turnover ratios at LSU reflects a team-first offensive mind.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining milestones of Temple’s career was becoming the first NBA player to score at least 20 points in three consecutive games after going without a 20-point game in his first 250 appearances, a stretch he put together with the Washington Wizards in December 2015. He was also named an NBA D-League All-Star in 2011, set LSU’s all-time minutes played record in 2009, and joined the Toronto Raptors in 2023, where he continues to add to one of the longest active NBA careers of any undrafted player of his era.
Garrett Temple Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
The Temple family is deeply woven into the basketball history of LSU and Baton Rouge. Garrett’s father, Collis Temple, was the first African American to play basketball at LSU from 1971 to 1974, and his older brother, Collis Temple III, played for the Tigers from 1999 to 2003. His mother, Soundra Johnson Temple, helped raise Garrett alongside his brother Elliott and his younger sister, Colleen Noelle, grounding him in a family with a long tradition of competing at the highest level of Louisiana basketball.
Personal Life
Temple is a Christian and is often seen wearing a wristband that reads “In Jesus Name I Play.” In 2020, he married Kára McCullough, who had been crowned Miss USA in 2017. The couple has three children, and they have built much of their family life around faith, community, and service work off the court. Temple is also a member of the “Starting Five” group, which has worked with Hoops2O to fund clean water wells in East Africa, helping to bring water to tens of thousands of citizens in Tanzania and Kenya by early 2020.
2025 Season Performance
Temple re-signed with the Toronto Raptors on July 2, 2025, securing another season with the franchise that has housed him since 2023. After a 2024–25 campaign in which he appeared in 28 games and averaged 1.9 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.1 assists, the 2025–26 season positions him as a returning veteran presence on a roster that continues to develop its young core.
His value to the 2025 Raptors is expected to be measured less by raw production and more by defensive versatility, mentorship, and locker-room leadership. As a perimeter stopper capable of guarding multiple positions, Temple is likely to be deployed in spot-start or specialty-lineup roles, particularly against bigger wings and high-volume scorers. The Raptors’ ongoing rebuild gives him opportunities to influence games without carrying a heavy offensive load.
Looking ahead through the 2025 season, Temple’s main storyline is sustainability: extending one of the most quietly durable careers among undrafted players of his generation. If he stays healthy, he will continue to climb the all-time games-played list for undrafted NBA players, while providing the Raptors with a trusted veteran voice as they shape the next competitive chapter of their franchise.
