Jay Huff Bio
James Matthew Huff, known professionally as Jay Huff, is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 7 feet 1 inch tall and listed at 240 pounds, Huff plays the center position and has built a reputation as a shot-blocking rim protector who can also stretch the floor with perimeter shooting. After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, he worked his way through the NBA G League before establishing himself as a rotation player at the highest level.
Born on August 25, 1997, in Durham, North Carolina, Huff developed into one of the most efficient two-way big men in college basketball during four seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers. He was part of Virginia’s 2019 NCAA championship team and went on to earn Second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive Team honors as a senior. His professional journey has taken him through the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies organizations before he arrived in Indiana.
Early Life and Background
James Matthew Huff was raised in Durham, North Carolina, minutes away from the campus of the University of North Carolina. He grew up in a deeply basketball-oriented household, as both of his parents are former college players. His father, Mike Huff, played at Pacific Lutheran University, while his mother, Kathy Huff, played at West Virginia. Mike Huff later became the director of the Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Laboratory at Duke University, giving his son an early understanding of athletic development and performance training.
Huff attended Voyager Academy in Durham, where he was a four-year varsity basketball player and was coached by his father throughout his high school career. As a senior in January 2016, he became his school’s all-time leading scorer, and he went on to lead Voyager Academy to the Class 1A state title. In the championship game, Huff recorded a triple-double of 14 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks, earning tournament most valuable player honors, and he finished that season averaging 16.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.
Rated as a four-star recruit, Huff drew early interest from the region’s biggest basketball programs, but his thin frame and long-term development profile made him a stronger fit for Virginia head coach Tony Bennett’s defense-oriented system. The Cavaliers offered a clear development path and built an early relationship with the family, and Huff committed to Virginia in May 2015.
Path to Basketball
Huff arrived at the University of Virginia in 2016 and redshirted his first year to add strength and conditioning, gaining roughly 30 pounds before the 2017–18 season. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 12 games and averaged 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game while shooting 68 percent from the field. Ahead of his sophomore season, he underwent surgery for a torn labrum that kept him out for three to four months, but he returned in time to contribute to a memorable year for the program.
During Virginia’s 2018–19 championship run, Huff averaged 4.4 points in 9.3 minutes per game on 60.4 percent shooting and delivered several high-impact performances, including 17 points and six blocks in a win over Georgia Tech and a near triple-double of 15 points, 10 blocks and nine rebounds against Duke. The 10-block game against Duke made him only the second player in Virginia history to reach that mark in a single contest. He was part of a championship core that also included future NBA players De’Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome, both of whom later credited Huff’s role in that title run.
As a junior in 2019–20, Huff set career highs with 8.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while anchoring one of the nation’s top defenses. He briefly entered the 2020 NBA Draft process before withdrawing and returning for his senior season. After an offseason of skill work that reportedly included more than 18,000 practice shots with longtime family friend and coach Bob MacKinnon, Huff blossomed as a senior in 2020–21, averaging 13.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 58.5 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three. Those numbers earned him Second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive Team honors, and he declared for the 2021 NBA Draft following the season.
Jay Huff Career
Early Career (2021–2023)
After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, Huff joined the Washington Wizards for the 2021 NBA Summer League and signed with the organization on September 21, 2021. He was waived on October 13 and quickly signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on October 18, 2021, beginning a stretch of two-way and Exhibit 10 deals that shuttled him between the NBA and the G League. He was waived by the Lakers in January 2022 and re-acquired by their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he spent the bulk of his rookie development season.
Huff rejoined the Lakers’ Summer League roster in 2022 and scored nine points with seven rebounds in a 100–66 win against the Miami Heat in his debut. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers in July 2022 and was waived in October, returning once again to South Bay. Across two seasons with the South Bay Lakers, Huff established himself as one of the top defensive big men in the G League and laid the groundwork for his next opportunity.
Washington Wizards / Capital City Go-Go (2023)
On March 2, 2023, Huff signed a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards and was assigned to the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate. His defensive production surged during the 2022–23 G League season, and on April 4, 2023, he was named the NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 4.0 blocks per game. That same campaign brought him All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team honors, cementing his identity as an elite rim protector at the developmental level.
After his Wizards stint, Huff joined the Houston Rockets for Summer League play in July 2023, looking for a fresh opportunity. The strong G League résumé, highlighted by his Defensive Player of the Year award and league-leading blocks total, made him an attractive target for teams seeking two-way depth at the five.
Denver Nuggets / Grand Rapids Gold (2023–2024)
On July 18, 2023, Huff signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets and was assigned to the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate. He continued to refine his combination of shot-blocking and three-point shooting, giving the defending NBA champions a versatile developmental big man on a two-way deal. His time with the Gold allowed him to extend his range and expand his offensive repertoire while serving as a regular contributor in the G League.
Although his role with the Nuggets was limited at the NBA level, Huff remained on Denver’s radar as a stretch five option, and his consistency in the G League positioned him for another opportunity at the next level when his contract expired.
Memphis Grizzlies (2024–2025)
On July 24, 2024, Huff signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, marking the beginning of his most significant NBA rotation role to that point. He opened eyes with a career-high 18 points in a home victory against the Orlando Magic on October 26, 2024, and two days later he signed a four-year, $10.1 million contract with the Grizzlies, converting from a two-way player to a standard NBA deal. Across the 2024–25 season, Huff appeared in 64 games with two starts and averaged 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists while serving as a key frontcourt reserve.
His combination of rim protection, floor spacing and veteran poise made him a reliable piece of the Grizzlies’ rotation and helped him earn the kind of stable, multi-year contract that had eluded him as an undrafted free agent.
Indiana Pacers Era (2025–Present)
On July 6, 2025, Huff was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a 2029 second-round pick and a 2031 second-round pick swap, ending his time in Memphis. He quickly slotted into Indiana’s bench as a stretch five and rim protector, providing shooting and switchability alongside the Pacers’ young core. On November 19, 2025, he scored 20 points with five rebounds and four assists in a game against the Charlotte Hornets, and on January 16, 2026, he posted a career-high 29 points to go with nine rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In the 2025–26 NBA season, Huff played in all 82 games and finished the year with the third-highest blocks per game average in the league, reinforcing his value as a defensive anchor off the bench. His durability and production have made him a fixture in Indiana’s rotation and a key piece of the team’s frontcourt depth chart.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the court, Huff profiles as a modern center whose value starts on the defensive end. He protects the rim with consistent shot-blocking, anchors defensive schemes with his length and timing, and uses his mobility to contest at the perimeter. Offensively, he spaces the floor as a stretch five, shoots the three at a reliable clip for a big man, and finishes above the rim with authority, including signature reverse dunks that have become a staple of his highlight package.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Huff’s signature moments are his 10-block performance against Duke during Virginia’s 2018–19 championship run and his role on that NCAA title team. He was named the NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 after leading the league in blocks per game. His 29-point outing against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 16, 2026, set a new career high and capped a season in which he appeared in all 82 games for the Pacers.
Jay Huff Career Wins
While Jay Huff’s professional résumé is still in the early stages of his NBA career, his track record features major team and individual milestones. He is an NCAA champion with Virginia (2019), an NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year (2023), a member of the All-NBA G League First Team (2023), and a Second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive Team selection (2021). He also led the NBA G League in blocks per game during the 2022–23 season and finished the 2025–26 NBA season ranked third in the league in blocks per game.
NBA and G League Highlights
Huff’s first significant NBA rotation came with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2024–25, when he averaged 6.9 points across 64 games and signed a four-year, $10.1 million contract. His most recent standout performance came on January 16, 2026, when he scored a career-high 29 points with nine rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans as a member of the Indiana Pacers. Earlier in the 2025–26 season, he recorded 20 points, five rebounds and four assists against the Charlotte Hornets on November 19, 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, Huff helped Virginia capture the 2019 NCAA championship and earned Second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive Team honors as a senior in 2020–21. In high school, he led Voyager Academy to the North Carolina Class 1A state title and was named tournament most valuable player after posting a 14-point, 14-rebound, 10-block triple-double in the final.
Jay Huff Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Basketball runs throughout the Huff family. Both of Jay Huff’s parents are former college players: his father, Mike Huff, played at Pacific Lutheran University, and his mother, Kathy Huff, played at West Virginia. Mike Huff went on to serve as the director of the Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Laboratory at Duke University, which gave his son an exceptional grounding in athletic development and performance science. Jay’s father also coached him throughout his four years at Voyager Academy, where the younger Huff became the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Personal Life
Jay Huff is a member of the Chi Alpha Christian fellowship at the University of Virginia and has publicly stated that he aspires to become a minister when he retires from professional basketball. He grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and continues to be recognized for the close family ties that helped shape his basketball journey.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a turning point in Jay Huff’s career. After joining the Indiana Pacers on July 6, 2025, in a trade that sent him out of Memphis, Huff quickly earned a meaningful role in Indiana’s rotation as a backup center and rim protector. He opened his Pacers tenure with a 20-point, five-rebound, four-assist performance against the Charlotte Hornets on November 19, 2025, signaling the offensive ceiling he could provide off the bench.
Huff’s defensive impact defined his 2025–26 season, as he appeared in all 82 games and ranked third in the NBA in blocks per game. His ability to protect the rim while also stretching the floor as a shooter gave the Pacers a versatile weapon on both ends of the court, and his durability stood out across a full season of nightly contributions.
Looking ahead, Huff’s four-year contract signed with Memphis in 2024 carries him through the coming seasons, and his strong play in Indiana positions him as a long-term piece of the Pacers’ frontcourt. His combination of size, shot-blocking, three-point shooting and team-first approach has earned him a stable NBA role and a clear path to continued production.
