Tony Bradley Bio
Tony Lee Bradley Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6’10” and listed at 248 pounds, he plays the center and power forward positions. He is best known for his time at the University of North Carolina, where he was part of the 2017 NCAA championship team, and for an NBA career that has included stops with the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers.
Bradley was born on January 8, 1998, in Bartow, Florida. After a standout high school career and a single season at North Carolina, he entered the 2017 NBA Draft and was selected 28th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, with his draft rights immediately traded to the Utah Jazz. Across nearly a decade as a professional, he has split time between NBA rosters and G League affiliates, eventually reaching the 2025 NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers.
Early Life and Background
Tony Lee Bradley Jr. was born and raised in Bartow, Florida, a small city in Polk County known for producing notable athletes. He grew up in a basketball-friendly community and attended Bartow High School, where he developed into one of the top high school big men in the country. His size, footwork, and rebounding instincts made him a focal point for the Yellow Jackets throughout his prep career.
As a senior, Bradley was named a McDonald’s All-American, one of the highest honors for a high school basketball player. He was also recognized as Florida Mr. Basketball, becoming the first player from Bartow High School to receive the award. Rated as a five-star recruit and ranked 17th in the ESPN 100 for the Class of 2016, Bradley drew scholarship offers from several major programs.
He ultimately chose the University of North Carolina over a list of suitors that included Kansas, Florida, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Miami, and NC State. The decision to play for the Tar Heels gave him the chance to learn under Hall of Fame head coach Roy Williams and to compete for a national title in his freshman season.
Path to Basketball
Bradley’s path to elite basketball began at Bartow High School, where his combination of length and interior skill turned him into a consensus top-20 national prospect. His senior-year accolades placed him firmly on the radar of NBA scouts well before he stepped on a college campus.
At the University of North Carolina, Bradley joined a Tar Heels roster stacked with veteran frontcourt talent. As a freshman, he served as the primary substitute for senior Kennedy Meeks, averaging 7.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game. He was particularly effective on the offensive glass, providing a physical presence around the rim.
Following UNC’s championship win over Gonzaga in the 2017 NCAA title game, Bradley announced that he would declare for the 2017 NBA Draft without hiring an agent, keeping the door open to return for his sophomore year. He later confirmed he would remain in the draft, becoming the third “one-and-done” player of the Roy Williams era at North Carolina and the second on that roster to do so after winning a national championship.
Tony Bradley Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Bradley was selected 28th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft, with his draft rights traded to the Utah Jazz on draft night. On July 5, 2017, he signed his rookie contract with the Jazz and made his NBA debut on November 5 against the Houston Rockets. Two days later, he was assigned to the Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, where he scored 20 points in his debut against the Wisconsin Herd.
During his first two seasons, Bradley split his time between the NBA and the G League. As a rookie, he made nine appearances for Utah, posting averages of 0.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.1 assists. The following season, he played just three games for the Jazz but averaged 5.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in limited minutes, showing flashes of the rebounding ability that had defined his high school and college profiles.
Utah Jazz Breakthrough (2019–2020)
Bradley entered the regular rotation during the 2019–20 NBA season, his third year with the organization. He played in 58 total games, including three starts, and averaged 4.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists. The increased workload gave him his first extended look as a backup center in a playoff-caliber frontcourt.
His development during that season helped establish him as a reliable energy big off the bench, capable of finishing around the rim and protecting the glass. The Jazz’s confidence in him showed in his career-high minutes and his role within one of the Western Conference’s top defenses.
Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder Era (2020–2021)
On November 22, 2020, Bradley and the draft rights to Saben Lee were traded to the Detroit Pistons for cash considerations. A day later, he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Zhaire Smith. With the 76ers, Bradley made 20 appearances, including eight starts, and averaged 5.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists during the 2020–21 season.
On March 25, 2021, Bradley was part of a three-way trade that sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 22 appearances with the Thunder, he produced his strongest scoring stretch to that point, averaging 8.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. The stint showed what he could do with a larger role on a rebuilding roster.
Chicago Bulls Era (2021–2023)
On August 19, 2021, Bradley signed with the Chicago Bulls in free agency. In his first season with the team, he appeared in 55 games, including seven starts, and averaged 3.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, serving as a depth option behind Nikola Vučević and Tony Bradley’s other frontcourt teammates.
His role diminished the following year, as he made just 12 appearances during the 2022–23 season, posting 1.6 points and 0.9 rebounds per game. On February 21, 2023, Bradley was waived by the Bulls, closing out his longest continuous NBA tenure to that point.
G League Stint (2023–2025)
After being waived by Chicago, Bradley signed with the Dallas Mavericks on October 20, 2023, but was released the same day. He quickly joined the Texas Legends of the NBA G League on October 29, 2023, where he spent the bulk of the 2023–24 season rebuilding his form.
On October 7, 2024, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks but was waived the next day, and on October 26 he joined the College Park Skyhawks. The two-year G League stretch allowed him to maintain his conditioning and refine his offensive game while waiting for another NBA opportunity.
Indiana Pacers Era (2025–2026)
On March 2, 2025, Bradley signed a 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers. He signed a second 10-day deal on March 13, and on March 23 the Pacers signed him for the remainder of the 2024–25 NBA season. In 14 appearances for Indiana, he averaged 4.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.
His most prominent moment as a Pacer came in the postseason, when he was part of the roster that reached the 2025 NBA Finals. On January 5, 2026, Bradley was waived by the Pacers, but he was re-signed to a 10-day contract three days later, signed a second 10-day deal on January 19, and continued to provide frontcourt depth for Indiana’s playoff push.
Atlanta Hawks Era (2026–Present)
On April 6, 2026, Bradley signed a rest-of-season contract with the Atlanta Hawks, returning to the franchise he had briefly been with before his G League stint. The move gave him a closing chapter to the season on an NBA roster, working within a young frontcourt rotation.
Tony Bradley Family
Personal Life
Tony Lee Bradley Jr. maintains an active presence on social media, where fans can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @tobrad1 and on Instagram at @tobrad13. Public information about his immediate family, including parents, spouse, and children, is not detailed in available sources, and he has generally kept his personal life private.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marked a turning point in Bradley’s career after two seasons in the G League. He signed three consecutive 10-day contracts with the Indiana Pacers in March 2025 before the team committed to him for the rest of the campaign, rewarding his steadiness in practice and his willingness to embrace a defined reserve role.
On the court, Bradley posted 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds across 14 regular-season appearances, providing physicality and screening on a Pacers team that leaned heavily on its interior defense. His efforts helped stabilize the second unit during a critical stretch of the schedule.
The defining moment of the season came in the playoffs, when Bradley was part of the Pacers’ run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Though he was waived in early January 2026, his late-season contributions in 2025 cemented his place in one of the league’s most surprising postseason stories.