Yor Anei Bio
Yor Anei is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for KB Vëllaznimi of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague. Standing 6 feet 10 inches tall, he is listed as a power forward and has built his reputation as an elite shot-blocker across every level of the game. After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Anei has continued his professional career through the NBA G League and into international competition, showcasing perseverance shaped by both personal hardship and athletic growth.
Beyond his on-court identity, Anei carries a compelling personal story rooted in his family background and a childhood accident that cost him two fingers. His journey from Overland Park, Kansas, through three college programs and multiple professional stops reflects steady development, resilience, and a clear focus on continuing his career overseas.
Early Life and Background
Yor Anei was born on December 7, 1999, in Overland Park, Kansas. His mother, Kathleen Akot, is a South Sudanese refugee who fled the war in South Sudan before settling in the Overland Park area, where Yor was born. Kathleen worked long and late shifts in order to support her son on her own, and her sacrifice became a defining influence in Anei’s upbringing and motivation.
As a young child, Anei suffered a serious blender accident that resulted in the loss of his right index and middle fingers. Despite the physical and emotional challenge, he continued to pursue sports and built his identity around basketball, eventually emerging as a high-level shot-blocker. In 2017, during his high school years, he was legally adopted by the parents of his teammate Christian Bishop, who helped him stabilize his academic and athletic path and supported him through his senior year.
Anei attended Shawnee Mission South in Overland Park for the early part of his high school career, where he became a standout in his junior year and attracted attention from college recruiters. He transferred to Lee’s Summit West in Missouri for his senior season and was a key contributor for the Titans as they posted a 22–5 record and won the Missouri Suburban Gold Conference championship. At the end of that season, he was selected for the 2018 Missouri vs Kansas All-Star game, helping Missouri to a 114–92 win with 15 points and 4 assists, and was rated the number 1 player in Kansas regardless of position and the number 56 power forward nationally.
Path to Basketball
Outside of his high school schedule, Anei played AAU basketball for Team Rush in Kansas City, where he was coached by former Oklahoma State Cowboy Victor Williams. That connection helped open the door to college recruitment, and he drew attention from multiple programs, including Oklahoma State, UAB, and Denver.
His development as a rim protector and interior presence was already visible in his prep years, setting the stage for a college career built around blocking shots, rebounding, and finishing around the basket. Those traits followed him to Oklahoma State University, where he began his NCAA career.
Yor Anei Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Yor Anei began his college career at Oklahoma State, where he played for the Cowboys from 2018 to 2020. As a freshman, he averaged 7.7 points and 5 rebounds per game, while emerging as one of the most prolific shot-blockers in the country. He tied for 8th in the NCAA in total blocks and ranked 2nd among all freshmen nationally. He also tied Andre Williams’ Oklahoma State school block record with 85 blocks, and recorded his first career double-double against TCU with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 blocks, falling just one short of the Big 12 single-game record.
In his sophomore season, Anei averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He posted 13 double-digit scoring performances, and Oklahoma State went a perfect 13–0 in those games. He also recorded 8 blocks in a single game against Oral Roberts, the most by any Big 12 player that season. Following Oklahoma State’s one-year NCAA postseason ban, Anei announced his transfer to SMU on July 15, 2020.
SMU Breakthrough (2020–2021)
At SMU, Anei played his junior season in 2020–2021 and quickly became the anchor of the Mustangs’ interior defense. He averaged 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocked shots per game, and finished the year as the leading shot-blocker in the American Athletic Conference.
He produced several signature performances during the season, including 12 points and 4 blocks in a win against UCF and 15 points with 5 blocks in a win against Temple. His ability to protect the rim helped stabilize SMU’s defense and reinforced his reputation as one of the top blockers at the conference level.
DePaul Era (2021–2023)
On August 11, 2021, DePaul head coach Tony Stubblefield announced that Anei was transferring to join the Blue Demons. In his senior season with DePaul, he averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while recording 49 blocks across the year, finishing at the top of the Big East in blocks.
That season was also historic for the program, as Anei and teammate Nick Ongenda became the first duo in DePaul history to each reach 40 blocks in a single season. His presence in the paint helped shape DePaul’s defensive identity during his final year of college eligibility before he declared for the 2023 NBA draft.
Professional Career (2023–Present)
After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Anei began his professional career on October 30, 2023, when he joined the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League, though he was waived on November 11. On December 13, 2023, he signed with the Motor City Cruise, but was waived four days later. On February 10, 2024, he joined Raptors 905 and was waived on February 20, before a brief stint with the Westchester Knicks from February 22 to March 2, 2024.
He re-joined the Wisconsin Herd on March 8, 2024, and later signed with House of Talent Spurs of the BNXT League on September 25, 2024, though he never played for them. He returned to the Herd on October 28, 2024, and was waived on December 28, 2024. He then joined the Windy City Bulls in 2025, before moving to KB Vëllaznimi of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague, where he currently plays.
Playing Style and Strengths
Yor Anei’s game is built around interior defense, rebounding, and shot-blocking, with a listed frame of 6 feet 10 inches and 220 pounds that allows him to protect the rim at every level. He consistently ranked among the top blockers in his college conferences, leading the American Athletic Conference in blocks at SMU and finishing atop the Big East in blocks at DePaul. Offensively, he has flashed the ability to score in double figures, especially when he combines post play with his trademark shot-blocking energy on the other end of the floor.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Anei’s signature moments are his freshman record-tying 85 blocks at Oklahoma State, his 7-block performance against TCU, and his 8-block game against Oral Roberts. He also made history at DePaul by becoming part of the first 40-block duo in program history alongside Nick Ongenda, and he represented Missouri in the 2018 Missouri vs Kansas All-Star game, scoring 15 points in a 114–92 win.
Yor Anei Career Wins
While Anei’s professional career is still developing, his body of work features standout statistical achievements rather than a long list of championship trophies. His college résumé is highlighted by leading his respective conferences in blocks at both SMU and DePaul, and by anchoring defenses at Oklahoma State during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
College Highlights
At Oklahoma State, Anei tied Andre Williams’ school record for blocks with 85, ranked 8th nationally in blocks, and helped anchor a defense that went undefeated when he scored in double figures. At SMU, he led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots, and at DePaul, he finished at the top of the Big East in blocks and joined Nick Ongenda as part of the first 40-block duo in Blue Demons history.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond college, Anei was part of the Missouri team that won the 2018 Missouri vs Kansas All-Star game 114–92, and he contributed to Lee’s Summit West’s Missouri Suburban Gold Conference championship during his senior season. His professional journey has featured multiple G League stints, reflecting his persistence in continuing to chase a stable basketball career.
Yor Anei Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Yor Anei’s family story is shaped by his mother, Kathleen Akot, a South Sudanese refugee who settled in Overland Park, Kansas, after fleeing the war in South Sudan. She raised Yor largely on her own while working long and late shifts to provide for him. In 2017, he was legally adopted by the parents of his high school teammate Christian Bishop, who supported him through his senior year and helped him pursue his academic and athletic goals.
Personal Life
As a young child, Anei survived a serious blender accident that cost him his right index and middle fingers, an experience that has shaped his resilience both on and off the court. He has spoken about using that challenge as motivation, and his close family ties, including the support of his mother and the Bishop family, have been credited with helping him continue his basketball journey from high school through college and into the professional ranks.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks a new chapter in Yor Anei’s professional career as he takes his game overseas to KB Vëllaznimi of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague. Following multiple stints in the NBA G League, including a return to the Wisconsin Herd and a brief spell with the Windy City Bulls, Anei has embraced the opportunity to play a leading role in an international league.
Vëllaznimi, playing in a competitive European national league, gives Anei a chance to expand his role as a rim-protecting power forward and to gain consistent minutes. The transition to international basketball also allows him to develop his all-around game and showcase his shot-blocking on a new stage.
Looking ahead, the 2025 season is an opportunity for Anei to build stability, contribute to a championship-contending club in Kosovo, and continue pursuing his dream of a long professional career. With his defensive skill set, physical tools, and personal drive, the season represents a chance to turn years of perseverance into sustained success.