Zach LaVine Bio
Zachary Thomas LaVine, known professionally as Zach LaVine, is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 200 pounds, he was selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. A two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, LaVine was named an NBA All-Star with the Chicago Bulls in 2021 and 2022. He also won a gold medal on the 2020 United States Olympic team in Tokyo.
Across his professional career, LaVine has built a reputation as one of the league’s most athletic scorers. He has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Chicago Bulls, and the Sacramento Kings, and remains a featured perimeter scorer in today’s NBA.
Early Life and Background
Zachary Thomas LaVine was born on March 10, 1995, in Renton, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. He was raised by athletic parents. His father, Paul LaVine, played American football professionally in the United States Football League (USFL) and the National Football League (NFL). His mother, CJ LaVine, was a softball player. Growing up around competitive sports helped shape LaVine’s early work ethic.
Around the age of five, LaVine developed an interest in basketball after watching Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan in the film Space Jam. He later became a fan of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and modeled his game after both childhood idols. In his family backyard, his father had him repeatedly emulate the NBA’s Three-Point Shootout, building the shooting foundation that still defines his game today.
LaVine attended Bothell High School in the Seattle suburb of Bothell, where he played point guard and served as the team’s primary ball handler. By his junior year, he had grown to 6 feet 3 inches and spent hours practicing dunks in his backyard after his shooting routine ended. As a senior, he averaged 28.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, and was named the 2013 Associated Press Washington state player of the year, Washington Mr. Basketball, and a first-team Parade All-American.
Path to Basketball
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, LaVine was listed as the No. 12 shooting guard and the No. 44 player in the nation in 2013. He played in the Ballislife All-American Game and won the event’s slam dunk contest. On June 20, 2012, LaVine verbally committed to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
When UCLA coach Ben Howland was fired nine months later, LaVine briefly considered attending the University of Washington before deciding to remain with the Bruins under new coach Steve Alford. During the 2013–14 season, he served mostly as the team’s sixth man and averaged 9.4 points per game, the fourth-best mark on the squad. His 48 three-point field goals were the second most by a freshman in UCLA history, and he was voted to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
Despite a late-season shooting slump, his combination of size, athleticism, and perimeter skill drew comparisons to former Bruin Russell Westbrook. On April 16, 2014, LaVine declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
Zach LaVine Career
Minnesota Timberwolves (2014–2017)
LaVine was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft and signed his rookie scale contract on July 8, 2014. After limited early minutes, an ankle injury to starter Ricky Rubio opened the door for him to become the starting point guard. On December 6 against the San Antonio Spurs, he recorded his first double-double with 22 points and 10 assists.
During the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend, LaVine won the Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest champion since an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant in 1997. He earned a perfect 50 on each of his first two dunks and defeated future NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. He finished his rookie season averaging 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 77 games and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In his second season, LaVine captured Rising Stars Challenge MVP honors and became the fourth player ever to win consecutive Slam Dunk Contests, with a memorable final-round duel against Aaron Gordon that drew comparisons to the 1988 contest between Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins. He tied his then career high with 37 points on November 9, 2016, and scored a then-career-high 40 points on December 23, 2016. On February 4, 2017, an MRI revealed a torn ACL in his left knee, ending his season.
Chicago Bulls Breakthrough (2017–2025)
On June 22, 2017, LaVine was traded, along with Kris Dunn and the draft rights to Lauri Markkanen, to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jimmy Butler. After recovering from ACL surgery, he returned on January 13, 2018, scoring 14 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons. Following his return, LaVine quickly rebuilt his scoring form, and on July 8, 2018, the Bulls matched a four-year, $80 million offer sheet he had received from the Sacramento Kings.
LaVine opened the 2018–19 season with four straight 30-point games, joining Michael Jordan and Bob Love as the only Bulls players to do so. On March 1, 2019, he scored 47 points in a 168–161 quadruple-overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks, the third-highest-scoring game in NBA history. He led the Bulls with 1,492 points despite playing only 63 games.
The 2020–21 season marked his All-Star breakthrough. On April 9, 2021, he scored 50 points against the Atlanta Hawks, and he finished the year averaging a career-high 27.4 points per game, seventh in the NBA. He was named a reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, the first Bulls selection since Jimmy Butler in 2017. LaVine earned a second All-Star nod in February 2022 and made his postseason debut that spring. In February 2024, the Bulls announced he would undergo season-ending surgery on his right foot. On November 29, 2024, he surpassed Kirk Hinrich as the Bulls’ all-time leader in three-pointers made.
Sacramento Kings Era (2025–Present)
On February 3, 2025, LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal also involving the San Antonio Spurs. On February 24, 2025, he scored a season-high 42 points on 16-of-19 shooting in a 130–88 win over the Charlotte Hornets. He made 39 appearances during the 2025–26 campaign, averaging 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists before a tendon injury in his right hand required season-ending surgery in February 2026.
His arrival in Sacramento paired him with a young, fast-paced roster and gave the Kings another proven perimeter scorer. Even with the late-season injury, LaVine’s shot-making remained a focal point of the Kings’ offensive identity heading into the next phase of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
LaVine’s signature moments include his back-to-back Slam Dunk Contest titles, his 47-point quadruple-overtime game in 2019, his career-high 51 points against Detroit on October 28, 2023, and surpassing Kirk Hinrich as the Bulls’ all-time leader in three-pointers made. He also earned Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Zach LaVine Career Wins
Zach LaVine’s career has been defined by elite individual scoring and two of the most memorable Slam Dunk Contest performances in league history. Across Minnesota, Chicago, and Sacramento, he has been a reliable 20-point scorer and one of the NBA’s most dynamic perimeter threats.
NBA Highlights
LaVine is a two-time NBA All-Star (2021, 2022) and a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2015, 2016). He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2015 and was a member of the 2020 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo. He has posted multiple 40-point games, including a career-high 51 points against the Detroit Pistons in 2023.
Other Wins & Performances
At the high school level, LaVine was a first-team Parade All-American, the Washington Mr. Basketball, and the 2013 AP Washington Player of the Year. He won the Ballislife All-American Game dunk contest and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team during his lone season at UCLA.
Zach LaVine Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Zachary Thomas LaVine was raised in Renton, Washington, by athletic parents whose professional sports background shaped his competitive drive. His father, Paul LaVine, played professional football in the USFL and NFL, while his mother, CJ LaVine, played softball. Paul LaVine’s childhood fandom of UCLA basketball also influenced Zachary’s college choice.
Personal Life
In April 2020, Zach LaVine became engaged to his longtime girlfriend. Their first child, a son named Saint Thomas Lavine, was born in August 2022. Outside of basketball, LaVine has made brief on-screen appearances, including a guest role on the Disney XD series Kirby Buckets in 2016.
2025 Season Performance
Zach LaVine began the 2025 calendar year still with the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the Sacramento Kings on February 3, 2025. He scored 42 points in a 130–88 win over the Charlotte Hornets on February 24, offering an immediate offensive boost. Across the rest of the 2024–25 season, LaVine served as a featured scorer for a Kings team building around his shot-making and athleticism.
In the 2025–26 season, LaVine made 39 appearances with 36 starts, averaging 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He remained one of Sacramento’s top perimeter threats until February 13, 2026, when the team announced he would require season-ending surgery to repair a tendon injury in his right hand.
Even with the injury-shortened campaign, LaVine’s scoring efficiency and three-point shooting continued to anchor the Kings’ offensive rotation. His veteran presence is expected to remain central to Sacramento’s plans once he returns to full health.
