He’s an NBA swingman who made a name for himself as a reliable rotation player after being selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Although drafted by Dallas, his rights were quickly traded to the Denver Nuggets, where he began his professional journey and spent the first three years of his career developing his game. Before making it to the big leagues, he was already a standout—ranked as a top 10 national recruit coming out of high school. He went on to play college ball at the University of Texas, where his performance really took off. As a sophomore, he averaged over 18 points per game, which ultimately led him to declare for the NBA Draft. Off the court, family has always played a big role in his life. He was born to Greg and Karen Hamilton and grew up with five siblings. Among them is his older brother Gary, who also pursued basketball at both the collegiate and professional levels—so you could say the sport runs in the family. All in all, his path—from high school phenom to Texas standout to NBA swingman—shows just how much dedication and talent can shape a career.
Back in 2015, he signed with the Russian team Krasny Oktyabr, which was an interesting chapter in his career. However, things took a turn when the New Orleans Pelicans came calling. Due to a roster shortage, they were able to bring him back to the NBA by using a hardship exception. He ended up finishing out the 2015-2016 season with them, marking a solid return to the league. It was a smart move all around, and really showed how valuable he could be when given the chance.