Gbinije competed for Benedictine High School. As a junior, Gbinije averaged 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He averaged 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a senior and was named first team all-state. He led Benedictine to a 26–5 record and the VISAA Division I State Championship. Gbinije was ranked 28th in the 2011 class by ESPNU 100 and 26th overall by Scout.com.[1]
College career
Gbinije (13) during his time at Duke
Gbinije began his collegiate career at Duke, where he played sparingly as freshman and averaged 1.7 points in 19 games.[2] He opted to transfer to Syracuse after his freshman year and sat out the 2012–13 season as a redshirt.[1] As a sophomore, Gbinije averaged 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He increased those numbers to 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as a junior in 2014–15.[2] On February 14, 2015, he scored a career-high 27 points against Duke to go along with four assists in an 80–72 loss.[1] As a senior in 2015–16, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 39% from beyond the three-point line and 46% overall. Gbinije started all 37 games of the season and helped lead the Orange on an improbable run to the 2016 NCAA Final Four.
Professional career
Detroit Pistons (2016–2017)
On June 23, 2016, Gbinije was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 49th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft.[3][4] He was drafted for his defense, versatility and athleticism.[5] On July 3, 2016, he suffered a sprained ankle and was ruled out for the entire 2016 NBA Summer League.[6] Despite the injury, he signed with the Pistons on July 14.[7] During his rookie season, Gbinije had multiple assignments with the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons' D-League affiliate.[8] On July 15, 2017, he was waived by the Pistons.[9]
Santa Cruz Warriors (2017–2019)
On September 6, 2017, Gbinije signed a training camp deal with the Golden State Warriors and appeared in 4 preseason games. He was waived by the Warriors on October 14, 2017. A couple days later, Gbinije was then signed with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League.
On June 29, 2018, the Knicks announced that Gbinije would be on their summer league team.
On February 10, 2022, Gbinije was reacquired and activated by the Oklahoma City Blue.[14] Gbinije was then later waived on March 4, 2022.[15] Gbinije was reacquired on March 6, 2022.[16]
Cape Town Tigers (2022–present)
On October 17, 2022, it was announced Gbinije had signed with the South African team Cape Town Tigers for the 2022–23 season.[17]
Gbinije competed on the Nigerian squad in AfroBasket 2015 because his father, Frank, is a native of Nigeria. He helped Nigeria win gold in the tournament and qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics, scoring five points in the championship game against Angola. "Playing on this team was a unique experience for me," he said. "Overall, I enjoyed playing with these guys."[18] Overall, Gbinije averaged 7.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in the tournament and scored in double figures twice in eight games.[19]
Personal life
He is the son of Frank, an All-American soccer player at Temple, and Yvette Gbinije. He enrolled in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and majored in communication and rhetorical studies.[1]
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