Kennedy Chandler

Chandler was born Sep. 16, 2002, in Cordova, Tennessee. He began playing varsity basketball for Briarcrest Christian School in Eads, Tennessee while in eighth grade. As a freshman, he came off the bench and helped his team reach the Division II-AA semifinals. In his sophomore season, Chandler averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He led Briarcrest to the DII-AA state title, earning tournament most valuable player honors after scoring 20 points in a 65-54 win over Brentwood Academy. He was named DII-AA Tennessee Mr. Basketball. After the season, Chandler won the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Peach Jam with Mokan Elite. As a junior, he averaged 22.2 points, 4.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game, leading his team to a state runner-up finish and being named DII-AA Tennessee Mr. Basketball for his second straight year. To help prepare for the college level, Chandler transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas for his senior season. As a senior, he averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game, leading his team to a 21-4 record. Chandler was named to the rosters for the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. Chandler was considered a five-star recruit during his last two years of high school and committed to Tennesse over offers from Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and Memphis. He made an immediate impact as a freshman, averaging 13.9 points, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Chandler was named to the Second Team All-SEC as well as the All-Freshman Team. At the conclusion of his freshman year, Chandler represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia. He averaged 7.7 points and 3.4 assists per game, helping his team win the gold medal. Eventually, he was selected in the second round with the 38th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.