Hopkinsville, KY native Scotty Hopson takes incredible path back to NBA

Remember Scotty Hopson? Most of you probably do, actually. The 32-year old native of Hopkinsville, KY is back in the NBA for the first time 2018, taking advantage of the toll that COVID-19 is inflicting across the league.

Hopson is one of the most talented high school players to ever come out of Kentucky, committing to Tennessee as a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American in 2008. He attended University Heights Academy in Hopkinsville before playing three seasons for the Vols under then-head coach Bruce Pearl, making First-Team All-SEC as a junior.

A 6-foot-7 wing, Hopson was one of the SEC’s most dangerous players in his final two seasons at Tennessee. He averaged 11.3 points per game against Kentucky across seven total outings.

However, he would go undrafted in 2011. That’s where his story truly takes off.

Hopson has appeared in just one game so far for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021-22. It’s his third NBA franchise since first making it to the league back in 2014 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also made a stop with the Dallas Mavericks in 2018. In between all of that, Hopson has played in eight different countries and been in the G League for three years. Prior to joining OKC, he had played three NBA games for a total of 15 minutes, hitting just two free throws along the way.

During Friday’s broadcasting of the Thunder-New York Knicks game, announcer Mike Breen told the story of just how long it’s taken Hopson to make it back to the NBA at 32 years old.

Wow. Listen to this Scotty Hopson story from Mike Breen 🙏

10 years after graduating college he's played:
In 8 different countries
3 years in G-League
And in just 3 NBA games total (15 mins and 2 made free throws)

Definition of chasing your dreams. pic.twitter.com/VpLNP013GB

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 1, 2022

To recap, this is where Hopson’s basketball career has taken him since leaving Tennessee:

2011-12: Greek Basket League
2012-13: Israeli Basketball Super League
2013-14: Turkish Basketball League
March 2014: Signs with Cleveland Cavaliers; traded four times before being waived by Sacramento Kings in September
2014-15: NBA Development League
2015-16: Chinese Basketball Association
2016-17: Croatian HT Premijer liga; Israeli Basketball Premier League
2017-18: Turkish Basketball Super League
2018: Dallas Mavericks
2018-19: Oklahoma City Thunder
2019: Israeli Basketball Premier League
2019-20: National Basketball League (NBL)
2020: NBA G League
2020-21: National Basketball League (NBL)
October 2021: NBA G League
Dec. 27, 2021: Signs 10-day with OKC Thunder

That’s a busy passport…

Since signing with the Thunder through a 10-day hardship contract on Dec. 27, Hopson has made just one on-court appearance. However, it was his best outing in the NBA yet. He finished with four points on two made field goals (doubling his previous NBA career points total), one rebound, and one assist in nearly 18 minutes of action against the Phoenix Suns.

Now that’s a man who lives and breathes basketball.