Emanuel Terry signs with Phoenix Suns

Enterprise native Emanuel Terry signed a 10-day contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns on Dec. 27.

Terry started the 2021-2022 season as a member of Team USA during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and once the 2021 qualifiers ended he rejoined the Stockton Kings of the NBA’s G-League. Terry has been averaging 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block so far this season for the Kings.

The Suns signed Terry to the 10-day contract after players Jae Crowder and Elfrid Payton were forced to enter COVID-19 protocols. Terry had previously played for the Suns during the 2018-2019 season when he averaged five points, three rebounds and two seals during his stint with the team.

Terry grew up in Enterprise – his cousin is currently all-state player Elijah Terry for Enterprise High School – before moving to Cleveland where he became a star at Cleveland High School and then Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. At Lincoln he won the Bevo Francis Award that goes to the top small college basketball player in the country and earned All-American honors.

Following his college career, Terry signed with the Denver Nuggets and then with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Canton Charge of the G-League before playing briefly for the Suns and Miami Heat of the NBA. He also played overseas for the Teksut Bandirma in Turkey, Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel and Crvena zvezda of Serbia.

He played the entire 2020-2021 G-League season with the Agua Caliente Clippers and averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds during the season. Following the season, he signed with the Kings and was a star for the Sacramento Kings during the NBA Summer League.