BIOGRAPHY

Daniel Gafford Gilfriend: Is Daniel Gafford Married?

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3 months ago

February 12, 2024

Daniel Gafford, born October 1, 1998, is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks. He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Gafford was a four-star recruit in high school and received offers from various schools, including Kansas, Vanderbilt, and Florida. He played football and was a wide receiver at El Dorado High School. Gafford credits his involvement in the marching band for developing his skills.

Gafford's high school career included playing football as a wide receiver until ninth grade at El Dorado High School. He recorded a perfect 8 for 8 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 6 blocks against Minnesota in his first start for the Razorbacks. He also recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven blocks against No. 14 Auburn.

After an 11.8 point and 6.2 rebound season as a freshman, Gafford declared he would not be entering the 2018 NBA draft but would return to Arkansas for his second year. He was selected to the SEC All-Freshman team following his first year of play. In his sophomore season at Arkansas, Gafford saw an increase in stats, finishing with an average of 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.

The Chicago Bulls selected Gafford with the 38th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He made his NBA debut on October 26, 2019, contributing a rebound off the bench during an 84-108 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Gafford suffered a thumb injury on January 15, 2020, and was out for two to four weeks due to a dislocated thumb.

Gafford was moved to the Washington Wizards on March 25, 2021, as part of a three-team deal that included the Boston Celtics. He set a record-breaking 84.6% field goal percentage during the 2021 NBA playoffs. He signed a three-year, $40.2 million contract with the Wizards on October 18, 2021.