Grayson Allen Bio
Grayson James Allen is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Allen rose to national attention as a sharp-shooting guard at Duke University, where he helped the Blue Devils win a national championship as a freshman in 2015. He was selected 21st overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz and has since played for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Milwaukee Bucks before joining the Suns in 2023.
Early Life and Background
Grayson James Allen was born on October 8, 1995, in Jacksonville, Florida. He grew up in his hometown and attended Providence School in Jacksonville, where he developed into one of the most highly recruited basketball players in the country. In his senior year, he led the program to a state championship and was selected as a McDonald’s All-American in 2014, a recognition reserved for the top high school players in the United States.
At the McDonald’s All-American Game, Allen won the Slam Dunk Contest, memorably jumping over future Duke teammate Jahlil Okafor. His combination of leaping ability, perimeter shooting, and competitive fire made him a five-star recruit and one of the most talked-about high school players in his class. He signed with Duke University, choosing the Blue Devils over several other elite college basketball programs.
Path to Basketball
Allen’s path to elite-level basketball began in Jacksonville, where his early development quickly pushed him onto the national radar. His senior season at Providence School produced a state title and a McDonald’s All-American selection, both of which confirmed his status as a top-tier college recruit. The recruiting process drew interest from multiple powerhouse programs, but Allen committed to Duke, a school with a long history of producing NBA guards.
At Duke, Allen was thrown into a competitive environment under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. He played in 142 games across four seasons and built a reputation as a volume scorer and a tough, sometimes polarizing competitor. His late-game shot-making and perimeter shooting caught the attention of NBA scouts, and by the end of his senior season, he was projected as a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
Grayson Allen Career
Early Career: Duke University (2014–2018)
During his freshman season in 2014–15, Allen averaged 4.4 points per game but became a key contributor during the NCAA tournament. On April 7, 2015, he scored 16 points in the national championship game to help Duke defeat its opponent and claim the title. Coach Krzyzewski praised his impact, saying Allen had put the team on his back during the comeback run.
As a sophomore in 2015–16, Allen emerged as one of the best offensive players in the Atlantic Coast Conference, averaging 21 points per game and shooting 41 percent from three-point range. However, his season was marked by several tripping incidents that drew national scrutiny. He recorded All-America and Academic All-America honors in 2016, becoming the sixth Blue Devil to receive both awards in the same season.
Utah Jazz (2018–2019)
On June 21, 2018, Allen was selected 21st overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2018 NBA draft, and he signed a four-year rookie scale contract on July 2. He made his NBA debut on October 22, 2018, scoring seven points in 11 minutes off the bench against the Memphis Grizzlies. His rookie year showed flashes of perimeter shooting and steady improvement as he adjusted to the professional game.
On April 10, 2019, Allen erupted for a career-high 40 points, adding seven rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in a 137–143 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The performance cemented his offensive potential, but Utah opted to move on. On July 6, 2019, he was traded, alongside Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, the draft rights to Darius Bazley, and a future first-round pick, to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Mike Conley.
Memphis Grizzlies (2019–2021)
Allen debuted for Memphis on October 23, 2019, against the Miami Heat. He spent the next two seasons carving out a shooting specialist role, highlighted by a 20-point performance with a career-high six three-pointers on August 5, 2020, against the Utah Jazz. On December 16, 2020, Memphis exercised its team option on Allen for the 2021–22 season, signaling confidence in his development.
On April 7, 2021, Allen posted a season-high 30 points with four rebounds and three assists in a 131–113 win over the Atlanta Hawks. He suffered an abdominal injury on May 5, 2021, missing the final seven regular-season games, but returned for the playoffs, scoring a playoff career-high 17 points against his former team, the Jazz, in the first round. The Grizzlies were eliminated in five games.
Milwaukee Bucks (2021–2023)
On August 7, 2021, Allen was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Sam Merrill and two future second-round picks. He signed a reported two-year, $20 million extension on October 18, 2021, and made his Bucks debut the next day with 10 points, six assists, and four rebounds in a win over the Brooklyn Nets. He quickly became a rotation piece for a Bucks team with championship aspirations.
During the 2021–22 season, Allen set a then-playoff career-high with 22 points in Game 3 of the first round against the Chicago Bulls on April 22, 2022, and matched it with 27 points two days later in Game 4. On January 4, 2023, he hit a game-winning three-pointer in a 104–101 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors. Milwaukee ultimately traded him to Phoenix as part of the Damian Lillard deal in September 2023.
Phoenix Suns (2023–Present)
On September 27, 2023, Allen was traded to the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team deal. He quickly became a key contributor off the bench, then in the starting lineup, scoring a season-high 26 points on November 6, 2023, against the Chicago Bulls. He went on to post multiple 30-point games, including 31 points on January 5, 2024, against the Miami Heat, when he made a career-high nine three-pointers.
By the end of his first season in Phoenix, Allen led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 46.1 percent, becoming the second Suns player to do so in a season and the first to do so while playing a full season with the team. On April 15, 2024, he signed a four-year, $70 million extension with Phoenix, locking him in through the 2027–28 season. In the 2024–25 season, he continued his hot shooting, and on November 10, 2025, he scored a career-high 42 points on 10-of-15 three-point shooting in a 121–98 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, setting a Suns franchise record for most three-pointers in a single game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Allen’s career includes several signature moments, from his 40-point outburst as a Utah rookie to his nine three-pointer games in Phoenix. He won an NCAA championship in 2015 and earned multiple All-America and Academic All-America honors at Duke. His Suns franchise record of 10 three-pointers in a single game, set on November 10, 2025, stands as the most recent milestone of a career defined by elite perimeter shooting.
Grayson Allen Career Wins and Achievements
Allen has compiled a résumé that includes an NCAA championship, an NBA-leading three-point shooting season, and a series of high-scoring performances at the professional level. While he has not been named an NBA All-Star, his shooting efficiency has placed him among the league’s most reliable perimeter threats.
NBA Highlights
Allen’s most notable NBA season came in 2023–24, when he led the league in three-point percentage at 46.1 percent. He also set a Suns franchise record with 10 three-pointers in a single game on November 10, 2025, and tied a separate franchise record with nine three-pointers in a game on multiple occasions. He signed a four-year, $70 million extension in April 2024, cementing his long-term role in Phoenix.
College Highlights
At Duke, Allen was part of the 2015 NCAA championship team, won All-America and Academic All-America honors in 2016, and earned All-ACC Academic honors four times. He finished his Duke career with 1,996 points, ranking 12th on the program’s all-time scoring list.
Grayson Allen Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Grayson James Allen began dating Morgan Reid while both were students at Duke University. Reid played on the Duke women’s soccer team and later turned professional, playing in the NWSL for the North Carolina Courage and the Orlando Pride before retiring in 2022 due to a severe hip issue. The couple got engaged in February 2022 and married on July 23, 2022. In October 2024, Allen and his wife welcomed a baby girl.
2025 Season Performance
Allen has continued his role as a key perimeter shooter for the Phoenix Suns in 2025. The team acquired him in September 2023, and by the end of his first season, he had led the NBA in three-point percentage, setting the foundation for his current run in Phoenix. Heading into the 2025–26 season, he is signed to a four-year, $70 million extension that runs through 2028.
On November 10, 2025, Allen put up a career-high 42 points on 10-of-15 three-point shooting in a 121–98 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, setting a Suns franchise record for most three-pointers in a single game. Earlier, on February 7, 2025, he scored 21 points with seven rebounds and six assists in a 135–127 overtime win over the Utah Jazz, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game to overtime. He remains a central piece of the Suns’ offensive system and a candidate for a deep playoff push in 2025.