Saddiq Bey Bio
Saddiq Jaleel Bey is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall, he plays as a forward and is recognized for his three-point shooting, scoring touch, and toughness on the wing. Bey first gained national attention during his sophomore season at Villanova, where he emerged as one of the top small forwards in college basketball. After being selected 19th overall in the 2020 NBA draft, he has continued to build a reputation as a reliable scorer and perimeter threat at the professional level.
Drafted by the Brooklyn Nets, Bey was immediately traded to the Detroit Pistons, where he spent his first three NBA seasons. He later had a stint with the Atlanta Hawks before signing with the Washington Wizards in 2024. In 2025, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he continues his professional career.
Early Life and Background
Saddiq Jaleel Bey was born on April 9, 1999, in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. He is the son of Drewana Bey, a former high school principal who herself played collegiate basketball at Charlotte. Growing up with a mother deeply rooted in education and basketball helped shape Bey’s competitive mindset and discipline from a young age.
Bey attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, for his freshman year before transferring to Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. At Sidwell, he played AAU ball with D.C. Premier, a program known for developing top-tier talent. He stood 5 feet 9 inches as a freshman but grew significantly during his high school years, eventually reaching his current height of 6 feet 7 inches. As a senior, he averaged 21 points and eight rebounds per game, cementing his status as a four-star recruit ranked among the top players in his class.
Path to Basketball
Bey originally committed to North Carolina State on November 2, 2017. However, in May 2018, he asked to be released from his letter of intent and was denied a waiver to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. After considering Wake Forest, Boston College, and Vanderbilt, he signed with Villanova on June 15, 2018. Villanova coach Jay Wright had recruited Bey earlier in high school and targeted him again after Omari Spellman left for the NBA and a scholarship became available.
Bey made an immediate impact in his freshman year at Villanova. In his debut against Morgan State, he finished with 16 points and four rebounds. During his first six games, he averaged just under 16 points per game, and he recorded his first double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds on January 30, 2019, against DePaul. Villanova won the Big East tournament that season, becoming the first team to win three straight titles, with Bey contributing 16 points and 10 rebounds in the 74–72 championship win over Seton Hall. As a freshman, he averaged 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.
Saddiq Bey Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Coming into his sophomore season, Bey was named to the Julius Erving Award watchlist, signaling his rise among the nation’s top small forwards. On December 4, 2019, he scored 27 points to lead Villanova to an 80–69 win over Penn. He later set a career high with 33 points, including eight three-pointers, on January 11, 2020, in an 80–66 victory over Georgetown. He followed that with 18 points in a 79–75 overtime win against DePaul.
At the conclusion of the regular season, Bey was unanimously selected first-team All-Big East. He also won the Robert V. Geasey Trophy as the top player in the Philadelphia Big 5 and the Julius Erving Award as the nation’s top small forward, becoming the third Villanova player to win the award in six seasons, following Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game as a sophomore before declaring for the NBA draft.
NBA Breakthrough (2020–2023)
Bey was drafted 19th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020 NBA draft. The following day, the Detroit Pistons acquired his draft rights in a three-team trade. On December 1, 2020, the Pistons announced they had signed him. Bey quickly made his mark, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors on February 15, 2021, and finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. His strong play earned him a place on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
His second NBA season was a breakthrough. On January 1, 2022, Bey hit a game-winning three-pointer over two defenders in the final seconds of overtime to lead Detroit past the San Antonio Spurs 117–116. Two days later, he scored a then-career-high 34 points with eight rebounds in a 115–106 upset win over the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. On March 17, 2022, he erupted for a career-high 51 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals, in a 134–120 win over the Orlando Magic. Later that month, he set a Pistons franchise record for most three-pointers in a season with 192, surpassing Allan Houston’s previous mark of 191. On January 4, 2023, he delivered another buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the Golden State Warriors 122–119.
Atlanta Hawks Era (2023–2024)
On February 9, 2023, Bey was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a four-team trade involving the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers. He made his Hawks debut on February 13, recording 12 points and five rebounds in a 144–138 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Bey provided consistent scoring and perimeter shooting throughout his time in Atlanta.
On January 28, 2024, Bey scored 26 points and hit a game-winning putback dunk in a 126–124 win over the Toronto Raptors. However, on March 11, 2024, he suffered an ACL tear that ended his season and required a lengthy rehabilitation process.
New Orleans Pelicans Era (2025–Present)
On July 12, 2024, Bey signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Washington Wizards. He was expected to miss most of the 2024–25 season while recovering from his ACL injury, but was recalled on March 23, 2025, from a G League rehab stint with the Capital City Go-Go as he neared a return. However, before ever appearing in a game for the Wizards, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on July 6, 2025, in a three-team deal also involving the Houston Rockets.
Bey joined the Pelicans alongside Jordan Poole and the draft rights to Micah Peavy, while the Wizards received CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, Cam Whitmore, and a future second-round pick in the transaction. His arrival added another scoring and shooting option to the New Orleans roster.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Bey’s career are his 51-point game against the Orlando Magic, his franchise-record 192 three-pointers in a season with the Pistons, and multiple game-winning shots in dramatic fashion. He also earned the Julius Erving Award in college and the NBA All-Rookie First Team honors, marking him as one of the most accomplished scorers of his draft class.
Saddiq Bey Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Bey is the son of Drewana Bey, a former high school principal and collegiate basketball player at Charlotte. His mother’s background in both education and basketball provided a strong foundation for his development as a player and as a person. The family’s athletic roots helped instill the work ethic that has defined his career.
Personal Life
Information about Bey’s personal life beyond his family background remains limited. He has focused primarily on his basketball career and rehabilitation following his ACL injury. Public details about his marital status or children have not been disclosed.
2025 Season Performance
Bey’s 2025 storyline has been defined by recovery and a late-career reset. After signing with the Washington Wizards in July 2024, he spent the majority of the season rehabbing his ACL injury in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go. His recall in March 2025 signaled that a return to NBA action was drawing closer, though the trade to New Orleans in July 2025 changed the course of his season.
Now with the New Orleans Pelicans, Bey is expected to compete for minutes on the wing as he continues to regain his pre-injury form. The Pelicans acquired him in a deal that brought in scoring depth and shooting, areas where Bey has historically made his mark. His health and rhythm will likely shape his early impact with the team.
Heading into the 2025–26 NBA season, Bey’s outlook will depend on his recovery progress and his ability to carve out a rotation role in New Orleans. With a multi-year contract in hand and a fresh start alongside a new roster, he has the opportunity to reestablish himself as a reliable scoring threat in the league.