Kendrick Nunn might be out of the NBA spotlight, but don’t let that fool you-his basketball story is still very much alive, and he’s writing a compelling new chapter overseas. Now suiting up for Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague, the former Lakers and Heat guard is proving that his game travels-and thrives-on the international stage.
It’s been a couple of seasons since Nunn last played in the NBA, wrapping up his time in the league after a stint with the Washington Wizards. But rewind a bit, and you’ll remember how Nunn burst onto the scene with the Miami Heat.
Undrafted in 2018, he didn’t just make a roster-he made an impact. In his rookie year, he averaged 15 points per game while shooting nearly 46% from the field and over 36% from deep.
That kind of production doesn’t go unnoticed, and it earned him a ticket to Los Angeles, where the Lakers were hoping he’d bring that same scoring spark.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed much of his time in L.A. Nunn struggled to find rhythm and consistency, averaging just 6.7 points and 3 assists per game while dealing with lingering health issues.
His shooting numbers dipped as well-down to 40.6% from the field and 32.5% from three. Eventually, he became part of the trade package that brought Rui Hachimura to the Lakers, a move that worked out well for L.A. but marked the end of Nunn’s NBA run.
But that wasn’t the end of the story-it was just a new beginning.
Fast forward to this EuroLeague season, and Nunn is making waves with Panathinaikos. Through 13 games, he’s leading the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game, and doing it with serious efficiency.
He’s hitting nearly 60% of his two-point attempts, 40.4% from beyond the arc, and knocking down 87.5% of his free throws. That’s not just solid-it’s elite-level efficiency, especially in a league known for its physicality and defensive intensity.
And while scoring is his calling card, Nunn’s playmaking has also been on display. He’s second on the team in assists, averaging 3.8 per game, trailing only veteran point guard Kostas Sloukas. He’s not just getting buckets-he’s helping run the offense and keeping teammates involved.
Panathinaikos, one of Europe’s most storied clubs, is off to a strong 9-4 start in EuroLeague play, and Nunn’s emergence as a go-to option has been a key reason why. He’s not just fitting in-he’s leading.
It’s easy to look back at his NBA exit and chalk it up as a cautionary tale, but Nunn’s resurgence overseas flips that narrative. He’s showing that there’s more than one path to basketball success, and sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes to unlock a player’s full potential.
So while the Lakers may have moved on-and justifiably so, given the value they got in return-Kendrick Nunn is proving that his game is far from finished. In fact, it might just be entering its prime.