Is Kenneth Lofton Jr. related to Kenny Lofton, the baseball player?

Kenneth Lofton Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies is part of Friday night's 2023 Jordan Rising Stars game. He is with Team Terry, coached by former NBA player Jason Terry.

Lofton Jr. is playing with Terry's selected G League outfit as he has been playing mainly for the Grizzlies' affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.

Kenneth Lofton Jr. is not related to former Major League Baseball superstar Kenny Lofton. Despite the near similiarities in their names, they are not part of the same family.

Lofton Jr. grew up in Port Arthur, Texas and never even thought of becoming a baseball player like the legendary MBL star Lofton. The Memphis Grizzlies forward started playing basketball as a guard before a growth spurt pushed him to play on the wing and against bigger players.

The Texas native went to Louisiana Tech, where he quickly made a mark in college basketball. He averaged 12.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in his first season with the Bulldogs. Lofton Jr. became the first freshman to lead the team in rebounding since Paul Millsap achieved the feat during the 2003-04 season.

Lofton Jr. played two seasons for the Bulldogs before entering the 2022 NBA Draft where he went undrafted. He banked on an impressive FIBA U19 World Cup where he played well against the best collegiate stars to earn get picked in the draft.

Unfortunately, he was passed up by all teams, so he had to make it to the big league via a stint in the Las Vegas Summer League.

---

Kenneth Lofton Jr.'s performance against the OKC Thunder's Chet Holmgren turned heads

Kenneth Lofton Jr. surprised most basketball fans with his eye-opening performance against Chet Holmgren.

Kenneth Lofton Jr. and a slew of undrafted free agents went to Las Vegas to fulfill their NBA dreams via the hard way. He was with the Memphis Grizzlies when he had a chance to square up against Chet Holmgren, the second pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.

Both were former teammates for the USA's FIBA U19 World Cup, so Lofton Jr. knew how to operate against Holmgren. True enough, the bruising forward showed what he can do despite being just 6'6.

Kenneth Lofton Jr. finished the game with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. His eye-opening performance earned him a two-way spot with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Last night, he looked right at home against some of the best young talents that the NBA can offer.