Kyle Guy, a former NBA star, who took his talents out of the USA in recent years, has retired from basketball. However, that’s not it. He’s decided to focus his attention on guiding the new generation of athletes at the University of Virginia. He’ll be now assisting the head coach, Tony Bennett, as part of the coaching staff. Well, what might seem intriguing for many is that Guy was the same pick as Bronny James! But what happened? Why was Kyle Guy compelled to pursue coaching, despite being in the prime age of his career?

Who is Kyle Guy?

Kyle Guy, who goes by the full name Kyle Joseph Guy, was born in Indianapolis, to Joe Guy and Katy Guy. But fate took a turn, and his parents separated. Kyle grew up under the care of his stepmother, Amy. He is not the only child; he has 3 brothers named Bennett, Brady, and Colin and 2 sisters named Madison and Tatum. The ‘athletic’ gene was embedded deep inside Guy since he hailed from a sports family. His father, Joe Guy, used to play football and participated in track, from 1995 to 96 at the University of Cincinnati.

His uncle at the DePauw University, Indiana ran across the country during his stint from 1996 to 2000 and his great-grandfather served as Commissioner for the Indiana High School Athletic Association. The institution also inducted him into both the football and basketball halls of fame.

Kyle Guy’s school and college life

Kyle Guy attended Lawrence Central from 2013 to 2016 in Indiana. He rose to popularity from those days, as he won 4 varsity letters in High school, one each year! In his freshman year, he charted 13.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. During the sophomore year, Guy’s stat line increased, and he averaged more than 14 points a game, earning him the All-conference and All-County honors the same year. In his junior year, Guy made it to Junior Indiana All-Star (core team), All-Conference, All-County, county runner-up player of the year, and IBCA Subway Underclassman All-State. He couldn’t stop winning!

As he moved ahead, he averaged 23.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the year 2015-16, earning him the title ‘Indiana Mr. Basketball’ before being invited to the McDonald’s All-American game. He added 7 points, along with 2 assists, in his 12 minutes.

After completing high school, Guy joined the University of Virginia and Cavaliers led by Tony Bennett, refusing invitation letters from Indiana, California, and Xavier. As a freshman, he shot at an unbelievable 49.5% from deep.

Some of his most prominent feats in college include the 2018 ACC Tournament MVP, the Third-Team All-American in 2018 and 2019, and the 2x All-ACC first-team honors [2018+2019]. His 42.5% record from deep at the end of his college career ranked 1st! It was time to climb further up the ladder.

Kyle Guy’s short-lived NBA Career

As Kyle Guy moved on from college, he got into the NBA Draft in 2019. However, he was drafted in the second round as the 55th pick. The NY Knicks traded him soon after and the Sac Kings signed him to a 2-way contract. He dropped 42 points for Stockton in December that same year. Soon after, his NBA debut took place, and he got to play against Milwaukee Bucks in January ’20. In 2021, Kyle Guy then signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who waived him a month later in October of that year, later signing as an affiliate.

Just as the fall of 2021 approached, Kyle Guy signed with the Miami Heat on two consecutive 10-day deals, later joining the side permanently on a two-way deal. However, the Heat waived him in March 2022. His standout performance came on New Year’s Eve in 2021, when he scored 17 points off the bench, in his 23 minutes playing time on the court.

He went overseas to join European Clubs as he played for Joventut Badalona, Panathinaikos, and La Laguna Tenerife from 2022 to 2024, respectively, before returning to his alma mater as an assistant.

Though Kyle Guy, being the same pick as Bronny, could not make a big name and fortune at the professional level, did all the 55th picks from the second round end with the same fate? Let’s further analyze.

Prominent No. 55 picks before the viral Bronny James

The past 55th picks haven’t gotten as much attention from the front office or from the NBA community as Bronny James gets. Also, no such pick has made it to an All-NBA player, an NBA All-Star, an All-Defensive team pick, or an All-Rookie team player yet in the NBA history. One of the best who has earned the respect of the league, despite being the 55th pick, is Patty Mills. He plays for the same team as Kyle Guy played in 2021-22, Miami Heat.

The 35-year-old was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in year 2009. Over his 15-year stint with the league, the Heat guard has accumulated a staggering 7893 points. Some other names of the 55th pick class include Mark Blount, Marc Iavaroni, E’Twaun Moore, and Kenny Gattison, who received some sort of stardom before fading away.

All of these second-round 55th picks from the NBA Draft class could not establish themselves as monumental players for their respective franchises. However, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka holds hopes for Bronny James as he commented on the young rookie’s future, saying, “The biggest moments in sports happen with the Lakers. That’s how we’re built and we’re excited to see this story unfold.”

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.