Trevor Ariza was born on June 30, 1985. He won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2009 and has played 17 seasons at Small Forward in the NBA.
He’s most known for playing defense and being a versatile perimeter shooter. Ariza was a part of the Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2004 and he played for a vast assortment of teams throughout his career.
High School Career
Ariza was born in Miami, Florida but he played ball at Westchester High School in LA. He was an immediate standout who took the team to the California State Championship in 2003.
College Career
Trevor Ariza had a short college run only starting 23 games for the UCLA Bruins and averaging 11.6 points per game. Although his college career was short, it wasn’t due to lack of performance and he put his ballot in for the NBA Draft in 2004.
He was selected 43rd overall by the New York Knicks.
Pro Career
New York Knicks – 2004-2006
Ariza began his NBA career with the New York Knicks in 2004. During his rookie season, he played in 80 games and averaged 5.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He was traded to the Orlando Magic in the middle of the 2005-2006 season.
Orlando Magic – 2006-2007
In his brief stint with the Orlando Magic, Ariza played in 21 games and averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Los Angeles Lakers – 2007-2009/2021-2022
Ariza spent two portions of his career with the Lakers. One in 2007 and the other in 2021. He helped the team to an NBA championship in 2009 averaging 11 points, 4 boards, and 1.7 steals per game.
Houston Rockets – 2009-2010/2014-2018
After the Lakers, Ariza spent some time in Houston. He came back in 2014 and put up some of the best stats of his career. He averaged 12.4 points, almost 6 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.
He tied a season high with 24 points on February 6th, 2015. The Rockets made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2018 but lost the series in seven games.
New Orleans Hornets – 2010-2012
Ariza played for the New Orleans Hornets from 2010 to 2012. He was a starter for the team and played in all 82 games during the 2010-2011 season. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game during that season.
Washington Wizards – 2012-2014/2018-2019
Ariza played for the Washington Wizards twice, from 2012 to 2014 and from 2018 to 2019. During his first stint with the Wizards, he had one of his best seasons, averaging 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game during the 2013-2014 season. He returned to the Wizards for the 2018-2019 season but was traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix Suns – 2018
Trevor Ariza spent only one season with the Suns averaging 9.9 points per game in only 26 games. He was then traded to the Wizards for his second stint in DC.
Sacramento Kings 2019-2020
After the Wizards he signed a two-year deal putting up a season high of only 18 points during a game against the Warriors.
Portland Trail Blazers – 2020
Ariza played for the Portland Trail Blazers for a short period during the 2019-2020 season. He appeared in 21 games and averaged 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
Miami Heat – 2021
Ariza signed with the Miami Heat in March 2021. He played a key role in the Heat’s playoff run, helping them reach the NBA Finals. Ariza appeared in 20 games during the playoffs and averaged 9.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
Trevor Ariza Career Stats
Over the course of his 17 year career in the NBA, Ariza put up some solid stats.
- Games Played: 1,118
- FG%: 42%
- 3PT%: 35%
- PPG: 10.4
- APG: 2.1
- RPG: 4.8
Ariza played in 106 playoff games, most notably with the Lakers. He played and started 23 playoff games and won a championship in 2009 with the team averaging almost 50% from the field and 47% from long distance.
He missed some time in 2021 when we underwent a right ankle procedure and is currently a free agent.
Learn more about the Lakers news and players on Lakers Nation!