Kenneth Lofton Jr. Scouting Report: The 6’6″ Big Man Who Beat Wembanyama’s France and Now Plays in Jerusalem
Kenneth Lofton Jr. is 6’6″, weighs 275 pounds and plays like a center from another era. He scored 42 points in his first NBA start, was out of the league a year later, became the best foreign player in China, and signed with Hapoel Jerusalem in July 2026. He also beat Victor Wembanyama’s France in a world final. This report covers all of it, including what that final really looked like.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. at a glance
| Born | 2002, Port Arthur, Texas |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| Height | 6’6″ |
| Weight | 275 lb |
| College | Louisiana Tech |
| NBA draft | Undrafted, 2022 |
| NBA career | 45 games, 4.8 points (Memphis, Philadelphia, Utah) |
| 2026-27 team | Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel, EuroCup) |
| Early 2026-27 | 18.6 points, 7.0 rebounds |
| Database status | Not listed (under 7 feet) |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
Who Is Kenneth Lofton Jr.?
Lofton is from Port Arthur, Texas. He played two seasons at Louisiana Tech and averaged 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 2021-22. NBA teams liked the production and worried about the body: a 6’6″ player who does his work in the post does not fit a standard position. He went undrafted in 2022.
Memphis signed him to a two-way contract and later a full NBA deal. He was the G League Rookie of the Year for 2022-23.
42 Points in His First NBA Start
On April 9, 2023, Memphis rested its starters for the last game of the regular season and gave Lofton his first NBA start. He scored 42 points with 14 rebounds in a loss to Oklahoma City.
It did not turn into a career. He moved on to Philadelphia and then Utah, where he averaged 13.8 points in four games, and went to training camp with Chicago. His NBA totals stand at 45 games and 4.8 points.
MVP in China, Then a Move to Jerusalem
Lofton joined the Shanghai Sharks for 2024-25 and averaged 25.2 points, 12.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He was named the CBA’s International MVP. He re-signed in August 2025, Shanghai won the 2025-26 CBA championship, and he was Finals MVP of the Club Cup in 2026.
On July 26, 2026, Hapoel Jerusalem signed him to a one-year deal, reported at $1.3 million. The club plays in the Israeli league and the EuroCup. Through the first games of 2026-27 he is averaging 18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds.
Did Kenneth Lofton Jr. Really Destroy Wembanyama?
Our video leans on this game, so here is exactly what happened. On July 11, 2021, the United States beat France 83-81 in the final of the FIBA U19 World Cup.
| Player | Line in the final |
|---|---|
| Kenneth Lofton Jr. | 16 points, 15 of them in the second half |
| Victor Wembanyama | 22 points, 8 rebounds, 8 blocks; fouled out with 2:42 left |
Lofton did most of his damage after halftime, using his strength inside against a much taller defender. Wembanyama picked up his fifth foul with 2:42 to play and watched the finish from the bench. The United States won by two.
“Destroyed” is too strong, though. Wembanyama had the better stat line and blocked eight shots. The accurate version is that Lofton’s power game was the best answer the United States had, and that France lost a two-point game without its best player on the floor at the end.
Scouting Report: Strengths and Weaknesses
What he does well
- Post scoring. Strength, footwork and touch. He scores on bigger players at every level.
- Passing. 6.5 assists a game in China is guard production from a big man.
- Rebounding. Double-digit rebounds in college and in the CBA at 6’6″.
- Big moments. A world final, a 42-point NBA game and a title in China.
What holds him back
- Position. Too short for an NBA center, not quick enough to guard NBA wings.
- Defense. Teams attack him in the pick and roll.
- Conditioning. His weight has been a talking point since college.
Can Kenneth Lofton Jr. Get Back to the NBA?
He is 24, so the door is open. What has changed is his market. He is now a star outside the NBA, with a reported seven-figure salary and a leading role, and an NBA return would probably mean a minimum contract at the end of a bench.
The EuroCup season matters. European basketball is the closest test to the NBA for a player with defensive questions. If he holds up there against quicker forwards, teams will call. If he stays what he was in China, a scorer who needs the ball, he can have a long and well-paid career overseas, which is not a bad outcome for a player nobody drafted.
Why Kenneth Lofton Jr. is not in our database
The database only lists players who stand 7’0″ or taller, and Lofton is 6’6″. It does list every young 7-footer we could find, including the centers he now faces in Europe, sorted by height and filterable by country.
Sources: RealGM, Wikipedia, Eurohoops and The Jerusalem Post. Last checked 9 October 2026.