Royce O’Neale Bio: From Being Undrafted To Making Records In NBA, Contracts, & Net Worth

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From getting undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft to becoming one of the best players in the playoffs for the Utah Jazz, Royce O’Neale has done it all in his relatively short career. On June 30, 2022, the small forward was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

Royce O’Neale, a guy from Texas who never had a second plan and was determined to play in the NBA. 

His impressive performance with the Jazz landed him a four-year/$36 million bumper new deal in 2020.

As of 2024, the small forward has an estimated net worth of around $2 million.

Royce O'Neale, The Small Forward For The Nets
Royce O’Neale, The Small Forward For The Nets (Source: Twitter)

Looking back just several years into 2015, no one would have imagined the O’Neale would be making this much impact in the NBA.

Thus, we here at Playersbio have written this article to inform our dear viewers about the Texas native’s career, which is filled with ups and downs.

So without further ado, let’s get started with a dose of quick facts.

Quick Facts

Full Name Royce Khalil O’Neale
Date of Birth June 5, 1993
Birth Place Killeen, Texas, U.S.A
Marital Status No
Father’s Name Roy O’Neale
Mother’s Name Deborah Kingwood
Nationality American
Age 30 Years Old
Profession Basketball Player
Position Small Forward
Franchises Brooklyn Nets (Current), Salt Lake City Stars, Utah Jazz, Gran Canaria, Riesen Ludwigsburg (Former)
Shoes Nike Kobe 5 Protro
Wingspan 6’10″/2.08 m/208 cm
Height 6’4″/1.93m/193 cm
Weight 103 kg/ 226 lb.
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Black
Active Since 2015-Present
NBA draft 2015 (Undrafted)
Salary $9.2 million per year
Net Worth $2 Million
Merch Signed Card, Practice Shorts
Social Media Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Last Update March 2024

Early Life, Family & Education

Royce Khalil O’Neale was born to his mother, Deborah Kingwood, and father, Roy O’Neale, on June 5, 1993, in Killeen, Texas.

No information about his siblings is available. Either O’Neale does not have any, or he just does not want to share information about them with the media. Whatever may be the case, we fully respect his decisions.

The NBA star got a basketball as a gift on his 2nd birthday and loved to watch basketball games. He started playing club basketball when he was in 3rd grade.

Royce With His Mother
Royce With His Mother (Source: Instagram)

Moving on to his education, Royce went to Harker Heights High School, which is located in Texas. He had an exceptional high school career and later got his jersey ’00’ retired.

Upon graduation, he went to the University of Denver after getting recruited under a basketball scholarship.

However, he only played two seasons at Denver before transferring to Baylor University, where he was closer to his home and family.

“My mom and dad taught me how to play basketball. My mother showed me the jump                                                                          shot.”                                                                                        – Royce O’Neale

Age, Height & Nationality

Having been born in the year 1993 makes Royce’s age 30 years old as of 2024.

The Texas native celebrates his birthday on the 5th of June, which makes him a Gemini. And people who fall under the sign of Gemini tend to be impulsive, versatile, and witty, among others.

Besides, O’Neale stands at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighs 103 kg (226 pounds).

Royce O’Neale during his practise
Royce O’Neale During His Practice (Source: Twitter)

Hence, he is a bit undersized, considering the fact that he plays in the small forward position where the average height of players is 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters).

Nevertheless, O’Neale has adapted his game to become a bit sharper and quicker than his counterparts to succeed.

And, talking about his nationality, Royce holds an American passport.

Career & Stats

After not getting picked by any teams in the 2015 NBA draft, Royce decided that he needed to go to another continent in order to make a living.

Hence, he moved to Germany, where he played for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. During his one season, Royce averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds.

After that, he played for Herbalife Gran Canaria and Zalgiris Kaunas before achieving his dreams of playing in the NBA in 2017.

Royce O’Neale
Royce O’Neale (Source: Instagram)

However, even before signing for the Utah Jazz, O’Neale had already got a taste of the NBA when he got to play in the Summer League for the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

As a result, Royce found it relatively easy to adapt to the best basketball league in the world, the NBA.

NBA

During his first season at Utah, O’Neale managed to play in 80 games, including the playoffs, averaging 6.1 points, 1.4 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Thus, having performed brilliantly in his rookie season, everyone expected the Texas native to perform well.

Royce In Utah Jazz's Jersey
Royce In Utah Jazz’s Jersey (Source: Instagram)

And that is precisely what Royce did as he played in 82 games averaging 5.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in his regular season.

Moreover, his playoff performances during the 2019 playoffs were so impressive that the Jazz front office decided to hand him a new four-year deal in 2020.

Since the 2018-19 season, Royce’s performance has gradually improved as he averaged 6.3, 7.0, and 7.4 points per game in the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 seasons, respectively.

After his impressive performance with the Utah Jazz, on June 30, 2022, O’Neale was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a 2023 first-round draft pick.

So far in the 2022-23 season, the small forward has played 47 games, starting in all of them, averaging 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.

O’Neale was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a 2023 first-round draft pick. He put up his first career triple-double in a 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on November 17, 2022.

He registered a game-winning putback in a win over the Miami Heat on January 8, 2023.

Career Stats

Year
Team
GP
Min
Pts
FG%
3pt%
Reb
Ast
Stl
Blk
2022-23
BKN
65
32.3
8.9
38.7
49.6
5.0
3.7
0.8
0.6
2021-22
Utah Jazz
77
31.2
7.4
45.7
38.9
4.8
2.5
1.1
0.4
2020-21
Utah Jazz
71
31.5
7.0
44.4
38.5
6.8
2.5
0.8
0.5
2019-20
Utah Jazz
71
28.9
6.3
43.3
37.7
5.5
2.5
0.8
0.5
2018-19
Utah Jazz
82
20.4
5.2
47.5
38.6
3.5
1.5
0.7
0.3
2017-18
Utah Jazz
69
16.7
5.0
42.3
35.6
3.4
1.4
0.5
0.2
Career
 
435
26.7
6.6
43.4
38.5
4.8
2.3
0.8
0.4

Net Worth & Salary

As of 2024, Royce has a net worth of $2 million, thanks to his career as an NBA player.

However, most people might be compelled to think that Royce’s net worth is much lower as compared to other players who earn a similar sum as him.

During his time with the Utah Jazz, the Texas native earned around $21 million in 5 seasons.

With the Nets, his annual salary is estimated to be around $9 million while carrying a cap hit of $9.2 million.

Contract

On January 19, 2020, Royce signed a new 4-year/$36 million contract extension after three commendable seasons with the Utah Jazz.

As per the contract, O’Neale earned $8.5 million in the 2020-21 season and $8.8 million in the 2021-22 season.

Shoes

At the moment, Royce does not have his own signature line of shoes.

However, O’Neale is a fan of the late Kobe Bryant. Thus, it should not surprise you that he wears the Nike Kobe 5 Protro shoes during his games.

Girlfriend & Relationship

Talking about Royce’s relationship, he is not involved in any kind of affairs. At first, we couldn’t believe it as well.

However, upon thoroughly examining his Instagram, we still couldn’t find a single picture of his lover.

In fact, it seems that O’Neale has never had a girlfriend in the past as well. Maybe Royce is just a shy man? Maybe he’s extremely good at hiding his love affairs.

Well, whatever the case, we here at Playerbio wish him all the best for his future and hope he finds the love of his life.

Social Media Presence

Royce, the small forward, is quite active on his socials. He keeps in touch with his fans by posting pictures of himself during the games, and with his teammates, friends, and family.

He is available on Instagram under the handle @rolls_royce00, Twitter @BucketsONeale00, and Facebook @Royce O’Neale.

Instagram: 149k followers

Twitter: 57.7k followers

Facebook: 24k followers

Popularity

Getting undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft, signing with the Jazz in 2017, and now making records with the Nets, Royce is gaining popularity through and through.

Royce O'Neale's Popularity Graph
Royce O’Neale’s Popularity Graph (Source: Google Trends)

The above graph gives brief information about the popularity of Royce O’Neale based on Google searches in the United States over a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Royce O'Neale have a tattoo?

Yes, Royce O’Neale has the words “Faith” and “Glory” tattooed on his right and left arms.

What are Royce O’Neale’s average points and rebounds?

Royce O’Neale has averaged 4.8 rebounds and 7.4 points in 31.2 minutes per game in the 2021-22 season with Utah Jazz.

Does Royce O'Neal have an injury?

According to sources, Royce O'Neal was reported to have a knee injury on January 24, 2022.

Is Royce O’Neale a free agent?

Royce O’Neale will be an unrestricted free agent during the 2024 season.

What is Royce O’Neale NBA 2023 rating?

Royce O’Neale has an overall 2k rating of 76, along with a build of a 3 & D Wing Build.

What is Royce O'Neale's defense rating?

Royce O'Neale has a defensive rating of 115.1 in the 2022-23 season.

Aaditya Bhatta
Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta is a dynamic writer and sports enthusiast, whose passion for both realms is reflected in his work. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, Aaditya brings a unique perspective to his writing, captivating readers with his engaging content.

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  • Aaditya has consistently delivered insightful analysis and captivating content across various platforms.
  • From in-depth match reports to thought-provoking opinion pieces, Aaditya's versatility shines through in his ability to tackle diverse topics

Experience

Aaditya's journey as a writer and sports aficionado began at a young age when he discovered his passion for both pursuits. Throughout his academic and professional endeavors, Aaditya has honed his skills in content creation and sports analysis, immersing himself in the intricacies of the games he loves.

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