Former NBA Player Sam Young's Family & More[2023 Update]

Sam Young is an American-Lebanese former professional basketball player who played for Homenetmen Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League and the Lebanese National Basketball Team.

He was the Lebanese Basketball League champion and Lebanese Basketball Cup winner in 2018.

The former player attended the University of Pittsburgh and played basketball there.

Young had a reputation for being almost obsessive about practicing. The former player also admitted that basketball was his “love,” and his girlfriend was his “mistress.” 

Want to know more about Sam Young? Make sure to read the entire article! 

Quick Facts

Early Life And Education

Sam Young was born in Washington, D.C., on June 1, 1985, to his mother, Marquet Craig. The former player has five siblings and is the eldest of them all. 

The family moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland, where he attended Friendly High School, a public high school.

Sam led the Patriots to Maryland state titles in 2003 and 2004, averaging 24.6 points, 14.0 rebounds, and six blocked shots per game as a senior at Friendly High School in Fort Washington.

Finding Inspiration In The Family

Sam didn’t have to look far in the search for inspiration. His own family members were his role models. 

Sam was raised by a single mother, Marquet Craig, who gave birth to him when she was 14.

Craig supported her family by working as a Comcast cable TV installer, and the family moved nine times.

His brother, Michael Spriggs, was born with cataracts and had trouble seeing.

Spriggs was swimming in the pool as part of his blind school’s curriculum when he lost his vision completely.

According to Sam, one of the kids poked Spriggs’s eyes, and he couldn’t see anything after that.

He learned to play the piano despite the setback, got good grades, and became a state wrestling champion.

The former player says he knows that his brother would have taken advantage of those opportunities if he had been healthy and had his vision.

Since then, Young has become considerate towards every people as he thinks of his brother and what he’d do if he were in Sam’s situation.

Age And Body Measurements

Samuel is 38as of 2023. He was born in the Ox year, as per the Chinese zodiac. 

He stands tall at 2.03 meters and 225 lb weight. The former player works hard in the gym, exercises, and maintains his body.

The bench press and back squat were two exercises that helped him perform the exciting dunks that were a trademark of his game with almost effortless ease.

Sam uses medium weights with high repetitions but with ‘dynamic’ execution to get the most out of these exercises. 

Young’s basketball training sessions also included a variety of bodyweight exercises that helped with his court speed and agility.

Aiming For Scholarship

Sam attended Hargrave Military Academy for a year after graduating from high school because his grades required him to spend a year at a prep school to qualify for a scholarship.

Samuel averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds per game for a 28–1 team that finished second nationally among prep school programs.

Young was named the National Prep School Player of the Year for 2005.

Likewise, he received offers from Georgia, Maryland, Georgetown, Virginia Tech, and Miami.

College Career

Sam joined the Pitt basketball team in 2005–2006 and was unhappy with his role on the team at first.

As head coach Jamie Dixon wanted him to play on the inside. Sam was on the verge of transferring to Kansas State after his sophomore year of 2006–07.

Dixon persuaded Sam to stay when Wildcats coach Bob Huggins left for West Virginia after that season.

The former player averaged 18 points per game in 2008 and was also named the 2008 Big East Tournament MVP after scoring 80 points in the tournament.

Moreover, the former player was also the conference’s most improved player.

Professional Basketball Career

The Memphis Grizzlies selected Young with the 36th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft.

After 3 years, the former player was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on March 15, 2012, in exchange for Ricky Sánchez’s rights.

The former player did not stay long with the 76ers; he signed with the Indiana Pacers on September 6, 2012.

The Pacers waived him on January 6, 2013, but he was later re-signed on January 28, 2013. 

The former player signed with the San Antonio Spurs on September 30, 2013. However, on October 10, 2013, he was waived by the Spurs.

Sam signed with the Sydney Kings for the remainder of the 2013–14 NBL season on November 18, 2013.

Samuel was named Player of the Month for January on February 4, 2014. The former shooting guard averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in 21 games for the Kings. 

Sam signed with the Vaqueros de Bayamón of Puerto Rico for the 2014 BSN season on January 19, 2014.

He signed a one-year contract with Juvecaserta Basket of Italy on July 22, 2014, but parted ways on December 31, 2014. 

Sam signed with the Mexican team Halcones de Xalapa on January 14, 2015. Likewise, he signed with Muratbey Uşak Sportif of the Turkish Basketball League on April 8. 

The former shooting guard signed with Homenetmen Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League on September 21, 2017, and played with the team till 2018.

In 2018, he signed with the team Al Naser, but he was waived by the team in 2019.

Sam then joined Al Ahli, an Emirati professional basketball team in Dubai.

He concluded his basketball there and retired in 2021 from his career.

Awards

• Lebanese Basketball League champion, Lebanese Basketball Cup winner (2018)
• Arab Club Championship winner (2017)
• FIBA Asia Champions Cup All-Star Five (2016)
• All-NBL Second Team (2014)
• Third-team All-American – AP, SN (2009)
• 2× First-team All-Big East (2008, 2009)
• Big East Most Improved Player (2008)
• Big East All-Rookie Team (2006)

Passion For Basketball

Sam is well-known for his work ethic and determination. He played basketball in a minor key, in angst and controlled rage.

The former player is motivated by those who had underestimated, written off, and ignored him.

Sam’s work ethic is borderline obsessive; he practiced so much at Pitt that the coaching staff was concerned about his knees.

Moreover, he would also regularly play pick-up games during the season.

During the summer before Sam’s senior year at Pitt, he spent a month living in a locker room at the Petersen Events Center.

The former player slept on an air mattress he had brought so he could work out and practice whenever he wanted. 

Off The Court

The former player’s athleticism extends beyond basketball.

Before his senior year at Friendly High, Sam promised to do backflips if the Patriots won the state championship, and he followed through on that promise.

He also allegedly astounded Pitt’s diving coach one day by climbing to the 712-meter board and performing a nearly perfect 212 somersault into the pool.

Sam also writes poems; in 2008, he read some of his poems at an open-mic night at a Pittsburgh coffeehouse and is also an accomplished pianist.

The former shooting guard is not afraid to take risks. He did flip off trees, buildings, and the small ends of houses.

Another thing that Sam loves doing other than playing basketball is traveling. The former player has traveled to various corners of the world, as evident from his Instagram.

Personal Life

The former basketball player has a happy and contented personal life. He is in love with Lauren, and the two have a little boy together. 

Other information regarding his son is unavailable at the moment.

On the occasion of Sam’s birthday, Lauren wrote:

“Happy Birthday to my partner in business and life.⁣ I won’t make a long mushy post; you already know the deal.⁣ From here to infinity.⁣ To 100 more birthdays.⁣”

This shows that the high school sweethearts are deeply in love and committed to each other for life.

Lauren and Sam keep traveling and making beautiful memories to cherish forever. 

Moreover, the pair do not hesitate to showcase their love and passion for each other on social media. They constantly post pictures of one another. 

Net Worth

Sam’s net worth is unknown; however, judging from the former basketball player’s successful playing career, his estimated net worth is between $1-$4 million as of 2023.

According to his Instagram bio, he is a certified real estate agent, developer and investor, so he must also make a handsome amount through these.

The former player also has an exotic car collection. Currently, he drives a Mercedes Benz. 

Although the former player’s salary, investments, and other assets remain unknown, judging from his Instagram posts and frequent family vacations, we can say that Sam has made himself enough money to live a life of luxury and adventures. 

Social Media Presence

Sam Young is active on Instagram and Twitter. He posts photos and videos of him with his son and Lauren, his girlfriend.

Other than that, he posts about various ventures.

On March 8, 2023, he posted a photo of him with his son holding a basketball in their hands while he captioned, The Dream Team #ballsislife.

• Instagram (@samyoung3g):  18.3k followers
• Twitter (@SamYoung4): 26.5k followers

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Did Sam Young play at The Basketball Tournament?

Yes, Young participated in The Basketball Tournament for Team ATL All-Stars in 2018. At the team's first-round loss to Louisiana United, he had a team-high 29 points and nine rebounds.

Who is Sam Young's favorite poet?

Sam Young is a big fan of poetry, and one of his favorite poets is Maya Angelou.

Is Sam Young an activist?

Sam Young frequently speaks up for the rights of Black people. He was very actively engaged in activism during the George Floyd murder case.

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