Kyle Ramon Gupton, (January 29, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who is a current free agent.  He spent the 2021 season with the Detroit Cobras, where he averaged 25.8 points per game. Prior to the Cobras, he played for the Edewecht Wattworms of Germany. He was the 2018-19 League Scoring Champion, and also acquired the Arne's Cup Championship. In his final game, he recorded 56 points in a win over the Royals. In Australia, he was a recipient of the 2017 Waratah All Star 5 Award, which was the first time that a Tamworth import has ever won. His last and recent championship was in 2016, winning the Prawn Bowl with the Tamworth Thunderbolts in Australia. His most memorable championship was winning the 2015 Bishop’s Cup with his church, the International Gospel Center, as they carried themselves to an undefeated season. Kyle is known as a great shooter, who can convert three-pointers from a farther than average distance. In his collegiate career, he held two records for three-point shooting at the University of Illinois Springfield.  In his professional career, he has led every season in three-pointers made and three-point shooting percentage. Many also know him for his popular "floater" shot, which he has proven to make numerous times from tough angles. His ability to score in many ways, has helped to identify him as a "flat out scorer". His older cousin Derrick once predicted that Kyle will be the "best of the bunch". Thunderbolts coach John Irelend referred to him as one of the best shooters he has ever seen.  

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Kyle's Basketball Family

 

Kyle is the youngest of three boys, and is the son of Chris and Cindy Gupton. His father Chris Gupton was an elite athlete during his prime years. He spent most of his youth years playing in River Rouge and southwest Detroit. His mother Cindy wasn’t into playing basketball, but she really enjoyed watching it, & she enjoyed playing soccer. His oldest brother Corey played college basketball for Park University, where he was a dominating post presence. He has always been known for his incredibly efficient hook shot that he makes from farther than normal distance, and he can shoot it with both hands. He also may be known for his vocal outbursts, which gives him energy and momentum during the games. After college, he played professionally in the American Basketball Association for the Chicago Rockstars, then played in the Premier Basketball League for the Detroit Panthers. His other brother Kenny excelled as an All-State member at Henry Ford College (Then Henry Ford Community College), and excelled professionally in the American Basketball Association with the Detroit Hoops. Kenny is an athletic wing who can handle the ball very well, and has a unique ability to finish from tough angles off the dribble and in the post. He has often created matchup problems for other teams because he's too big for opposing guards, and too quick for opposing post players.

 

His cousin Derrick Bird was an All-American Defensive Team member for the University of Auburn. He faced Carmelo Anthony in the 2003 Sweet Sixteen, and held him scoreless in the first half. Derrick was not only a defender, but a great shooter as well. After Auburn, Derrick played in the NBA D-League with the Columbus Riverdragons. His brother Cedrick Bird was considered to be one of Henry Ford’s best shooters of all time, and has a unique ability to make contested three-pointers. He starred alongside his cousin in Kyle’s brother in college, & they also starred together professionally with the Detroit Hoops. Their cousin Jason Bird was a tall and crafty combo guard, who shot the ball efficiently as a 4-year member of the University of Buffalo men’s basketball program. Kyle's cousin Derrick has predicted that Kyle will be the best of the family. Kyle humbly embraces it, but his humble personality won't allow himself to compare to his family. He appreciates the greatness that his brothers and cousins have achieved individually, and often uses it for motivation.

 

Early Years  

 

Kyle grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he began to love the game of basketball because of his brothers’ success. He played in his first league at age 8, and continued until age 11. Winning nearly every game, Kyle led his team in scoring throughout the four years of playing in the youth league. Being able to shoot the ball from a far distance at such a young age, Kyle began to draw a lot of attention. After being a team scoring leader and leading his middle school team to back to back undefeated seasons, Kyle went on to play high school basketball. Kyle played AAU for Common Bond, where he established a reputation as a scorer and a winner. The team was consistently ranked as one of the top teams in the country throughout his four high school years, and won multiple tournaments. Kyle would win multiple awards throughout high school during his four year career with Common Bond. As a freshman Kyle played 5 games on junior varsity averaging 16.5 points per game. He was then called up to varsity, where he earned a starting role until suffering an ankle injury. He returned as a starter his sophomore year, where he was second on the team averaging 10 points per game & earned Honorable Mention. He transferred to Belleville High School during his junior year, where he quickly earned a basketball reputation. He was second on the team in scoring at nearly 11 points per game, and was known as a shooter who made big shots and played actively on defense. During his senior campaign he averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds, just over 2 steals, and nearly 3 assists per game, while shooting nearly 50% from the field, and nearly 43% from the three-point line. His most memorable senior year game was the 20-point win over Ypsilanti High School, to end Ypsilanti's season during the district games. He scored 21 points, while recording 4 assists, four rebounds, and shot 5 for 7 behind the three-point line. His 5 three-pointers would be one of the highest rankings for Belleville High School as the most three-pointers made during a district game. It was also on only 7 attempts, which converted to be one of the school's highest percentages in any game. Another key element to the win was to contain one of Ypsilanti's leading scorers, as he did.  He was known to be a very efficient combo guard who played great defense, and would finish the season earning All MEGA Conference Honors, while ranking as one of Michigan’s top shooting guards. After high school Kyle was recruited by a number of schools, but he wanted more options.

 

 

College Career

 

He attended the basketball powerhouse in Henry Ford Community College, but was sidelined due to a heart condition. He would then play for Deep Impact alongside his family, as the youngest player in the league, and ranked second on the team in scoring at 18 points per game. He would return to the team after his sophomore year to win one more title with a shorthanded roster. He and his brother Kenny Gupton combined for over 100 points in the final two games to capture another championship. He would win multiple division and league championships, and finished with overall averages of nearly 20 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds per game. He made a collegiate comeback in the fall of 2009, and retuned to Henry Ford College (formally Henry Ford Community College) as a freshman in 2009. The team was often ranked in the top 25 in the country, including a brief ranking of #1. During his freshman year he was amongst the team's leaders in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and three-pointers made. He had the opportunity to leave early to play at a university, but he still wanted more. He would retun for the following season, and was one of four players averaging double figures during his sophomore year. He shot 54% from the field, and ranked sixth in the region for three-point percentage at 42%. He was also selected as an All-State member in academics while also gaining attention from many university coaches. 

 

 

 

After his sophomore year, he signed with the University of Illinois Springfield (NCAA II) in the summer of 2011. They are a part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, which is to be considered the best Division II conference in the country. Many considered this year to be when Kyle elevated his game to another level. According to his father, not only did his skills increase, but more importantly his mentality changed for the better, causing him to play more aggressively. His role on the team may have contributed to it as well, as they looked for him to be aggressive offensively. During his junior year, he played his first game on 11-11-11 (November 11, 2011) in his hometown state, Michigan. He scored 15 points against Northwood University, and would score 18 points against Lake Superior State the next day. He served the role as the starting shooting guard for most of the year, but also played a key role in his few games that he came off the bench. He would score 20 points on five three-pointers in a home win against Quincy University. He finished third on the team in scoring averaging 10.7 points per game. He also set the university record for three-pointers made in a season (56). During his senior campaign, he led the team in scoring at 12 points per game, shooting over 40% from behind the three-point line, and nearly 46% from the field. He also would beat his former three-point record (56), as he converted 64 three-pointers during his senior year. Not only was his 64 three-pointers a record, but his total of 120 in just two years was also a record. On February 2, 2013 Kyle scored 16 points which caused him to reach 1,000 collegiate points against the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. Likely, his most memorable game was on January 10, 2013 in a win against the then-ranked #10 Southern Indiana University. He scored 26 points and converted on 6 three-pointers, including two back to back three-pointers near the end of the game. His 6 three-pointers was a university record, which he had done four times. In doing it four times, that too was a school record. Two days later, Kyle would lead the team with 19 points against the former national champions, and the then-ranked #7 Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers. During the month of January, Kyle received the UIS Student-Athlete of the Month Award, which was the first time that the award was given in school history. They would make the GLVC Tournament for the second year in a row, but would be eliminated by the former national champions, Bellarmine University. Kyle scored 12 points in his final college game, while adding to his collegiate total of over 1,000 points scored. After a severe toe hyperextention, he still managed to be consistent and led the team in scoring while setting three records for three-point shooting. Kyle also earned the UIS Male Athlete of the Year Award. He would also earn his spot on the Great Lakes Valley All-Conference team, and earned the Most Outstanding Player Award along with the Senior Award. 

 

 

 

 

Professional Career

 

 

 

Kyle spent most of the next year playing in leagues and engaging in workouts to prepare for the next level. He played with Team Network, which was then an ABA Travel Team who could not qualify as an official ABA team. After only 10 games, he led his team in scoring at 20 points per game. They would make the playoffs, where he took over the game scoring 25 points, but was in a losing effort to the Pontiac Firebirds. In 2014, Team Network became an official ABA team, and Kyle decided to begin his professional career. In his first game as a rookie, he scored 18 points, had 4 assists, and 4 rebounds in a home win against the Oakland County Cowboys. His highest scoring game was against the Steel City Yellow Jackets in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Team Network suffered a major loss, but Kyle scored 41 points, while converting eight three-pointers. Kyle was the youngest on the team, and finished his rookie season averaging 22.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game.

 

 

After the ABA season, Kyle would reunite with family & return for another stint with the International Gospel Center, to compete for the Bishop's Cup Championship. Kyle led the team in scoring with 24.8 points per game. The team would score in bunches, and averaged over 76 points as a team. Their closest game was against Hartford Memorial, where IGC won by a point. Kyle would score 25 points in the overtime win, and the winning streak would continue. In the championship, Kyle would score 20 points and capture the Bishop's Cup Championship. 

 

 

In the winter of 2015, Kyle signed with the Tamworth Thunderbolts of Australia. The Tamworth Thunderbolts are in the Waratah League (State League Division 1), and play their home games at the Tamworth Sports Dome. His first stint with the team was the pre-season Prawn Bowl, where he averaged 15 points per game. The Thunderbolts would go undefeated in the pre-season, and win the 2016 Prawn Bowl Championship. During his first regular season game, Kyle led the team with 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in a 60-point win on the road against the Coffs Harbour Suns. 
 

 

In the winter of 2016, Kyle would sign again with the Tamworth Thunderbolts for a second season. He would lead the Bolts to a successful 19-3 season, and the team would finish as one of the top teams in the league. The 2017 season would be one of Kyle's best full season performances of his career. He finished averaging 22.1 points per game, which was fifth in the Waratah League. His overall total of 464 points ranked first in the league, which also ranked the most amount of points for any Tamworth Thunderbolt import. His 129 field goals ranked 2nd in the Waratah League, and his 53 three-pointers would rank 4th. Gupton's biggest accomplishment in Australia behind winning the Prawn Bowl Championship, would be earning the Waratah League All Star Five Award as a guard. The significant concept behind this award, is that only 5 players are selected out of over 250 players. Kyle had stated in multiple interviews that after not receiving it in his first season, he had a chip on his shoulder. That motivation was a driving force for his 2016 summer workouts. He also acquired the 2017 Tamworth Thunderbolts MVP Award, and host many camps in many regions of New South Wales. 

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During the second season, Gupton became known as a unstoppable scoring force. He would score 34 twice (vs. Port Macquarie & Coffs Harbour), and 31 points against Hills, which most would argue as his most memorable game. Gupton would help the Bolts climb out of the hole late in the game, by scoring in bunches & allowing Tamworth to regain the lead for the 81-75 win over the Hills Hornets at the Tamworth Sports Dome. His biggest shot was late in the game, has he drained his fifth three-pointer off balance, as the shot clock expired. It was from that point, where Tamworth gained momentum and never looked back. Gupton scored double figures against every team during the 2017 season.

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In September of 2018, Kyle signed with the Edewecht Wattworms of Germany. In his debut, he recorded 28 points, 9 steals, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds in a convincing 78 to 38 road win against the Blue Fire Lions. On October 28, 2018, he scored 43 points, and made 11 three-pointers in a win over the Timberwolves. Going into the fifth game of the season, he was leading the league with an average of 32.4 points per game. On November 10, 2018, he tallied 43 points (33 points in the 2nd half) and converted 6 three-pointers against the TSG Westerstede Eagles. In his last four games of 2018, Gupton scored a total of 167 points and made 29 three-pointers. He scored 40 points or more ten times, and scored 52 points in the final regular season home game against Rastede. He and the Wattworms became Arne's Cup Champions after the conclusion of the regular season. Gupton recorded 28 points in the win over the Blue Fire Lions for the championship. He finished the regular season as the Scoring Champion, with a total of 706 points, and also ranked first with 85 three-pointers made in 18 games. He finished with an average of 39.2 points per game. On May 23, 2019, he recorded 56 points in a 110-92 cup game victory over the BTB Royals, a higher-tier team in Lower Saxony. According to Gupton, he attempted to reach out to the Blue Fire Lions and the Royals before arriving in Germany. Neither team replied, and the Wattworms defeated both teams. In the community of Edewecht, Gupton often visited a school to speak with students, and participate in many sport activities. He built strong relationships with people of the community, surrounding cities, and did many acts of kindness to help those in need. 

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In 2020, Kyle was in the process of heading to Australia, to play for the Tamworth Thunderbolts again. However, the season was cancelled as a protocol for Covid-19. He spent most of 2020 working out with other free agent players and trainers, in preparation for the 2021 season. He averaged 31.5 points per game at Hoop Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. While in Georgia, he also won a championship with KG's All Stars, where he scored 21 points in the championship game.

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In 2021 he joined the Detroit Cobras of the Official Basketball Association. He averaged 25.8 points per game, led the team in 3-pointers made/percentage, and surpassed 2,000 career points. 

 

Player Profile

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Kyle is an extremely efficient shooter, with a quick-release that is difficult to contest. His ability to convert shots from a further than average range, often creates many scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. He is also known for his highly efficient floater, which he has credited to often playing against his taller brothers. In his professional career, Gupton has also been credited for his speed and quickness when attacking the basket. His defense has also been praised, and he's had major  influence defensively against his opponents' best players. His ability to handle the ball, attack to the basket, convert floaters, and shoot exceptionally well, makes him an elite threat.

 

In 2021, Gupton became co-owner of Good Vibes Outreach, an organization that focuses on mental health.

 

Personal

 

Kyle is the son to Chris and Cindy Gupton. Chris was a solid basketball player in multiple Detroit competitions and leagues. He also played the drums for International Gospel Center for over 40 years. His mother Cindy has had over 15 years of experience in working with firearm target technology. His oldest brother Corey is married to Aneika Gupton, who is originally from Jamaica. The couple has experience in both modeling and acting. Corey was featured in the hit TV series, "The Walking Dead". His other brother Kenny is married to Lynnette Gupton, and they have two boys Zaylenn & Kaydenn , and a girl, Lynn Niya. The couple are in the midst of preparing a project that has never been initiated before. Kyle is a family-oriented person, and thrives on spending time with them as much as he can. With the exception of his mother, Kyle is the shortest in his family. As a God-fearing person, he boldly identifies himself as a Christian athlete.