Elijah Hughes spent most of his childhood residing in central New York, born in Poughkeepsie and later moving to Beacon. As a marquee talent in Beacon, he dazzled at Beacon High School, making him decide to transfer to John F. Kennedy High School in Somers, NY for more exposure. At JFK High School, Hughes led his team to a 26-2 record, finishing as runners-up in the CHSAA Tournament. Elijah Hughes then transferred to South Kent School for his fifth year, helping him earn a scholarship to East Carolina University.
Hughes’ freshman year was cut short due to ongoing injury troubles, and he chose to transfer to Syracuse for his sophomore and junior seasons. Hughes averaged 13.7 points per game on 37% shooting from the three point line his sophomore year. The following season resulted in tremendous personal growth for Hughes, being named to the ACC First Team. Consequently, he decided to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft, where he was selected 39th overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. He was then quickly traded to the Utah Jazz where he played until 2022. Next, Elijah Hughes was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022. Now, Hughes is a member of the Wisconsin Herd of the G League.