In 2006, Dorell Wright ’04 stood alongside Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal as a member of the Miami Heat’s NBA Championship team. Five years later, he led the NBA in three-pointers made. But before the championship rings, the NBA arenas, and a professional basketball career spanning more than 15 years, Wright was a postgraduate student on the Hillside.
This fall, South Kent School welcomed Wright back to campus, celebrating not only the accomplishments of an exceptional athlete, but the continued connection of a proud alumnus whose journey reflects the opportunities, relationships, and lessons that extend well beyond his time at South Kent.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Wright came to South Kent for a postgraduate year, where he quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier high school basketball prospects. Averaging more than 29 points per game, he made an immediate impact on the court before entering the 2004 NBA Draft, where he was selected 19th overall by the Miami Heat.
Wright went on to play for the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Portland Trail Blazers. Known for his athleticism and three-point shooting, he became a key contributor during his time in the NBA, including his championship season with Miami in 2006 and his standout 2010–11 campaign with Golden State, when he led the league in three-pointers made. Following his NBA career, Wright continued playing professionally overseas, competing in China and Europe before retiring in 2020. But his journey did not end when he stepped away from the game.
Building a Legacy Beyond Basketball
Wright has continued to pursue opportunities beyond the court, embracing entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others. Alongside former NBA teammate Dwyane Wade, Wright launched ACE Members Only, a golf-related business recently featured in Golf Digest. His entrepreneurial pursuits reflect the same willingness to learn, adapt, and pursue new opportunities that shaped his basketball career.
Wright has also remained deeply committed to giving back. Through the Wright Legacy Foundation, which he founded and co-runs with his brother, Deion Wright, and his wife, Mia Wright, he works to cultivate young scholars into productive and active members of society. The foundation supports schools in need through advanced classroom training and educational advancement, helping create greater opportunities for student-athletes to take the next step toward college. His connection to South Kent has remained just as meaningful. A former member of the School’s Board of Trustees, Wright continues to invest in the community that helped shape his early development as a student and athlete.
A Meaningful Return to the Hillside
During his visit this fall, South Kent welcomed Wright back with opportunities to connect with our Hillside community. Through informal conversations with students, engagement with School leadership and Advancement, an interactive Sports Management class, and a sit-down conversation with our Basketball program, Wright shared lessons from his career and gave insight into opportunities, challenges, and possibilities that extend beyond the game. Through stories from his time in the NBA, his transition to playing overseas, and his work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, he offered a firsthand perspective on what it means to build a career, adapt to new challenges, and find purpose beyond the court.
At South Kent, the relationships built during a student’s time on the Hillside often last a lifetime. Wright’s return is a reminder that the South Kent community extends far beyond Prize Day, and that the people who make this place special continue to find ways to give back.
Welcome home, Dorell Wright ’04!
