Forbes averaged 13.6 points as a junior, helping Sexton to a 26–2 record and a state championship. He scored 29 points in the 2011 Class B semifinals against Detroit Country Day. Forbes averaged 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a senior at Sexton. Playing alongside Denzel Valentine and Anthony Clemmons, they won back-to-back Class B State Championships in 2011 and 2012. He connected on 60 three-pointers as a senior and scored 19 points in the 2012 Class B title game against Stevensville Lakeshore, adding seven assists, following a 19-point effort in the semifinals against Detroit Country Day. He was named a Lansing State Journal Dream Team member and was a Class B All-State selection for the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. He was not heavily recruited and did not receive any of the major attention that Denzel Valentine and Anthony Clemmons received. ESPN listed him as Cleveland State's third best recruit in the 2012 recruiting class. Forbes received a two-star recruiting grade from ESPN and listed him as 85 overall. He was the ranked the 92nd best shooting guard in the nation, the 77th best player in the Midwest Region, and the 11th best player in the state of Michigan. He signed with Cleveland State, his only major offer, on August 4, 2011.
Forbes played his freshman year at Cleveland State. He appeared in 32 games, starting 18, averaging 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 28.3 minutes. Forbes led the team in scoring among players who played in more than six games. He ranked 11th in Horizon League in scoring and eighth in three-pointers per game and in conference games, ranked seventh in scoring and second in free-throw percentage. Forbes scored in double figures in 24 contests, including four games of more than 20 points. His season-high of 24 points came against both Valparaiso, connecting on 8-of-10 shots, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, and Milwaukee, making 9-of-12 shots, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc. His other high scoring games came against Loyola with 22 points and 21 against Detroit, adding a season-high eight rebounds against the Titans and matching the CSU single-game record with five three-pointers. Forbes collected eight rebounds at UIC and dished out a season-high five assists against Notre Dame . His successful freshman year was rewarded with 2012–13 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, Horizon League All-Newcomer Team, CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-America Team, and a two-time Horizon League Newcomer of the Week.
Sophomore year (2013–14)
Forbes looked to improve going into his sophomore year. Still at Cleveland State, he started all 32 games in which he played, averaging 15.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34.4 minutes. His 15.6 points per game average led Cleveland State and ranked sixth in the Horizon League while he ranked second in the league in three-point field goals made, trailing only Oakland's Travis Bader, the NCAA's all-time leading three-point shooter. Forbes led the team to a 21-12 record and 12-4 in the Horizon League. His efficiency improved heavily as he ranked fourth in the Horizon League in three-point field-goal percentage, fifth in free-throw percentage and fourth in minutes played. Forbes broke records when he established a Cleveland State single-season school record with 81 made three-pointers, making at least one three-pointer in every contest. Scoring came easy as he scored in double-figures in 26 of 32 games, including 10 contests with 20 points or more. He went perfect on his first 28 free throws of the season before missing. Season highs for scoring against both Notre Dame with 27 points, matching the CSU single-game mark with five made three-pointers, and Detroit, adding a season-high seven rebounds against the Titans. Forbes proved his ability to play on the big stage when he tallied 22 points and five rebounds at the University of Kentucky, making 11-of-11 attempts from the foul line. He earned second-team NABC All-District 12 and second-Team All-Horizon League honors.
Going into his junior year, Forbes decided to transfer. He wanted to come to Michigan State in part to be closer to home to take care of his young son and be near a family member with a medical issue. Forbes was granted a waiver to play for the Spartans in the 2014–15 season. NCAA rules typically require transfer players to sit out one year, but the NCAA waivers are granted for athletes who transfer because of family hardship. Forbes still had two seasons of eligibility remaining at Michigan State. Forbes looked to make an immediate impact due to the massive turnover from the previous season. Michigan State lost guards, Keith Appling, Gary Harris, and Russell Byrd. Three post players who displayed shooting ability also left, Adreian Payne, Kenny Kaminski, and Alex Guana. Forbes appeared in 39 games, starting 24, averaging 8.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Forbes' sharp shooting continued as he ranked fourth in the Big Ten in three-point field-goal percentage overall, eighth in Big Ten games, and 12th in the Big Ten in three-point field goals made overall. He scored in double figures in 14 games, including a season-high 21 points at Wisconsin and led MSU in scoring in three games against Eastern Michigan, Rutgers and Wisconsin. Forbes made two or more three-pointers in 19 games, including five games with four or more three-pointers, highlighted by a perfect 5-of-5 effort from behind the arc at Wisconsin. Forbes shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range en route to 18 points at Notre Dame. He ranked fourth on the team with 23 steals, highlighted by three steals at Nebraska. He shot.808 from the foul line, ranking second on the team and shot.450 from three-point range during MSU's NCAA Tournament run to the Final Four. He scored 14 points in two NCAA Tournament games against Georgia in the second round and Louisville in the Elite Eight and scored the first five points of overtime in MSU's Elite Eight overtime victory, knocking down a three-pointer on the first possession of the extra stanza. His career-best of four assists against Arkansas-Pine Bluff came on December 6.
Senior year (2015–16)
Forbes' senior year was one of much improvement. He became one of the country's top three-point shooters, making close to 50%. He was the recipient of many awards and records during his senior year at Michigan State. On March 2, 2016, Forbes hit a team and Big Ten Conference record 11 three-point field goals, while leading Michigan State to a 97-66 win over Rutgers. Forbes, along with Denzel Valentine, was selected to the NCAA College Basketball Three-Point Contest following his senior year. Forbes was beaten by his teammate in the first round of the competition. Forbes was named USBWA All-District V 1st Team, Media All-Big Ten 2nd Team, Coaches All-Big Ten 2nd Team, and PIT All-Tournament Team.
College statistics
Professional career
San Antonio Spurs (2016–present)
2016–17 season
After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft, Forbes joined the San Antonio Spurs for the 2016 NBA Summer League. Heading into the Summer League, Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich told Forbes "to shoot it" after he made 77-of-100 three-pointers at one of his NBA pre-draft workouts. On July 14, 2016, he signed with the Spurs. Forbes secured an opening-night roster spot after impressing the Spurs during training camp and preseason. Forbes played sparingly for the Spurs throughout his rookie season, spending most of his time in the NBA Development League on assignment with the Austin Spurs. On April 7, 2017, with Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili and Kawhi Leonard not playing, Forbes scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Spurs to a 102–89 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Forbes, who had 64 points for the season with a game high of eight coming in, went 4 of 9 from 3-point range and also had career highs in minutes and assists.
2017–18 season
In July 2017, Forbes earned All-NBA Summer League Second Team honors for his efforts during the 2017 NBA Summer League. On November 3, 2017, he scored 22 points in a 108–101 win over the Charlotte Hornets. On November 11, he made his first career start and scored 13 points in a 133–94 win over the Chicago Bulls, becoming the third undrafted player under 6-foot-4 to start a game in San Antonio franchise history, joining Avery Johnson and Anthony Carter. He made his third career start on December 16 against the Dallas Mavericks, joining Avery Johnson as only the second undrafted player under 6-foot-4 in Spurs history to start 3-plus games. On January 28, 2018, he scored a season-high 23 points in a 113–98 win over the Sacramento Kings.
2018–19 season
On July 20, 2018, Forbes re-signed with the Spurs. In the Spurs' season opener on October 17, Forbes had 11 points in his first start at point guard for the team in a 112–108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. On October 24, he scored 15 points in a 116–96 loss to the Indiana Pacers, becoming the first starting point guard for the Spurs other than Tony Parker to score in double figures in each of his first four games since Maurice Cheeks in 1989. On November 10, he scored 13 points in a 96–89 win over the Houston Rockets, thus scoring double figures in nine of 11 games to begin the season. The only other Spurs player to top that in his first three seasons was Tim Duncan, who had 10 in 1998. On December 11, he had his first career double-double with a season-high 24 points and a career-best 11 rebounds in a 111–86 win over the Phoenix Suns. It was the first double-double of his basketball career, having never had a double-double stemming back to when he started basketball in elementary school. On December 13, in a 125–87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Forbes joined Danny Green and Gary Neal as the only Spurs players to score 1,000 points and make 150 3-pointers in their first 150 games with the team. In March 2019, Forbes reached 250 career 3-pointers, joining Neal and Dāvis Bertāns as the only players in Spurs history to accomplish that feat in their first three seasons with the team.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Personal life
Forbes is the son of Brandon and Sue Forbes. His eldest son Carter was born in August 2013. His second son, Leo, was born in 2016.
