No. 0 – Phoenix Suns | |
---|---|
Position | Power forward |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born |
Sacramento, California |
July 2, 1997
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
Listed weight | 233 lb (106 kg) |
Career information | |
High school |
Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, California) |
College | Washington (2015–2016) |
NBA draft | 2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
Playing career | 2016–present |
Career history | |
2016–present | Phoenix Suns |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Marquese De'Shawn Chriss (born July 2, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies.
As a youth growing up in Sacramento, California, Chriss played baseball and American football. Between fifth grade and eighth grade, he showed promise as a tight end, defensive end and safety. However, during a game in his eighth-grade season, Chriss landed awkwardly on his shoulder while attempting to catch a long pass and broke his collarbone. His mother subsequently disallowed Chriss to play football from then on, and he was forced to choose basketball instead.
Chriss attended Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, California. As a freshman at Pleasant Grove, Chriss was one of 25 students who showed up for tryouts. The school only had junior varsity and varsity teams, which meant that roster spots were limited, especially for a player like Chriss who previously had zero competitive experience in the sport. Chriss almost didn't make it, but his energy and effort stood out. He began the season as a reserve before eventually working his way into the starting lineup. A year later, he started for the varsity team and led the school to a 28–6 record and a state championship. Colleges began offering Chriss scholarships that season, with the first coming from Northern Arizona University. In January 2014, he committed to the University of Washington.
As a senior in 2014–15, Chris averaged 21.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. Scout ranked him as the No. 55 recruit in the nation for the class of 2015 and Rivals ranked him as the No. 56 recruit, while ESPN and 247Sports.com both ranked him at No. 60.