Chris Boucher (basketball) facts for kids
Boucher with the Toronto Raptors in 2021
|
|
| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward / centre | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 11, 1993 Castries, Saint Lucia |
| Nationality | Canadian / Saint Lucian |
| High school | Damase Boulanger (Alma, Quebec) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 2017 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2017–present |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2017–2018 | →Santa Cruz Warriors |
| 2018–2025 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2018–2019 | →Raptors 905 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Christopher Boucher (born January 11, 1993) is a professional basketball player. He is from Saint Lucia and Canada. He last played for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before playing professionally, he played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Start
Chris Boucher was born in Castries, Saint Lucia. When he was five, he moved to Montreal, Canada, with his mother. Growing up, Chris played soccer and ice hockey. His family faced tough times and lived in poverty.
At 16, Chris left high school. He worked as a cook and dishwasher. In 2012, he got a chance to play in a basketball tournament. He scored 44 points in the final game. This was amazing because he had only played pickup basketball before. Coaches Igor Rwigema and Ibrahim Willson saw his talent. They offered him a spot on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called Alma Academy. This academy helped young people get their high school diplomas. In one game, Chris scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. This caught the eye of many college coaches.
College Basketball Journey
Chris Boucher started his college career at New Mexico Junior College. He played one season there. He averaged about 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. After that, he moved to Northwest College in Wyoming. He became the NJCAA Player of the Year. His team had a great record of 31 wins and 5 losses.
During that season, Chris was excellent at shooting. He made 62.7% of his shots close to the basket. He also made 44.4% of his three-point shots. He averaged 22.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks per game. His rebounding and blocking skills were among the best in junior college.
Playing for the Oregon Ducks
Chris then transferred to the University of Oregon. He chose Oregon over other big schools. When he first arrived, his coach, Dana Altman, worried about how thin he was. But Chris showed great energy and skill. In his second game for Oregon, he scored 15 points and had 8 rebounds.
He set a new record for Oregon with 110 blocks in one season. In the 2016 NCAA tournament, he helped his team reach the Elite Eight. He scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds in that game. Chris played two years for the Ducks. He averaged 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds. In his senior year, he was named to the Pac-12 Defensive Team. He led the conference with 2.6 blocks per game.
In December 2016, Chris had a huge game against Montana. He scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds. In March 2017, during a tournament game, an opposing player fell on his leg. Chris kept playing and finished the game. However, an MRI scan the next day showed he had a torn ACL. This injury meant he could not play for the rest of the season.
Professional Basketball Career
Golden State Warriors (2017–2018)
Because of his injury, Chris Boucher could not try out for NBA teams before the 2017 NBA draft. He was not chosen in the draft. However, the Golden State Warriors signed him to a special "two-way contract." This was a new type of contract in the NBA. It allowed players to play for both an NBA team and its G League team.
On November 2, 2017, Chris joined the Santa Cruz Warriors, their G League team. He made his NBA debut on March 14, 2018. He played one minute for the Golden State Warriors. He got 1 rebound in that game. Even though he couldn't play in the playoffs due to his contract, Chris was part of the Warriors team that won the 2018 NBA Finals. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors released Chris on June 22, 2018.
Toronto Raptors (2018–2025)
On July 20, 2018, Chris Boucher signed with the Toronto Raptors. He signed a two-year contract. On October 26, 2018, his contract was changed to a two-way deal. He played 28 games for the Raptors' G League team, the Raptors 905. He was amazing, averaging 27.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks. He shot 51.0% from the field.
Chris won two big awards in the G League in 2019. He was named the G League MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first player to win both awards in the same season. He was also the first international player to win the MVP award. On February 10, 2019, the Raptors signed Chris to a regular NBA contract.
The Raptors made it to the 2019 NBA Finals that year. They beat Chris's old team, the Golden State Warriors. Chris Boucher became the first Canadian player to win an NBA title with the only Canadian NBA team.
Key Moments with the Raptors
Chris continued to improve with the Raptors. On November 10, 2019, he scored 15 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 22, 2019, he set a new career high with 21 points against the Dallas Mavericks. Just three days later, on December 25, 2019, he scored 24 points against the Boston Celtics. On March 3, 2020, he grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns. In August 2020, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.
On November 25, 2020, Chris signed a new two-year contract with the Raptors. On December 26, 2020, he had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks. On January 14, 2021, he tied his career high with 25 points. On February 6, 2021, he scored 29 points. On March 4, 2021, he had 30 points. Then, on April 8, 2021, he reached a new high with 38 points and 19 rebounds. On April 18, 2021, he scored 31 points and made a career-high six three-pointers.
On June 30, 2022, Chris signed another contract with the Raptors. It was a three-year deal. As of January 17, 2024, Chris Boucher was the last player remaining from the 2019 championship team on the Raptors roster.
Career Statistics
Chris Boucher's statistics show his performance in games.
NBA Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18† | Golden State | 1 | 0 | 1.3 | .000 | .000 | — | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| 2018–19† | Toronto | 28 | 0 | 5.8 | .447 | .324 | .867 | 2.0 | .1 | .2 | .9 | 3.3 |
| 2019–20 | Toronto | 62 | 0 | 13.2 | .472 | .322 | .784 | 4.5 | .4 | .4 | 1.0 | 6.6 |
| 2020–21 | Toronto | 60 | 14 | 24.2 | .514 | .383 | .788 | 6.7 | 1.1 | .6 | 1.9 | 13.6 |
| 2021–22 | Toronto | 80 | 9 | 21.1 | .464 | .297 | .777 | 6.2 | .3 | .6 | .9 | 9.4 |
| 2022–23 | Toronto | 76 | 0 | 20.0 | .493 | .328 | .762 | 5.5 | .4 | .6 | .8 | 9.4 |
| 2023–24 | Toronto | 50 | 0 | 14.1 | .507 | .330 | .772 | 4.1 | .5 | .3 | .5 | 6.4 |
| 2024–25 | Toronto | 50 | 0 | 17.2 | .492 | .363 | .782 | 4.5 | .7 | .5 | .5 | 10.0 |
| Career | 357 | 23 | 17.8 | .488 | .333 | .779 | 5.2 | .5 | .5 | 1.0 | 8.7 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019† | Toronto | 2 | 0 | 2.0 | .400 | .333 | .000 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .5 | 2.5 |
| 2020 | Toronto | 7 | 0 | 6.1 | .273 | .400 | .000 | 1.7 | .1 | .0 | .3 | 1.1 |
| 2022 | Toronto | 6 | 0 | 21.7 | .619 | .400 | .900 | 5.8 | .2 | .2 | 1.2 | 11.2 |
| Career | 15 | 0 | 11.8 | .534 | .391 | .750 | 3.2 | .1 | .1 | .7 | 5.3 | |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Oregon | 38 | 35 | 25.8 | .539 | .339 | .685 | 7.4 | .4 | .8 | 2.9 | 12.1 |
| 2016–17 | Oregon | 31 | 12 | 23.6 | .524 | .350 | .565 | 6.1 | .4 | .4 | 2.5 | 11.8 |
| Career | 69 | 47 | 24.8 | .532 | .344 | .641 | 6.8 | .4 | .6 | 2.7 | 12.0 | |
See also
In Spanish: Chris Boucher (baloncestista) para niños
