Doug Christie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Doug Christie

Christie in 2015
Sacramento Kings
Head coach
Personal information
Born	(1970-05-09) May 9, 1970 (age 55) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
High school	Mark Morris (Longview, Washington) Rainier Beach (Seattle, Washington)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College	Pepperdine (1989–1992)
NBA Draft	1992 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17th overall
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Pro career	1992–2007
Coaching career	2021–present
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
1993–1994	Los Angeles Lakers
1994–1996	New York Knicks
1996–2000	Toronto Raptors
2000–2005	Sacramento Kings
2005	Orlando Magic
2005	Dallas Mavericks
2007	Los Angeles Clippers
As coach:
2021–2024	Sacramento Kings (assistant)
2024–2025	Sacramento Kings (interim)
2025–present	Sacramento Kings
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Defensive First Team (2003) 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2004) 2× WCC Player of the Year (1991, 1992) 2× First-team All-WCC (1991, 1992)
Career NBA statistics
Points	9,301 (11.2 ppg)
Rebounds	3,382 (4.1 rpg)
Steals	1,555 (1.9 spg)

Douglas Dale Christie (born May 9, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Christie is 6 feet 6 inches tall. He played as a shooting guard. He played college basketball for the Pepperdine Waves. After being picked 17th in the 1992 NBA draft, Christie played for seven teams. His NBA career lasted 15 seasons. He was a key starter for the Sacramento Kings in the early 2000s. He helped the Kings reach the NBA playoffs four years in a row. Christie was known for his strong defense. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team once. He also made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times.

Christie became an assistant coach for the Kings in 2021. He was named the head coach in May 2025.

Doug Christie's Early Life and College Basketball

Doug Christie was born in Seattle, Washington. His parents are John Malone and Norma Christie. His mother raised him in Seattle. Doug is biracial, meaning his father is Black and his mother is White.

Christie played basketball in middle school. He also played for Mark Morris High School in Longview, Washington. He moved there to live with his father. Later, he attended Seattle's Rainier Beach High School. In his final year at Rainier Beach High, Christie led his team to their first Washington state championship. He was also named the best high school player in Washington state.

Christie finished high school in 1988. He then went to Pepperdine University to study sociology. Christie led Pepperdine to the NCAA Tournament twice. He scored over 19 points per game in his last two seasons. He was named WCC Player of the Year two times.

Doug Christie's Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers

The Seattle SuperSonics picked Christie 17th overall in the 1992 NBA draft. But Christie and the Sonics could not agree on a contract. So, he did not play for them. On February 22, 1993, Christie was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his NBA debut on March 12, 1993. In his first game, his jersey had the wrong name, "Chrisite." He did not play much in his first year with the Lakers.

In his second season, Christie played more. He started 34 out of 65 games. He averaged 10.3 points per game. He played with Vlade Divac on the Lakers. Later, they would play together on the Sacramento Kings. They even challenged the Lakers in playoff games.

Playing for the New York Knicks

Before the 1994–95 season, the Lakers traded Christie to the New York Knicks. He only played twelve games that season because of an ankle injury.

Christie took part in the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest. However, he did not play much under the new coach, Don Nelson. He asked to be traded from the Knicks.

Playing for the Toronto Raptors

On February 18, 1996, Christie was traded to the Toronto Raptors. On March 24, 1996, Christie helped the Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls had a great record of 60 wins and 9 losses. This was one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. Christie's defense was so good that Michael Jordan scored fewer points against the Raptors.

In his first full season with Toronto, Christie started 81 games. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game. He finished second in the voting for Most Improved Player of the Year.

The next season, he averaged 16.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game. In the 1999–2000 season, Christie helped Toronto reach the playoffs for the first time ever. He played alongside stars like Tracy McGrady, Charles Oakley, and Vince Carter.

Playing for the Sacramento Kings

In August 2000, Christie was traded to the Sacramento Kings. In Sacramento, Christie became a popular starting shooting guard. He grew into one of the best defenders in the league. While with the Kings, Christie was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team once. He also made the All-Defensive Second Team three times.

During the 2000–01 season, Sports Illustrated magazine called the Kings' starting five "The Greatest Show on Court." This team included Jason Williams, Peja Stojaković, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Christie. Christie's defense helped the Kings become a top team in the NBA. They were a strong playoff team and even aimed for a championship. The Kings led the league in wins in the 2001–02 NBA season. They made the playoffs in every season Christie played for them.

Later NBA Teams

In 2005, Christie was traded to the Orlando Magic. He was sad about the trade. He played only a few games before an injury sidelined him. After ankle surgery, the Orlando Magic released him in August 2005.

Christie then signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Because his ankle was healing slowly, the Mavericks released him on November 25, 2005. This suggested he might retire from playing. In seven games with the Mavericks, Christie averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 assists.

In January 2007, Christie tried to return to basketball. He signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. After the All-Star break, Christie decided to leave the team.

Doug Christie's Other Activities

In 2014, Christie joined a team put together by Dennis Rodman. This team played an exhibition basketball game in North Korea. It was part of a "basketball diplomacy" effort. The game celebrated the birthday of Kim Jong-un.

Christie started working as a TV commentator for Sacramento Kings games. He joined NBC Sports in the 2018–19 season.

Doug Christie's Coaching Career

Coaching the Sacramento Kings

Christie left NBC to become an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings in August 2021. He was named interim head coach of the Kings on December 27, 2024. This happened after Mike Brown was no longer the coach. On May 1, 2025, Christie officially became the head coach of the Kings.

Doug Christie's Personal Life

Jackie Christie in 2019

Doug Christie and his wife Jackie got married on July 8, 1993. They have three children. In 2002, The New York Times wrote a story about the Christies. It talked about their marriage and how committed they were to each other. As of 2002, the Christies renewed their wedding vows every year on their anniversary.

Christie is a very religious Christian.

In 2006, BET launched a reality show called The Christies Committed. It showed the Christies trying to balance their family life and being famous. Christie has also appeared with his wife on the VH1 show Basketball Wives. In 2007, Christie sold many copies of The Christie’s Un-Cut. This was a comedy he made himself, with funny skits featuring the Christies.

Doug Christie's Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

NBA Playoff Stats

Doug Christie's Head Coaching Record

See also

In Spanish: Doug Christie para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association single-game steals leaders