Marquese Chriss facts for kids
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Chriss with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019
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| No. 32 – Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin | |
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| Power forward / center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 2, 1997 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| High school | Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Washington (2015–2016) |
| NBA Draft | 2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
| Pro career | 2016–present |
| League | CBA |
| Career history | |
| 2016–2018 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2018–2019 | Houston Rockets |
| 2019 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2019–2021 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2021–2022 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2024 | Wisconsin Herd |
| 2024–present | Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Marquese De'Shawn Chriss (born July 2, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin team in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Before turning pro, he played college basketball for the Washington Huskies. In 2016, he was picked eighth overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He later earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
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Early Life and Starting Basketball
Marquese Chriss grew up in Sacramento, California. When he was younger, he enjoyed playing baseball and American football. From fifth to eighth grade, he was a promising football player. He played positions like tight end and defensive end.
However, during an eighth-grade football game, Marquese fell badly while trying to catch a pass. He broke his collarbone. After this injury, his mother decided he could no longer play football. This led Marquese to choose basketball instead.
High School Basketball Journey
Marquese went to Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, California. When he tried out for basketball as a freshman, he was one of 25 students. The school only had junior varsity and varsity teams, so spots were limited. Marquese had never played competitive basketball before.
Even though he was new to the sport, his energy and effort stood out. He started the season as a reserve player. But he worked hard and eventually earned a spot in the starting lineup. A year later, he was a starter for the varsity team. He helped his team achieve a great record of 28 wins and 6 losses. They even won a state championship!
After that successful season, colleges started offering Marquese scholarships. His first offer came from Northern Arizona University. In January 2014, he decided to commit to the University of Washington. During his senior year in high school (2014–15), Marquese averaged about 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game.
College Basketball Career
Marquese Chriss had an amazing start at the University of Washington. In just his second game, he scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. This is called a "double-double" in basketball.
However, in the following weeks, he started getting too many fouls during games. He fouled out of three games in a row in November 2015. His mother stepped in again to help. She suggested he talk to a sports psychologist. The university helped him with this. Marquese learned how to play defense without fouling so much.
He ended up having one of the best freshman seasons in his team's history. He scored the fourth-most points ever by a freshman (467). He also had the fifth-most rebounds (183) and the most blocks (55). His three-point shooting also got much better as the season went on. He started all 34 games in the 2015–16 season. He averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Because of his great performance, he was recognized as an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Freshmen team.
On March 23, 2016, Marquese Chriss decided to enter the 2016 NBA draft. This meant he would leave college early to become a professional player.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with the Phoenix Suns (2016–2018)
Leading up to the NBA draft, Marquese Chriss was seen as a rising star. He was picked eighth overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. However, on draft night, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns gave up other draft picks and player rights to get him.
Marquese joined the Suns for the 2016 NBA Summer League. He played in a few games before getting sick, which ended his Summer League early.
First NBA Season (2016–17)
Marquese Chriss made his NBA debut on October 26, 2016. It was against the team that first drafted him, the Sacramento Kings. He scored 7 points and had 4 rebounds in that game. He played alongside Devin Booker and another rookie, Dragan Bender. This made the Suns the first NBA team to have three teenagers playing in the same game.
On November 8, he made his first start for the Suns. On December 13, he achieved his first "double-double" with 14 points and 12 rebounds. In January 2017, he was chosen for the U.S. Team in the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge. He also had his first 20-point game that month. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January.
On February 4, he scored a career-high 27 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. He also showed his defensive skills by blocking five shots in a game against the Boston Celtics on March 5. This was the most blocks by a Suns rookie since 2002. Marquese played in all 82 games during his rookie season. This was a big achievement! At the end of the season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Second NBA Season (2017–18)
In July 2017, Marquese played for the Suns again in the 2017 NBA Summer League. He averaged 14.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. On December 26, 2017, he tied his career high with 13 rebounds.
Marquese missed his first game due to injury on January 12, 2018. He had played in 124 games in a row before that! This was the longest streak for a Suns player since the 1980s. On January 31, he reached 100 career steals, three-pointers, and blocks. He was one of the youngest players ever to do this, along with stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. He scored a season-high 22 points on April 1, and then 23 points on April 6.
Playing for Other Teams (2018–Present)
Marquese Chriss was traded to the Houston Rockets on August 31, 2018. He played his first game for the Rockets on October 30. The Rockets later decided not to keep him for the next season.
On February 7, 2019, Marquese was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played for them for a short time.
On October 1, 2019, Marquese signed with the Golden State Warriors. He played well, averaging 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. His teammates and coaches respected him. He was waived by the Warriors in January 2020 but then re-signed with them. On December 26, 2020, he broke his right leg and missed the rest of that season.
After his time with the Warriors, Marquese was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in March 2021, but was waived a few days later. He then signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in September 2021 but was waived before the season started.
On December 21, 2021, Marquese signed a short contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He played well enough to sign a two-year contract with them in January 2022. In June 2022, he was traded back to the Houston Rockets as part of a bigger trade. Then, in September 2022, he was traded again to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who later waived him.
In February 2024, Marquese joined the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League. Most recently, on August 24, 2024, Marquese Chriss signed with the Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin team in China.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Phoenix | 82* | 75 | 21.3 | .449 | .321 | .624 | 4.2 | .7 | .8 | .9 | 9.2 |
| 2017–18 | Phoenix | 72 | 49 | 21.2 | .423 | .295 | .608 | 5.5 | 1.2 | .7 | 1.0 | 7.7 |
| 2018–19 | Houston | 16 | 0 | 6.5 | .324 | .067 | .857 | 1.8 | .4 | .1 | .3 | 1.8 |
| Cleveland | 27 | 2 | 14.6 | .384 | .263 | .684 | 4.2 | .6 | .6 | .3 | 5.7 | |
| 2019–20 | Golden State | 59 | 21 | 20.3 | .545 | .205 | .769 | 6.2 | 1.9 | .7 | 1.1 | 9.3 |
| 2020–21 | Golden State | 2 | 0 | 13.5 | .357 | .200 | .500 | 6.5 | 1.0 | .0 | 1.0 | 6.5 |
| 2021–22 | Dallas | 34 | 0 | 10.2 | .463 | .320 | .667 | 3.0 | .5 | .4 | .4 | 4.5 |
| Career | 292 | 147 | 18.3 | .456 | .290 | .667 | 4.7 | 1.0 | .6 | .8 | 7.6 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dallas | 8 | 0 | 3.8 | .500 | .500 | .833 | 1.1 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.8 |
| Career | 8 | 0 | 3.8 | .500 | .500 | .833 | 1.1 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.8 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Washington | 34 | 34 | 24.9 | .530 | .350 | .682 | 5.4 | .8 | .9 | 1.6 | 13.7 |
Personal Life
Marquese Chriss comes from a large family. He is the fourth-oldest of nine brothers and sisters. He has three older sisters and three younger sisters. He is also the oldest of four brothers. His father is Steven Chriss. His mother is Shawntae Wright, who works as a social worker. Marquese's stepfather, Michael Wright, lived in Tacoma, Washington. Visiting him there might have influenced Marquese's decision to attend the University of Washington.
See also
In Spanish: Marquese Chriss para niños
