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It’s safe to say that from the moment Marquese Chriss was drafted by the Phoenix Suns, things haven’t gone to plan.
In just three years since he was drafted eighth overall, Chriss is already playing for his fourth team: the Golden State Warriors.
Chriss has always had immense po at timestential and athleticism, but something’s been missing for the 22-year-old center. Luckily for Chriss, the Warriors needed a fresh big man for the 2019-20 season, and he’s making the best out of his opportunity.
The departure of DeMarcus Cousins and injuries to Kevon Looney and Willie Cauley-Stein have opened the door for him to turn his career around.
Chriss has shown flashes at times in Golden State, but it’s been up and down in the early stages of the season. In the Warriors’ third win of the season, though, he looked like a player worthy of drafting in the lottery.
The former Washington Husky scored a season-high 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked four shots in only 21 minutes. Chriss showed off his athleticism against the Grizzlies with a few high-flying dunks and some thunderous blocks.
This dunk from Marquese Chriss was sooooo nice pic.twitter.com/V3fwNIgSfe
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) November 20, 2019
The former lottery pick earned high praise from Steve Kerr after the team’s 114-95 win in Memphis.
“I think he’s got a bright future in the league,” Kerr said about his young center, adding:
Sometimes, it takes some guys some time to get used to the NBA game, and he’s had kind of a rocky start to his career. He bounced around a little bit, but he’s doing a great job for us and hopefully finds a home here.
Kerr seems especially happy with the improvement Chriss has shown on the defensive end of the floor.
“I think his defense is the area where we’ve tried to help him the most,” Kerr said. “I see him getting better now defensively, and that’s a great sign.”
In the Kerr era, the Warriors haven’t seen a big man like Chriss on their roster. The Warriors’ deep playoff runs had front lines that featured Zaza Pachulia, Andrew Bogut, David West and Cousins— all veterans with limited athletic ability. JaVale McGee is the only comparable former Warrior to Chriss and his reclamation under Kerr and Ron Adams should be an encouraging guide for the Sacramento native’s future in the NBA.
Chriss brings a different element to the Warriors rotation, and coach Kerr is noticing.
“There was a reason he was a lottery pick,” Kerr told reporters in Memphis. “He’s got a lot of talent, very athletic and powerful.”
The 2019-20 season has turned into an evaluation year for the Warriors, with the critical question being who will play with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson next season.
Even with the Splash Brothers returning in 2020, the Warriors still have a hole inside. If Chriss continues to improve, he could be the player Kerr taps in the future.