Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are vocal leaders for Golden State, says Marquese Chriss
Tuesday 12 May 2020 08:27, UK
Golden State Warriors young center Marquese Chriss says he spent the 2019-20 season learning as much as he could from team-mates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Chriss was drafted into a bad situation in 2016. The Phoenix Suns have been an NBA afterthought for most of the last decade, and they went 45-119 during Chriss' first two seasons in the NBA.
Chriss was putting up decent numbers, but as a 19 and 20, he wasn't learning good habits. He didn't have good leaders teaching him how to thrive in the NBA.
After trades to the Houston Rockets and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the former No 8 overall pick's career was at a crossroads last offseason.
That's where the Warriors came in. They signed the wayward center to a non-guaranteed contract last summer and gave him a chance to compete for the final roster spot during training camp.
Being surrounded by battle-tested stars like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and the injured Klay Thompson did wonders for Chriss.
"This year, I just tried to learn as much as I could from Steph and Draymond," Chriss said during a Twitter Q&A on Monday. "They are very vocal leaders and they are passionate about what they do and they care about us as individuals, and they want us to be as successful as they are and they try to teach us as much as they can, and I think each and everyone of us on the team tries to listen and learn as best as we can.
"Just learn from people who have won championships, people who have been where each of us wants to be, I think that's the best thing for us as a young team coming up is to have veterans that are willing to teach us and young guys that are willing to learn."
Chriss thrived in his role with the Warriors as he averaged career-highs in points (9.3) and rebounds (6.2) in 59 games this season.
The Warriors did have to waive Chriss in January in order to sign two-way player Damion Lee to a guaranteed contract.
But Golden State was so impressed with what Chriss had shown that they re-signed him to a two-way contract a week later. In early February, the Warriors were able to convert Chriss' two-way contract to a deal that runs through the 2020-21 season.
Out of the bad situation in Phoenix, Chriss managed to resurrect his career under the supervision of Curry, Green and the Warriors.
Whatever happens in the 2020 NBA Draft and in free agency, the Warriors know they already have someone on the roster capable of handling heavy minutes at center.
What Warriors' Marquese Chriss learned from Steph Curry, Draymond Green originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
