_(cropped).jpg) Christopher with theHouston Rockets in 2021 | |
| No. 8 – Miami Heat | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2001-12-08)December 8, 2001 (age 23) Carson, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Mayfair (Lakewood, California) |
| College | Arizona State (2020–2021) |
| NBA draft | 2021: 1st round, 24th overall pick |
| Selected by theHouston Rockets | |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–2023 | Houston Rockets |
| 2021–2022 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2023–2024 | Salt Lake City Stars |
| 2024 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2024–present | Miami Heat |
| 2024–present | →Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Joshua Evan Christopher (born December 8, 2001) is an American professionalbasketball player for theMiami Heat of theNational Basketball Association (NBA), on atwo-way contract with theSioux Falls Skyforce of theNBA G League. He playedcollege basketball for theArizona State Sun Devils. He is a 6-foot-4-inch (1.93 m), 215-pound (98 kg)shooting guard.
Christopher grew up playing basketball with his older brother, Caleb, in elementary school, middle school and his first two years withMayfair High School inLakewood, California, as well as on theAmateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit.[1][2] In his childhood, he often played against older opponents.[3] As a sophomore at Mayfair, Christopher averaged 25.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3.6 assists per game, leading his team to a 21–8 record.[4] In his junior season, he averaged 25 points per game and won the Division 2AA championship.[5] As a senior, Christopher was joined by Dior Johnson, one of the highest-rated sophomores in the country. He averaged 29.2 points, 8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.1 steals per game, leading his team to theCIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals.[6][7] Christopher was selected to play in theMcDonald's All-American Game,Jordan Brand Classic andNike Hoop Summit, but all three games were canceled due to the ongoingcoronavirus pandemic.[8]
Christopher was a consensus five-starrecruit and the number twoshooting guard in the 2020 recruiting class. On April 13, 2020, he announced his commitment toArizona State overMichigan,USC,Missouri andUCLA. His brother, Caleb, had served one year there as well. As such, Christopher became Arizona State's highest-ranked recruit in the modern recruiting era and the program's first five-star recruit sinceJames Harden in 2007.[9]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Christopher SG | Carson, CA | Mayfair (CA) | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | Apr 13, 2020 | |
Star ratings:Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 95 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals:12 247Sports:8 ESPN:11 | ||||||
Sources:
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On November 26, 2020, Christopher scored a career-high 28 points for Arizona State in an 83–74 loss to third-rankedVillanova.[10] As a freshman, he was limited to 15 games due to injury, and averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. On March 31, 2021, Christopher declared for the2021 NBA draft.[11]
Christopher was selected with the 24th pick of the2021 NBA draft by theHouston Rockets.[12] On August 7, 2021, Christopher signed with the Rockets.[13] He made his official NBA debut on October 20, coming off the bench with five points in eight minutes in a loss against theMinnesota Timberwolves.[14] On November 24, the Rockets assigned Christopher to theRio Grande Valley Vipers.[15] After averaging 20 points in three games with the Vipers, he was recalled by the Rockets.[16] On December 8, Christopher logged 18 points in a 7-of-7 from the field with fourthree-pointers in a 104–114 win over theBrooklyn Nets.[17] On February 4, 2022, Christopher registered 23 points, four assists and five rebounds in a loss against theSan Antonio Spurs.[18] On March 23, he scored 21 points in a 139–130 overtime win against theLos Angeles Lakers.[19] In April, he recorded his first 30-point effort by shooting 11-of-14 from the field, and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, along with three assists and two steals in a home loss against the Timberwolves.[20]
Christopher fell out of the rotation in the 2022–2023 season, not coming off the bench in several games. His minutes and numbers decreased as the Rockets usedDaishen Nix as the point guard for the second unit.[21][22]
On July 8, 2023, theMemphis Grizzlies acquired Christopher from the Houston Rockets forDillon Brooks (via sign-and-trade) in a five-team deal.[23] However, he was waived on September 30.[24]
On October 13, 2023, Christopher signed a two-way contract with theUtah Jazz,[25] but was waived on January 9, 2024, without playing for the team. However, he made 22 appearances with the Jazz'sG League affiliate, theSalt Lake City Stars.[26]
On January 14, 2024, Christopher joined theSioux Falls Skyforce[27] and on July 25, he signed atwo-way contract with theMiami Heat.[28]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Houston | 74 | 2 | 18.0 | .448 | .296 | .735 | 2.5 | 2.0 | .8 | .2 | 7.9 |
| 2022–23 | Houston | 64 | 2 | 12.3 | .465 | .236 | .750 | 1.1 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | 5.8 |
| Career | 138 | 4 | 15.4 | .455 | .277 | .740 | 1.9 | 1.6 | .7 | .2 | 6.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Arizona State | 15 | 15 | 29.7 | .432 | .305 | .800 | 4.7 | 1.4 | 1.5 | .5 | 14.3 |
Christopher is the youngest of four siblings, all of whom have played basketball.[29] His brother,Patrick, played professionally, including a brief stint with theUtah Jazz of the NBA. Patrick's godbrother is former NBA playerTayshaun Prince.[2] Christopher's sister, Paris, played college basketball forSaint Mary's but suffered a career-ending injury as a freshman.[30] His brother, Caleb, was a player for both Arizona State University andTennessee Tech, ending his career at NAIA Hope International University.[31] Christopher's father, Laron, is a musician.[3] His parents are devoutChristians.[1] Christopher is often known as "Jaygup," a nickname created in his childhood.[1][32]