Wilson Chandler
Encyclopedia
Wilson Chandler is an American
basketball player currently with Zhejiang Guangsha
of the Chinese Basketball Association
. He previously played in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) with the New York Knicks
and the Denver Nuggets
. He played college basketball at DePaul University
for two years before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft
, where he was a first-round selection of the Knicks. Chandler is listed at 6 ft 8 in. and 220 lbs. He plays the forward position. Chandler has exceptional leaping ability, finishes well at the basket, and is improving his mid-range jumper.
, which is about a three hour drive from Detroit and two hours from Chicago
, Chandler was raised by his grandparents. Chandler started playing basketball at Fairplain East Elementary School (in Benton Harbor, Michigan) when he was in fifth grade.
Chandler went to Benton Harbor High School in Michigan. He received Michigan All-State mentions as a sophomore and junior, while averaging 22.4 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. He helped the Tigers to a 19–4 record. He was also named to the first team All-State by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. As a senior, he averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks per game. That year, Chandler and the Tigers went undefeated during the regular season and were ranked #1 in the state. They were beat by eventual state champion Holt High School in the regional final. Chandler was named Mr. Basketball of Michigan
for 2005.
, Purdue University
and Dayton University; however, Chandler commited to DePaul University
late in 2004. During his freshman season at DePaul, he achieved an average of 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds (ranked 10th in the Big East) per game. On November 30 2005, Chandler had his first breakout game, putting up 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in a Blue Deamons win over Creighton University
. On December 10, 2005, Chandler recorded 16 rebounds against Dayton
, the most by a freshman since Quentin Richardson
grabbed 16 in 1999. He earned Big East Rookie of the Week honors twice that season. He was also named to the Big East freshman team. Chandler scored 20 or more points 4 times, with a career-high of 26.
During his sophomore season, he averaged 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. As a sophomore, Chandler was named to the Big East all second team, and recorded eight double-doubles, while leading the team to a 20-win season. They made it to the quarterfinals of the NIT, but couldn't go any further. He left the college tenth on DePaul's all-time list for blocked shots with 86.
In April 2007, Wilson Chandler decided to enter his name in the 2007 NBA Draft after careful consideration. Before entering the draft, Chandler hired Chris Grier as his agent.
He had not worked out for many teams prior to the draft. He was injured in Atlanta before was able to work out with any other teams. The New York Knicks
talked to Chandler's agent and told him they were interested in him. Isiah Thomas
, the team's general manager, had very good contacts at DePaul University
and knew about Chandler from watching him play in college.
On June 28, 2007, Chandler was taken 23rd overall in the 2007 NBA Draft
by the New York Knicks.
Chandler spent the majority of the season coming off of the bench, but late in 2008 head coach Isiah Thomas
inserted him into the starting rotation. In his first game on November 13, 2007 the 20 year old Chandler scored 8 points to go along with 2 rebounds and a steal. Chandler had his best game on April 6, 2008, scoring 23 points vs. the Orlando Magic
. He would go on to end the season with an average 7.3 points per game.
In his sophomore campaign under head coach Mike D'Antoni
, Chandler saw his role with the Knicks expand, and he was able to improve his statistics in virtually every category. He finished the the season averaging 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Chandler had a breakout game against the Toronto Raptors
, scoring 32 points on 12-23 shooting, including 6-10 three point shooting, in a blowout win. Chandler participated in the 2009 Rookie Challenge
, where he was tied for most rebounds on the sophomore squad. Despite Chandler's solid season, the Knicks finished the season at 32-50 and missed the playoffs.
Chandler improved on his 2008-2009 year, averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds along with 2.1 assists; however, Chandler struggled to shoot the three pointer. Chandler was limited to 65 games on the year due to injuries. On November 11, 2010 in a loss to the Golden State Warriors
, Chandler had his front tooth inadvertently knocked out by former teammate David Lee
. Chandler sat out for a few minutes before returning to the game to finish with 27 points and 3 blocks. On February 9, 2010 Chandler set a new career-high with 35 points against the Sacramento Kings, but the Knicks lost 118-114. Chandler assisted teammate Nate Robinson
in the dunk contest during the All-Star Weekend. In the dunk, Nate Robinson used Chandler's back as a trampoline to dunk the basketball. During the season Chandler provided a clutch play down the stretch in a game against the Atlanta Hawks
. Chandler had struggled all game but came up with a big block on a Josh Smith
dunk attempt. The blocked shot was rebounded by Al Horford
, who attempted a put-back but released the shot to late according to the referees. The Knicks once again finished the season with a poor record at 29-53, missing the playoffs. The Knicks made moves such as trading for Tracy McGrady
in order to have cap space to make a big signing during the offseason and put talent around Chandler. The big signing ended up being Amar'e Stoudemire.
Wilson Chandler scored 22 points in a season opening win for the new-look Knicks on October 27, 2010. On January 6, 2011, Knicks GM Donnie Walsh indicated his intentions to sign Chandler to a long term deal. Chandler was enjoying his best season as a Knicks and embraced the new sixth man role coach Mike D'Antoni
appointed him to. Chandler would come off the bench and play positions 2 to 4 on the floor. During the season Chandler also became one of the best shot blocking wing players. Chandler's best game of the season was a 31 point effort against the San Antonio Spurs
on January 4th, 2011. The Spurs at the time were the NBA's best team and were easily defeated under Chandler's big game.
Denver Nuggets
On February 22, 2011, Chandler was traded to the Denver Nuggets
in a three-way blockbuster deal which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves
, and sent Carmelo Anthony
to New York. Chandler immediately made an impact in his debut for the Nuggets, scoring 16 points, including 8 key fourth quarter points, in a victory over the Boston Celtics
. In Denver, Chandler had to adapt to a more open offense. The Nuggets with the addition of Chandler and teammates Danilo Gallinari
and Raymond Felton
had one of the deepest, most explosive teams in the NBA. The Nuggets ended up playing better without superstar Carmelo Anthony
, clinching the fifth seed in the playoffs with a 50-32 record. On March 23, 2011 in a 115-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Wilson Chandler played through a sprained ankle and finished the game with a remarkable 6 blocks. Though he finished with 8 points, he made a clutch free-throw line jump shot with 29.3 seconds left to give the Nuggets the lead for good, 114-112. Chandler made his first trip to the playoffs where the Nuggets would match up against the Oklahoma City Thunder
, led by Kevin Durant
. In his first playoff game Chandler scored 9 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Chandler struggled in the playoffs, averaging only 4.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in only 23 minutes a game. The Nuggets were beaten in five games.
China and the 2011 NBA lockout
In August 2011, in the midst of an NBA lockout
, Chandler signed with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association
. With Zhejiang Guangsha
, he plays under former Dallas Mavericks
head coach Jim Cleamons
. About his decision, Chandler said, "Maybe I'll lose out, but I think it can be a great experience. I haven't been in any [labor negotiation] meetings. I can't call it. I'm just taking a risk, at the end of the day."His deal does not have an out-clause, and therefore Chandler is unlikely to return to the NBA this season. Had Chandler not signed with a Chinese team he would have been a restricted free agent. Zhejiang Guangsha
attempted to put more NBA talent around Chandler, signing Earl Clark
, but Clark asked to leave the team due to family reasons. They later attempted to sign Tyson Chandler
, but he declined the team's offer. In his debut, Wilson Chandler scored 43 points along with 22 rebounds and 4 assists in 50 minutes in a 118-115 double overtime win over Tianjin Ronggang
. Chandler followed his debut performance by recording 28 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists against Qingdao DoubleStar
in a 111-94 win. Chandler recorded 42 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals in Zhejiang Guangsha
's first loss against the Shangdong Lions.
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New York
| 35 || 16 || 19.6 || .438 || .300 || .630 || 3.6 || .9 || .4 || .5 || 7.3
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | New York
| 82 || 70 || 33.4 || .432 || .328 || .795 || 5.4 || 2.1 || .9 || .9 || 14.4
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | New York
| 65 || 64 || 35.7 || .479 || .267 || .806 || 5.4 || 2.1 || .7 || .8 || 15.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | New York
| 51 || 30 || 34.5 || .461 || .351 || .807 || 5.9 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.4 || 16.4
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Denver
| 21 || 19 || 30.6 || .419 || .347 || .810 || 5.0 || 1.6 || .7 || 1.1 || 12.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 254 || 199 || 32.0 || .451 || .324 || .786 || 5.2 || 1.8 || .7 || .9 || 13.9
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Denver
| 5 || 2 || 23.0 || .276 || .143 || .778 || 4.4 || .4 || .6 || .8 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 5 || 2 || 23.0 || .276 || .143 || .778 || 4.4 || .4 || .6 || .8 || 4.8
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball player currently with Zhejiang Guangsha
Zhejiang Guangsha
The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.-Notable former players:...
of the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
. He previously played in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
. He played college basketball at DePaul University
DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball
The DePaul Blue Demons Men's Basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois...
for two years before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, where he was a first-round selection of the Knicks. Chandler is listed at 6 ft 8 in. and 220 lbs. He plays the forward position. Chandler has exceptional leaping ability, finishes well at the basket, and is improving his mid-range jumper.
Early life and high school career
While he was growing up in Benton Harbor, MichiganBenton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
, which is about a three hour drive from Detroit and two hours from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Chandler was raised by his grandparents. Chandler started playing basketball at Fairplain East Elementary School (in Benton Harbor, Michigan) when he was in fifth grade.
Chandler went to Benton Harbor High School in Michigan. He received Michigan All-State mentions as a sophomore and junior, while averaging 22.4 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. He helped the Tigers to a 19–4 record. He was also named to the first team All-State by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. As a senior, he averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks per game. That year, Chandler and the Tigers went undefeated during the regular season and were ranked #1 in the state. They were beat by eventual state champion Holt High School in the regional final. Chandler was named Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Each year the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Michigan...
for 2005.
College career
Chandler was recruited by and considered Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
and Dayton University; however, Chandler commited to DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
late in 2004. During his freshman season at DePaul, he achieved an average of 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds (ranked 10th in the Big East) per game. On November 30 2005, Chandler had his first breakout game, putting up 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in a Blue Deamons win over Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
. On December 10, 2005, Chandler recorded 16 rebounds against Dayton
Dayton
Dayton is a city in Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States.Dayton may also refer to:-United States:*Dayton, Alabama*Dayton, California, in Butte County*Dayton, Lassen County, California*Dayton, Idaho*Dayton, Indiana...
, the most by a freshman since Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic...
grabbed 16 in 1999. He earned Big East Rookie of the Week honors twice that season. He was also named to the Big East freshman team. Chandler scored 20 or more points 4 times, with a career-high of 26.
During his sophomore season, he averaged 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. As a sophomore, Chandler was named to the Big East all second team, and recorded eight double-doubles, while leading the team to a 20-win season. They made it to the quarterfinals of the NIT, but couldn't go any further. He left the college tenth on DePaul's all-time list for blocked shots with 86.
Professional career
New York KnicksIn April 2007, Wilson Chandler decided to enter his name in the 2007 NBA Draft after careful consideration. Before entering the draft, Chandler hired Chris Grier as his agent.
He had not worked out for many teams prior to the draft. He was injured in Atlanta before was able to work out with any other teams. The New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
talked to Chandler's agent and told him they were interested in him. Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
, the team's general manager, had very good contacts at DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
and knew about Chandler from watching him play in college.
On June 28, 2007, Chandler was taken 23rd overall in the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
by the New York Knicks.
Chandler spent the majority of the season coming off of the bench, but late in 2008 head coach Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
inserted him into the starting rotation. In his first game on November 13, 2007 the 20 year old Chandler scored 8 points to go along with 2 rebounds and a steal. Chandler had his best game on April 6, 2008, scoring 23 points vs. the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. He would go on to end the season with an average 7.3 points per game.
In his sophomore campaign under head coach Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
, Chandler saw his role with the Knicks expand, and he was able to improve his statistics in virtually every category. He finished the the season averaging 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Chandler had a breakout game against the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, scoring 32 points on 12-23 shooting, including 6-10 three point shooting, in a blowout win. Chandler participated in the 2009 Rookie Challenge
Rookie Challenge
The Rookie Challenge is an exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend....
, where he was tied for most rebounds on the sophomore squad. Despite Chandler's solid season, the Knicks finished the season at 32-50 and missed the playoffs.
Chandler improved on his 2008-2009 year, averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds along with 2.1 assists; however, Chandler struggled to shoot the three pointer. Chandler was limited to 65 games on the year due to injuries. On November 11, 2010 in a loss to the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Chandler had his front tooth inadvertently knocked out by former teammate David Lee
David Lee
-Arts:*David Lee , editor of Jackdaw magazine*David Lee , American photographer and film director*David Lee , DJ and professional voice over performer...
. Chandler sat out for a few minutes before returning to the game to finish with 27 points and 3 blocks. On February 9, 2010 Chandler set a new career-high with 35 points against the Sacramento Kings, but the Knicks lost 118-114. Chandler assisted teammate Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
in the dunk contest during the All-Star Weekend. In the dunk, Nate Robinson used Chandler's back as a trampoline to dunk the basketball. During the season Chandler provided a clutch play down the stretch in a game against the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
. Chandler had struggled all game but came up with a big block on a Josh Smith
Josh Smith
Josh Smith is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Josh is one of five kids born to Paulette and Pete Smith. His siblings are Walter, Phebe, Kasola and Shanti. His popular nickname is "J-Smoove".Smith attended John McEachern High School. For his senior...
dunk attempt. The blocked shot was rebounded by Al Horford
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
, who attempted a put-back but released the shot to late according to the referees. The Knicks once again finished the season with a poor record at 29-53, missing the playoffs. The Knicks made moves such as trading for Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady
Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons.Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto...
in order to have cap space to make a big signing during the offseason and put talent around Chandler. The big signing ended up being Amar'e Stoudemire.
Wilson Chandler scored 22 points in a season opening win for the new-look Knicks on October 27, 2010. On January 6, 2011, Knicks GM Donnie Walsh indicated his intentions to sign Chandler to a long term deal. Chandler was enjoying his best season as a Knicks and embraced the new sixth man role coach Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
appointed him to. Chandler would come off the bench and play positions 2 to 4 on the floor. During the season Chandler also became one of the best shot blocking wing players. Chandler's best game of the season was a 31 point effort against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
on January 4th, 2011. The Spurs at the time were the NBA's best team and were easily defeated under Chandler's big game.
Denver Nuggets
On February 22, 2011, Chandler was traded to the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in a three-way blockbuster deal which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, and sent Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
to New York. Chandler immediately made an impact in his debut for the Nuggets, scoring 16 points, including 8 key fourth quarter points, in a victory over the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. In Denver, Chandler had to adapt to a more open offense. The Nuggets with the addition of Chandler and teammates Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari is an Italian professional basketball player with Olimpia Milano of the Italian basketball league. He is also under contract with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, and is expected to return to that team when the 2011 NBA lockout ends. He is 2.08 m in height and 102.1 kg in...
and Raymond Felton
Raymond Felton
Raymond Bernard Felton, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association . A point guard, Felton is listed at 6'1 and 205 lbs. Felton played college basketball for the North Carolina under head coach Roy...
had one of the deepest, most explosive teams in the NBA. The Nuggets ended up playing better without superstar Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, clinching the fifth seed in the playoffs with a 50-32 record. On March 23, 2011 in a 115-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Wilson Chandler played through a sprained ankle and finished the game with a remarkable 6 blocks. Though he finished with 8 points, he made a clutch free-throw line jump shot with 29.3 seconds left to give the Nuggets the lead for good, 114-112. Chandler made his first trip to the playoffs where the Nuggets would match up against the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
, led by Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
. In his first playoff game Chandler scored 9 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Chandler struggled in the playoffs, averaging only 4.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in only 23 minutes a game. The Nuggets were beaten in five games.
China and the 2011 NBA lockout
In August 2011, in the midst of an NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Chandler signed with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
. With Zhejiang Guangsha
Zhejiang Guangsha
The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.-Notable former players:...
, he plays under former Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
head coach Jim Cleamons
Jim Cleamons
James Mitchell "Jim" Cleamons is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. He played collegiately at The Ohio State University, and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 13th pick of the 1971 NBA Draft...
. About his decision, Chandler said, "Maybe I'll lose out, but I think it can be a great experience. I haven't been in any [labor negotiation] meetings. I can't call it. I'm just taking a risk, at the end of the day."His deal does not have an out-clause, and therefore Chandler is unlikely to return to the NBA this season. Had Chandler not signed with a Chinese team he would have been a restricted free agent. Zhejiang Guangsha
Zhejiang Guangsha
The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.-Notable former players:...
attempted to put more NBA talent around Chandler, signing Earl Clark
Earl Clark
Earl Rashad Clark is an American professional basketball player. Clark played collegiate basketball for the University of Louisville men's basketball team and was drafted 14th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2009 NBA Draft....
, but Clark asked to leave the team due to family reasons. They later attempted to sign Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler is an American professional basketball center who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team.-High school:...
, but he declined the team's offer. In his debut, Wilson Chandler scored 43 points along with 22 rebounds and 4 assists in 50 minutes in a 118-115 double overtime win over Tianjin Ronggang
Tianjin Ronggang
The Tianjin Ronggang Golden Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Tianjin....
. Chandler followed his debut performance by recording 28 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists against Qingdao DoubleStar
Qingdao DoubleStar
The Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Qingdao, Shandong.-Former notable players: Dee Brown Torraye Braggs Amal McCaskill...
in a 111-94 win. Chandler recorded 42 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals in Zhejiang Guangsha
Zhejiang Guangsha
The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.-Notable former players:...
's first loss against the Shangdong Lions.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 35 || 16 || 19.6 || .438 || .300 || .630 || 3.6 || .9 || .4 || .5 || 7.3
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | New York
| 82 || 70 || 33.4 || .432 || .328 || .795 || 5.4 || 2.1 || .9 || .9 || 14.4
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | New York
| 65 || 64 || 35.7 || .479 || .267 || .806 || 5.4 || 2.1 || .7 || .8 || 15.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | New York
| 51 || 30 || 34.5 || .461 || .351 || .807 || 5.9 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.4 || 16.4
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Denver
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
| 21 || 19 || 30.6 || .419 || .347 || .810 || 5.0 || 1.6 || .7 || 1.1 || 12.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 254 || 199 || 32.0 || .451 || .324 || .786 || 5.2 || 1.8 || .7 || .9 || 13.9
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| style="text-align:left;"| Denver
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
| 5 || 2 || 23.0 || .276 || .143 || .778 || 4.4 || .4 || .6 || .8 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 5 || 2 || 23.0 || .276 || .143 || .778 || 4.4 || .4 || .6 || .8 || 4.8
External links
- DePaul Blue Demons Basketball home page
- New York Knicks home page
- Wilson Chandler on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...