Chris Childs (born November 20, 1967) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player, who played primarily at the

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position.

Early basketball career

Childs played his high school basketball at Foothill High School and starred at

Boise State University Boise State University (BSU) is a Public university, public research university in Boise, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has b ...

in the late 1980s. Childs was the

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Player of the Year in 1989. Despite his collegiate success, Childs went undrafted in the 1989 NBA draft and began his professional career in the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

. He played for three different teams in his first three seasons in the league, but eventually found a home with the Quad City Thunder. With the Thunder, Childs won a league title and the CBA Playoff Finals/MVP award in 1994 after averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 assists. According to Quad City Thunder owner Anne Potter DeLong's obituary on ''QCOnline'', Childs struggled with alcoholism during his time in the

. Childs went to DeLong for help at which point she called former NBA player George Gervin who facilitated Childs' admittance to a rehab facility in

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. The clinic was run by retired NBA player

John Lucas II John Harding Lucas II (born October 31, 1953) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played basketba ...

NBA career

Childs' success in the minor leagues proved to be his ticket to the

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, as he signed with the

New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

prior to the start of the

1994–95 NBA season The 1994–95 NBA season was the 49th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the Houston Rockets defeating the Orlando Magic 4–0 in the NBA Finals to be crowned champions. Notable occurrences *The Housto ...

. He spent his first two seasons with the Nets, and averaged an NBA career-high 12.8 points in 1995–96. However, Childs was perhaps best remembered for his five-year (1996–2001) tenure with the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

, who relied on his tight defense and streaky three-point shooting ability during their perennial runs to the

NBA playoffs The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held afte ...

. It was during this time that Childs helped lead the New York Knicks to the NBA Eastern Conference championship in 1999. He led the team in assists (6.1 per game) as a starter during the 1996–97 season, and was a valuable contributor off the bench during his next four years with the team. A visible figure in the

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media, he also represented the Knicks on the 1998–99 NBA All-Interview Team and won the New York Press Photographers Association's 2000 "Good Guy Award" for his involvement with several charities and youth basketball programs. On April 2, 2000, in a game against the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

at the

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, he had a fight with

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 20-year career with t ...

late in the third quarter. The fight has been deemed to show the toughness of the Knicks during that era. At four inches shorter than Bryant, Childs punched him from the chin into his throat. Both players were ejected and the Knicks lost the game 106–82. In February 2001, Childs was traded to the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

for Mark Jackson and

Muggsy Bogues Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (born January 9, 1965) is an American former basketball player. The shortest player ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season care ...

, with whom he played for one-and-a-half seasons before rejoining the Nets in 2002. During that season, on October 22, 2002, Childs was suspended by the team indefinitely for not being in playing shape. Coincidentally, that same day, Childs was held up at gunpoint by three men outside a Manhattan restaurant owned by Sean Combs. Police say the alleged thieves made off with approximately $30,000 in cash and jewelry. Childs then retired after the 2002–03 season.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Childs, Chris 1967 births Living people American expatriate basketball people in Canada American men's basketball players Bakersfield Jammers players Basketball players from Bakersfield, California Boise State Broncos men's basketball players Columbus Horizon players La Crosse Catbirds players New Jersey Nets players New York Knicks players Point guards Quad City Thunder players Rapid City Thrillers players Rockford Lightning players Toronto Raptors players Undrafted NBA players United States Basketball League players Foothill High School (Bakersfield, California) alumni 20th-century American sportsmen