Brian Wethers
July 23, 2020
Chris Burgess
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 23/04/79
- Place of Birth: Provoa, Utah (USA)
- Position: F/C
- Height (CM): 208
- Weight (KG): 111
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Duke (1997-1999) / Utah (2000-2002)
- NBL DEBUT: 28/01/04
- AGE AT DEBUT: 24
- LAST NBL GAME: 17/02/06
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Cairns 2004-06
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Chris Burgess was born in Provoa, Utah (USA). Burgess started his freshman year at Mater Dei High School, then transferred to his local school Woodbridge High School in California and played his remaining high school years.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Chris Burgess made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 24 years of age. He scored 16 points in his first game.
Burgess attended Duke University and University of Utah.
In 2013, he officially retired from professional basketball and joined the coaching staff at the University of Utah as a undergraduate assistant coach.
From 2015 to 2019, Burgess served as a assistant coach for the Utah Valley University men’s basketball team.
Chris Burgess played three seasons the Cairns Taipans. He averaged 16.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 66 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 26th in rebounds per game.
– 28th in blocks per game.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 26 | Cairns | 18-14 (5) | 28 | 874.0 | 379 | 307 | 38 | 109 | 198 | 14 | 43 | 57 | 75 | 156 | 306 | 51% | 3 | 7 | 43% | 64 | 117 | 55% | 52% | 51% | 27 |
| 2004-05 | 25 | Cairns | 11-21 (10) | 29 | 1,124.0 | 591 | 393 | 53 | 144 | 249 | 19 | 70 | 77 | 91 | 227 | 433 | 52% | 9 | 22 | 41% | 128 | 199 | 64% | 56% | 53% | 33 |
| 2003-04 | 24 | Cairns | 16-17 (6) | 9 | 269.0 | 127 | 85 | 13 | 32 | 53 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 22 | 56 | 117 | 48% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 15 | 32 | 47% | 48% | 48% | 16 | Totals | 66 | 2267 | 1097 | 785 | 104 | 285 | 500 | 37 | 125 | 155 | 188 | 439 | 856 | 51.3% | 12 | 31 | 38.7% | 207 | 348 | 59.5% | 54% | 52% | 33 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 26 | Cairns | 18-14 (5) | 28 | 31.2 | 13.5 | 11.0 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 7.1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 5.6 | 10.9 | 51% | 0.1 | 0.3 | 43% | 2.3 | 4.2 | 55% | 52% | 51% | 27 |
| 2004-05 | 25 | Cairns | 11-21 (10) | 29 | 38.8 | 20.4 | 13.6 | 1.8 | 5.0 | 8.6 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 7.8 | 14.9 | 52% | 0.3 | 0.8 | 41% | 4.4 | 6.9 | 64% | 56% | 53% | 33 |
| 2003-04 | 24 | Cairns | 16-17 (6) | 9 | 29.9 | 14.1 | 9.4 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 5.9 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 6.2 | 13.0 | 48% | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0% | 1.7 | 3.6 | 47% | 48% | 48% | 16 | Total | 66 | 34.3 | 16.6 | 11.9 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 13.0 | 51.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 38.7% | 0.2 | 0.5 | 59.5% | 54% | 52% | 33 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 33 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Although Burgess attended training camp with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, and played on several NBA Summer League teams, he never played in a regular-season NBA game.
He did, however, play professional basketball in a variety of League in various parts of the world.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Turkey - Tuborg Pilsener (2003), TTNet Beykoz (2007–2008), Erdemirspor (2008–2009) | Philippines - San Miguel Beermen (2005) | Puerto Rico - Criollos de Caguas (2006), Gigantes de Carolina (2008), Guaynabo Mets (2012) | South Korea - Mobis Phoebus (2006–2007) | Ukraine - BC Donetsk (2008) | United Arab Emirates - Al Wasl (2009–2010), Sharjah (2010), Baniyas (2012–2013), Al Ahli (2013), Al Shabab (2013) | Poland - Zastal Zielona Góra (2010–2011), Trefl Sopot (2011–2012)
Burgess joined Tuborg Pilsener (İzmir) for the 2003–04 Turkish Basketball League season, playing his first season in Turkey with the İzmir-based club that competed in Turkey’s top tier and played its home games at İzmir Atatürk Spor Salonu.
Burgess joined the San Miguel Beermen for the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference in the Philippines, making his conference debut after being listed as San Miguel’s import for a March 4 game against Alaska.
During his time with San Miguel in the 2004–05 PBA season, Burgess appeared in 20 games and produced 349 points and 351 rebounds with 45 assists, playing alongside local core pieces including Danny Seigle, Danny Ildefonso, and Dondon Hontiveros, and he posted a noted all-around outing in March 2005 that included 18 rebounds and three blocks in a Beermen win.
Burgess moved to Puerto Rico in 2006 with the Criollos de Caguas, and he finished that BSN season as the league’s rebounding leader at 12.7 rebounds per game, later describing that Caguas run as his first professional championship experience in Puerto Rico.
He shifted to Asia for the 2006–07 Korean Basketball League season with Ulsan Mobis Phoebus, when Mobis went 36–18 in the regular season and won the KBL championship, with guard Yang Dong-geun earning both league MVP and Finals MVP that season.
Burgess returned to Turkey for the 2007–08 season with TTNet Beykoz in the Turkish Basketball League, averaging 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across 29 games while sharing the roster with imports and guards including Curtis Withers and Clarence Gilbert.
In 2008 he had a Puerto Rico stint with the Gigantes de Carolina before joining BC Donetsk for EuroChallenge play, where he appeared in two games and averaged 2.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, and he then returned to Turkey for 2008–09 with Erdemirspor, logging 26 league games and averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while playing alongside teammates including Sean Colson and Nathan Funk.
Burgess continued in the United Arab Emirates with Al Wasl in 2009–10 and Sharjah in 2010, then moved to Poland for 2010–11 with Zastal Zielona Góra in the PLK, where he played 21 games and averaged 13.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while lining up with teammates including Walter Hodge and Žarko Comagić.
He stayed in Poland for 2011–12 with Trefl Sopot, appearing in 20 PLK games and averaging 6.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, with the frontcourt anchored alongside teammate John Turek, and he later returned to Puerto Rico with the Mets de Guaynabo in 2012 before finishing his international career in the United Arab Emirates with Baniyas (2012–2013) and then Al Ahli and Al Shabab in 2013.
COLLEGE
Burgess played college basketball at Duke during the 1997–98 season before transferring to the University of Utah, where he competed from 2000 to 2002 after sitting out the 1999–2000 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Out of high school, Burgess was recruited by several high-profile programs, and he eventually narrowed the choices to Duke and Brigham Young University.
After consideration, he signed with the Blue Devils.
Burgess' decision to attend Duke rather than BYU prompted a controversial series of comments from Cougar head coach Roger Reid, who accused Burgess of letting down his religion by turning down the offer from BYU.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Burgess was anticipated by many in the community to sign with BYU, which is owned and operated by that faith.
In 1997–98 at Duke, Burgess appeared in 28 games for a Blue Devils team that finished 32–4 overall and 13–3 in the ACC under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game while shooting 56.1% from the field.
During that freshman season he totaled 103 points and 93 rebounds, recorded 15 blocked shots, and contributed in a frontcourt rotation that included Elton Brand, Shane Battier, and Roshown McLeod, helping Duke reach the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
In 1998–99, Burgess played in 34 games for a Duke team that went 37–2 overall and 16–0 in ACC play, averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per game while shooting 52.9% from the field as the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA National Championship game.
Across his two seasons at Duke from 1997 to 1999, he appeared in 62 games, totaling 238 points and 198 rebounds, along with 29 blocked shots and 20 assists, before transferring following his sophomore year.
After sitting out the 1999–2000 season, Burgess became eligible at Utah for the 2000–01 season and played 28 games, averaging 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 56.8% from the field and recording 29 blocks for a Utes team that finished 20–9 overall and reached postseason play.
In 2001–02 as a senior at Utah, Burgess started 29 games and averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, shooting 53.7% from the field and adding 30 blocked shots, as Utah finished 21–8 overall and competed in the NCAA Tournament.
Across his Utah career from 2000 to 2002, Burgess averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game over two seasons, appearing in 57 games and totaling 686 points and 342 rebounds while shooting better than 55% from the field.
In a twist of fate, Burgess would eventually end up at BYU as a assistant coach, his current job.
Additional Info: Out of high school, Burgess was recruited by several high-profile programs, and he eventually narrowed the choices to Duke and Brigham Young University.
After consideration, he signed with the Blue Devils.
Burgess' decision to attend Duke rather than BYU prompted a controversial series of comments from Cougar head coach Roger Reid, who accused Burgess of letting down his religion by turning down the offer from BYU.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Burgess was anticipated by many in the community to sign with BYU, which is owned and operated by that faith.
In a twist of fate, Burgess would eventually end up at BYU as a assistant coach, his current job.
AWARDS
- 1x All-NBL First Team
- 1x All-NBL Third Team
- 1x NBL Leading Rebounder
- McDonald's All-American (1997)
COACHING HISTORY
Following the 2019 season, Burgess followed UVU head coach Mark Pope to BYU and is now the current assistant coach for the Brigham Young Cougars men's basketball team.
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com