Christopher Clayton Burgess
Position: Power Forward/Center
Height: 211cm / 6’10″
Weight: 107kg / 235lbs
Born: 23rd April, 1979
Place of Birth: Provo, Utah, USA
College: Duke University (97-99) & Utah (00-02)
Currently with: Guaynabo Mets in Puerto Rico
Growing up in California
Born April 23rd, 1979 in Provo, Utah but at the age of 2 moved to Southern California and raised in Irvine. Chris was first drawn to the sport of basketball after watching the 1980s Michael J Fox film “Teen Wolf”. After seeing the character Scott Howard Wolf Out and dunk the basketball, Chris began his basketball days at the local Irvine Boys & Girls Club at the age of 9 years old.
Played Woodbridge High School, three years of Varsity and was selected 3 times City Player of the year, 3 times All-State First Team. As a Senior in 1997 McDonald’s All-American, Parade, Slam Magazine & USA Today All-American First Team. 1997 Southern California CIF High School Basketball Champions.
College days
Spent 2 seasons playing alongside William Avery, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Trajan Langdon and Corey Maggette at Duke University between 1997-1999 under coach Mike Krzyzewski. Duke made the Elite Eight and the NCAA National Championship game in his two seasons there.
- Averaged 4.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, & shot 50.8% from the field while averaging 12.5 minutes a game as a freshman.
- Averaged 5.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, & shot 61.4% from the field while averaging 15.6 minutes a game as a sophomore.
Left Duke as the 23rd all-time leading blocks leader.
Summer of 1999 Chris transferred to the University of Utah under head coach Rick Majerus.
- Averaged 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, & shot 53.5% from the field while averaging 21.6 minutes a game his junior year.
- Averaged a team high in 5 statistical categories with 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, & shot 66% from the field while averaging 25.5 minutes a game his senior year.
NBA Dreamin’
After a successful senior year got invites to both NBA’s Portsmouth Invitational Camp and NBA Chicago Pre-Draft Camp. Went undrafted but joined the Phoenix Suns for 2002 NBA Summer League in Salt Lake City, Utah. Signed as a non-guaranteed free agent with the Phoenix Suns for 2002-03 season, playing alongside fellow rookies A’mare Stoudemire & Casey Jacobsen as well as veteran all-stars Stephon Marbury & Shawn Marion. Was released by the Suns end of October.
Worldwide Basketball Journey Begins
After short stint with Idaho Stampede of the CBA, an American Minor League, Chris started his international career by playing in Izmir, Turkey with Tuborg Sports Club and finishing his rookie season as the 2003 – 2nd division Import Player of the year.
From the years 2002-2013 Chris has played on 4 different continents, 7 countries for 10 different teams. His basketball journey has taken him to Turkey, Ukraine, South Korea, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Australia, Poland, & the UAE. Chris just finished his 11th season overseas where he played in the UAE for Baniyas sports club of Abu Dhabi. He finished this season averaging a career high in both points (25.6) and rebounds (18.2).
Family Man
Chris married his college sweetheart, Lesa Zollinger, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Mormon temple on August 21st, 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Chris met Lesa at the University of Utah where she played for the women’s soccer team. They have 3 beautiful daughters, Kelli Jo (8), Zoey(7) and Ava (4) & 2 baby boys named Beckham (2) & Zachary (1). When Chris is not playing basketball, he’s doing one of the following things: hanging out with his kids, playing the most recent Halo franchise game on his XBOX 360 or watching some of his favorite TV Sitcoms such as Arrested Development, The Big Bang Theory, Parks & Rec, & Seinfeld.
Career Resume
| Country | Season | Club | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1994-95 | Woodbridge High School | 21.9 ppg / 11.4 rpg / 3.0 bpg |
|
1995-96 | Woodbridge High School | 26.3 ppg / 10.6 rpg / 3.0 bpg |
|
1996-97 | Woodbridge High School | 23.5 ppg / 12.0 rpg / 4.0 bpg |
| 1997 | Parade Magazine High School All-America first team | – | |
| 1997 | USA Today High School Boys All-USA first team | – | |
| 1997 | McDonald’s High School All-American Game | – | |
|
1997-98 | Duke University | 4.3 ppg / 3.2 rpg / 0.6 bpg |
|
1998-99 | Duke University | 5.4 ppg / 3.9 rpg / 0.9 bpg |
| 1999-00 | Did Not Play | Sat out due to NCAA transfer | |
|
2000-01 | Utah | 7.7 ppg / 5.9 rpg / 1.2 bpg |
|
2001-02 | Utah | 13.2 ppg / 7.2 rpg / 1.2 bpg |
|
2002 | Drafted by Oklahoma Storm | ( USBL,3rd round (28) ) |
| 2002 | Portsmouth Invitation Tournament | – | |
| 2002 | NBA Chicago Pre-Draft Camp | – | |
|
2002 | Drafted by Idaho Stampede | ( CBA, 2nd round (10) ) |
| 2002 | Phoenix Suns (NBA) training camp | waived in October 2002 | |
|
2002 | Idaho Stampede (CBA) | 7.3 ppg / 5.6 rpg / 1.7 apg |
 |
2003 Feb | Tuborg, (Turkey) 2nd division | 23.2 ppg / 18.5 rpg / 3.2 bpg |
|
2003 July | Boston Pro Summer League in Boston, MA | Boston Celtics |
 |
2003 Sep | Tested by Prokom Trefl Sopot | Not Signed |
 |
2004 Jan | Cairns Taipans | 14.1 ppg / 9.4 rpg / 1.3 bpg |
|
2004 July | Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, FL | Boston Celtics |
|
2004 July | Rebook Vegas Summer League | Boston Celtics |
|
2004-05 | Cairns Taipans | 20.4 ppg / 13.6 rpg / 2.4 bpg |
| 2005 | Australiabasket.com All-NBL 2nd Team | ||
| 2005 | Australiabasket.com NBL All-Imports Team | ||
| 2005 | Australiabasket.com NBL All-Defensive Team | ||
| 2005 | Australian NBL All-Stars Game | ||
| 2005 | Australiabasket.com NBL All-Newcomers Team | ||
 |
2005 | San Miguel Beer | 17.2 ppg / 17.5 rpg / 2.2 bpg |
| 2005 | Philippines PBA Semi-Finalist | ||
|
2005-06 | Cairns Taipans | 13.5 ppg / 11.0 rpg / 1.5 bpg |
| 2006 | Australian NBL Semifinals | ||
| 2006 | Australiabasket.com Australian NBL All-Import Players 2nd Team | ||
 |
2006 | Criollos de Caguas | 17.8 ppg / 12.6 rpg / 2.0 bpg |
| 2006 | Puerto Rican All-BSN 2nd team | ||
| 2006 | Puerto Rican All-BSN 2nd team | ||
| 2006 | Puerto Rican BSN All-Defensive Team | ||
| 2006 | Puerto Rican BSN Champion | ||
| 2006 | Puerto Rican BSN All-Stars Game | ||
|
2006 July | Toshiba Vegas Summer League | Washington Wizards |
|
2006 July | Summer Pro League in Long Beach | Washington Wizards |
 |
2006-07 | Mobis Phoebus | 16.7 ppg / 9.8 rpg / 2.1 bpg |
| 2007 | Korean KBL Champions | ||
|
2007-08 | TTNET Beykozspor | 16.6 ppg / 9.2 rpg / 1.8 bpg |
| 2008 | Turkish TBL All-Stars Game | ||
| 2008 | Turkish TBL All-Imports Team | ||
|
2008 | Gigantes de Carolina | 13.5 ppg / 12.0 rpg / 2.3 bpg |
| 2008 | Puerto Rican BSN Finalist | ||
 |
2008 | BC Donetsk | 8.5 ppg / 3.5 rpg |
|
2008-09 | Erdemirspor Belediyesi | 8.5 ppg / 6.0 rpg / 1.5 apg |
| 2009 | Turkish Cup Finalist | ||
 |
2009-10 | Al Wasl | 21.4 ppg / 17.3 rpg / 2.3 bpg |
| 2009 | UAE Federation Cup 3rd place | ||
| 2009 | UAE Super Cup Champions | ||
| 2010 | UAE Regular Season Champions | ||
|
2010 | Sharjah | 15.0 ppg / 8.4 rpg / 3.0 bpg |
| 2010 | Arab Championship Final 8 | ||
|
2010-11 | Zastal Zielona Gora | 13.6 ppg / 9.4 rpg / 1.3 bpg |
| 2011 | Polish PLK All-Star Game | ||
| 2011 | Polish All-PLK 1st Team | ||
| 2011 | Eurobasket.com All-PLK 1st Team | ||
| 2011 | Eurobasket.com PLK All-Imports Team | ||
| 2011 | Eurobasket.com PLK Center of the Year | ||
|
2011-12 | Trefl Sopot | 6.15 ppg / 8.0 rpg / 1.55 bpg |
|
2011-12 | Guaynabo Mets | 5.6 ppg / 8.6 rpg / 1.7 bpg |
|
2012 | Drafted by Mobis Phoebus | ( KBL, 2nd round (15) ) |
|
2013 | Al Ahli | 10 ppg / 8.5 rpg / 1.5 bpg |
| 2013 | UAE Dubai International Cup 3rd place | ||
|
2012-13 | Baniyas | 25.6 ppg / 18.2 rpg / 2.8 bpg |
| 2013 | UAE Federation Cup 5th Place Finish |
