Chris Duarte, a Dominican-Canadian NBA player, currently is a shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers (2021- now). Duarte didn’t take long to become an eye-catcher as he scored a franchise record of 27 points & six three-pointers in his debut game as a rookie.
The 2021 Jerry West Award recipient grew up with a basketball passion & honed his skills at high school & collegiate levels.
An attendant of Northwest Florida State & University of Oregon, Chris Duarte became the 13th overall pick of the Indiana Pacers in the 2021 NBA Draft.
After two years into his NBA rookie-contract, he signed an option deal in late 2022 with the Pacers for the 2023-24 season.
The Canadian-born lost his father while he was a toddler and was raised alongside his older brother by his mother & step-father.
Now, the basketball star has a family of his own. With his girlfriend Sylvia, Chris is father of two children.
Probably, you are eager to know everything about the NBA player Chris Duarte. Let’s dig into the details of his family, relationship & net worth.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Christopher Theoret Duarte |
Nick Name | Chris |
Date of Birth | June 13, 1997 |
Age | 25 Years Old |
Birth Place | Montreal, Canada |
Nationality | Dominican-Canadian |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Religion | Christianity |
Father’s Name | Leonardo Duarte (step-father) |
Mother’s Name | Ana Luisa |
Siblings | Jean Michel |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Chinese zodiac | Ox |
Height | 6 feet 6 inches /1.98 m/ 198 cm |
Weight | 86 kg/ 190 lbs |
High School | Redemption Christian Academy |
University | Northwest Florida State College, University of Oregon |
Girlfriend | Sylvia Velazquez |
Children | Two |
Profession | Basketball player |
League | NBA |
Position | Shooting Guard |
Current Team | Indiana Pacers |
Jersey Number | 3 |
NBA draft | Round: 1, Pick: 13th Overall, 2021 (Selected by the Indiana Pacers) |
Playing Career | 2021-present |
Net Worth | $3-5 Million |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | Signed Jersey, Signed Card |
Last Update | March, 2023 |
Chris Duarte’s Parents & Family Background
Born on June 13, 1997, in Montreal, Canada, Chris Duarte’s full name is Christopher Theoret Duarte.
He grew up in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with his older brother Jean Michel before his family moved to New York, the United States.
Duarte’s mother is Ana Luisa Sarante (her birthday falls on August 31), who raised him with a work ethic & high self-esteem.
On his Instagram, the NBA star wished his mother, Ana, a birthday on August 31, 2022.
Unfortunately, Chris Duarte’s biological father, a Canadian, passed away when he was only six months old. His step-father, Leonardo Duarte, raised him & his older brother.
The basketball player has dual nationality: Canadian-Dominican & comes from a mixed ethnic background.
Age, Height & Body Measurement
Born in 1997, Chris Duarte is 25 years old. With an athletic build, the NBA star stands 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) & weighs 86 kg (196 lbs) with a wing span of 6 feet 7 inches (2 m).
He has brown eyes & natural black hair, which often dyes.
Chris loves inkings carved on his body & has many tattoos, including a face tattoo of his son Christopher Jr. on his left hand.
Basketball In High School & College
Chris Duarte played high school basketball at the Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, New York. The 247Sports ranked him fifth best-player in New York.
In May 2017, he committed to Western Kentucky but later chose to attend Northwest Florida State College (2017- 2019).
In his freshman year, he averaged 12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and two steals per game and was named to the first-team All-Panhandle Conference.
Chris raised the bar in his sophomore year, averaging 19 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
After his sophomore year, the NBA player enrolled at the University of Oregon on July 1, 2019, & played for the Oregon Ducks through the 2020-21 season (senior year).
His junior year averaged 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
As a senior, he led the Ducks to the regional semi-final of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.
NBA Draft & Professional Journey
The Indiana Pacers chose Chris Duarte as their 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft & signed his rookie scale contract on August 4, 2021.
The top-five draft picks were Cade Cunningham (#1), Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes & Jalen Suggs (#5).
On October 20, 2021, in his debut game against the Hornets as a rookie, Duarte scored 27 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 32 minutes & 42 seconds of gameplay.
It set Indiana Pacers’ franchise record with the most points (27) and six three-pointers in a debut game by a rookie.
Unfortunately, on April 4, 2022, a toe injury forced him to sit out the rest of the season, but his impressive performance did not go unnoticed.
Chris was honored with a selection to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, cementing his place as a rising star in the league.
Highlights & Awards
Throughout his career, Chris Duarte has amassed a collection of numerous awards and accolades. His major career highlights include:
- 2022 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
- 2021 Third-team All-American – AP, USBWA
- Pac-12 Player of the Year – AP (2021)
- First-team All-Pac-12 (2021)
- Pac-12 All-Defensive Team (2021)
- Jerry West Award (2021)
Duarte Is Father Of Two | Girlfriend & Relationship
With his longtime girlfriend-turned-fiance Sylvia Velazquez, the NBA star is father of two children: a son named Christopher Jr. and a daughter named Sofi Duarte.
In June 2019, the couple learned that they were expecting their first child together. They announced the news on Sylvia’s Instagram in September & wrote: “Little family of 3❤️ #soon #3monthspregnant”.
They welcomed their son Christopher Jr. on February 26, 2020.
Following their baby boy’s arrival, Sylvia made an Instagram post with an adorable picture of her newly born & stated that she went through an hour of labor.
Nearly after two years, the duo became parents for the second time, with the arrival of daughter Sofi on January 11, 2022.
The family of four currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.
On their Instagram, Durate & his girlfriend Sylvia share pictures of their family moments.
The basketball star’s beau Sylvia Velazquz is an Instagram influencer & has more than 46K followers on her IG handle @sylviavelazquez__.
Both their kids have their Instagram accounts, too, though handled by their parents.
Engagement After Fatherhood!
Although the two never opened up about exactly how & when they began dating, they are allegedly together since 2019.
It was in May 2019 when Chris first posted a picture with Sylvia on his Instagram.
After many years of relationship & welcoming 2 kids, the couple took a step further into their love life- yeah, the two got engaged!
On December 4, 2022, the NBA player got on one knee & proposed to Sylvia Velazquez.
Both of them shared the engagement moments on their IG posts, where she seemed in tears with joy as Duarte presented her with the ring.
The duo is seemingly planning to get married in 2023, according to Sylvia’s Instagram post’s caption: “Christopher!!!! You went too far!! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU 😭 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ still in the clouds ☁️ Duarte Wedding 2023”.
Best wishes to the couple!
Net Worth, Salary & Endorsement
As of March 2023, Chris Duarte’s net worth lies between $3 and $5 million. Most of his income came through NBA contracts; he made $7.686 million from two NBA seasons from hs rookie deal.
On August 4, 2021, Duarte signed a four-year contract worth $17.7 million with the Indiana Pacers. The deal was fully guaranteed & averaged an annual salary of $4,426,132.
His salary in the 2021-22 & 2022-23 seasons recorded $3.749 million & $3.936 million, respectively.
On October 12, 2022, the Pacers exercised him a $4.12 million option for the 2023-24 season.
Furthermore, the player also earns through endorsement deals; he signed a deal with Nike on September 8, 2021, which is allegedly a multi-year deal worth 7-8 digits figures.
He became the third NBA figure to ink a deal with Nike in 2021, after Cade Cunningham & Jonathan Kuminga, to join other notable figures of the brand like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant.
Likewise, the player also announced that he partnered with Zicoconut as a ZICO Athlete on January 20, 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chris currently wears jersey number 3 with Indiana Pacers.
The NBA player currently plays for Indiana Pacers on a four-year contract signed on August 4, 2021. The $17.7 million deal saw him an average annual salary of $4.42 million. After two years of his rookie deal, Durate signed an option for the 2023-24 season, which earns him a salary of $4.12 million. What jersey number is Chris Duarte?
How much does Chris Duarte make?