Chris Wright is an American basketball player. Currently, the player plays for Derthona Basket, one of the world’s best non-NBA leagues.
The player remains a local legend years after leaving Maryland. The fans have constantly been asking about his life as a sportsperson who is also a family man.
The player is the 1st known player in the history of the NBA to be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Today we are here with the less known part of Wright’s life. Keep reading to find out everything that you need to know about the early life of Chris Wright; his fight with the M.S., the support he got from his family, and his success in basketball.
But, before that, here are some quick facts about Chris Wright.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Chris Taylor Wright |
| Birth Date | November 4, 1989 |
| Birth Place | Bowie, Maryland |
| Nick Name | Chris |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Not known |
| High School | St. John’s College High School |
| College | Georgetown University |
| Playing Career | 2011 – present |
| Zodiac | Scorpio |
| Chinese Zodiac | Snake |
| Father’s Name | Orlando Wright |
| Mother’s Name | Diane Wright |
| Siblings | One elder brother |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Height | 6’5″ |
| Weight | 91 kg |
| Shoe Size | Not known |
| Food Habits | Non-veg |
| NBA Draft | Undrafted (2011) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Career Highlights and Awards |
|
| Build | Athletic |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Erin Wright |
| Children | Three |
| Position | Point Guard |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Net Worth | $1.5 million |
| Salary | Under review |
| League | LBA |
| Active Since | 2011 |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | N/A |
| Last Update | November, 2024 |
Chris Wright: Early Life and Education
On November 4, 1989, the basketball player was born in Bowie, Maryland. His father’s name is Orlando Wright. Likewise, his mother’s name is Diane Wright.
The player also has an elder brother who is a 2015, 2019, and 2021 Fantasy Football Champion.
For his education, Chris attended St. John’s College High School in Washington, D. C. It was there that the player began his basketball journey.
Similarly, the player enrolled himself at Georgetown University in 2007. He graduated in 2011.
Chris Wright: High School Career
Chris was the first three-time Washington Post All-Met selection since Adrian starred at DeMatha Catholic High School from 1971 to 1973.
The player finished his career as the all-time leader in points with 2,580 for St. John’s. In 2006–07, Chris averaged 30.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
The player was a McDonald’s All-American. He also won the three-point shooting competition at the McDonald’s All-American Classic and competed in the Jordan Brand Classic in New York.
Further, Chris was also named the Gatorade Washington, D.C. Player of the Year as a senior. The player averaged more than 22 points in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Moreover, Wright, a four-star recruit, was ranked as the No. 8 point guard and No. 55 player in the country in 2007.
Injuries during the College years
Chris broke his ankle during a pick-up game on September 27, 2007, and was expected to miss the early part of the season. Despite that, the player played the first eleven games of the 2007–08 season, averaging 6.2 points per game.
In December 2007, Chris re-injured his ankle and missed the next eighteen games. The player made his first appearance since the injury on March 13, 2008, against Villanova University in the 2nd round of the Big East Tournament, scoring six points.
Chris injured the third metacarpal bone in his left (non-shooting) hand on February 23, 2011. The player had surgery the following day.
As a result, Chris missed the final three regular-season games of his senior season, making him eligible to return for the NCAA tournament.
Chris Wright: Multiple Sclerosis
Everything was going great in Chris’s life. The sprints at the end of practice went off without a hitch. However, things altered and took a 180 degrees turn with a slight movement within a split second in March 2012.
Chris’s foot gave out unexpectedly as he bent down to touch a line on the basketball court while playing for a professional team in Turkey at the time.
The player didn’t pay much attention to it. He assumed he had tripped over a line or done something stupid. But, that was not the case. Something bigger had caused Wright, a former Georgetown star, to lose his footing.
The player was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis!
Multiple sclerosis is a potentially disabling brain and spinal cord disease (central nervous system) to those who do not know.
The immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers in M.S., causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
The foot was just the beginning. Later that night, Chris began to lose sensation in his right hand, arm, and, eventually, his entire right leg.
Each was an M.S. symptom. The player had no idea what he was dealing with until he saw multiple doctors and specialists.
One doctor told Wright that his basketball career was over. Likewise, many thought would ruin his life and crush his professional dreams.
Fighting back
Chris was stumbling, and his tingling had turned into excruciating pain. However, he did not give up. Further, he met Dr. Crayton in 2012, who was optimistic about his recovery.
Following bloodwork, the player was able to begin an aggressive treatment plan after ten days of steroid shots. The player relearned how to move first, then play basketball, one day at a time.
He kept grinding out, telling himself he’d walk, run, jump, shoot, dribble, and do everything. The player says that relearning was the most challenging part, but it happened quickly.
Ten years after being diagnosed and relearning how to walk, Chris is no longer on medication ten years.
His doctor believes M.S. will be “a nonissue” for the rest of his life. But she also recognizes that it feels too good to be true.
Chris Wright: Professional Basketball Career
The basketball player signed with Olin Edirne of the Turkish Basketball League in August 2011. Soon, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with the New Orleans Hornets on October 1, 2012. However, he was not named to the final roster.
Chris signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks on March 13, 2013. The player later returned to Iowa Energy. Likewise, Chris signed with the Capitanes de Arecibo in Puerto Rico in April 2013.
On January 7, 2015, Chris agreed to terms with Italy’s Victoria Libertas Pesaro for the remainder of the 2014–15 Lega Basket Serie A season. The player signed with Hapoel Holon of Israel for the 2015–16 season on August 11, 2015.
Likewise, the player also signed with Pallacanestro Varese of Italy, Guaros de Lara of Venezuela’s Liga Profesional de Baloncesto, Auxilium CUS Torino of Italy, and Twarde Pierniki Toru of the Polish Basketball League in the years 2016- 2019.
Further, Chris signed a contract with Afyon Belediye of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi on July 30, 2020. Moreover, the player signed a contract with the newly-promoted Derthona Basket of the Italian Lega Basket Series A on July 13, 2021.
Awards
- 2013 NBA Development League All-Star
- 2007 Second-team Parade All-American
- 2007 McDonald’s All-American
Chris Wright: Age, Body Measurements & Tattoos
Wright was born in the year 1989. Hence, he is 35 years old.
Talking about his physical features, the player is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 91 kg.
Chris also has many tattoos carved on his body. For instance, his left arm has a large tattoo of a crowned lion. Moreover, the player also has many tattoos carved on his chest.
According to the Chinese calendar, he was born in the Snake year, and Chris’s zodiac is Scorpio.
Chris Wright’s Long-Time Love
Chris’s family has been his lifeline. They’re why the player has done something for which there is no blueprint.
Chris first met his wife, Erin, when he was 13 years old. The couple dated intermittently in high school. However, they eventually drifted apart and lost contact.
The pair would not have reconnected if Wright had not fallen out of that bed in Turkey. Those closest to Wright say that Erin weathered the storm during the early dark days back home, when walking wasn’t a given, let alone an athletic career.
We can say that Erina and Chris were destined to be together as their lives kept coming back together. Chris is fortunate to have a supporting and loving wife like Erin.
Erin attended the University of Richmond and Morgan State University. In 2012, she was about to start as an assistant coach at High Point University when her father ran into Chris in a Maryland mall.
Chris had only recently begun treatment when Erin’s father insisted on calling Erin, which he did.
Erin says that her father would never set her up with a guy. However, Chris was an exception. That says something about Chris’ personality!
Chris revealed his diagnosis to Erin on their first adult date. She googled M.S. under the table while they ate and felt the same dread that he did. She asked if he were confident he’d be fine.
Erin says that in true Chris Wright fashion, the player confidently responded ‘yes.’ After the first date, the couple decided that this would be their forever relationship.
Do Chris & Erin have kids together?
Chris and Erin got married in 2015 and have three kids together. CJ, their first child, is nine years old; Charlotte, their second born, is six years old. Likewise, Camilla, their little girl, is two years old.
The player always keeps his family close, and they go everywhere together while traveling the world and still playing basketball. It is rare to see this kind of togetherness.
Chris Wright: The Basketball Tournament
Chris competed in The Basketball Tournament on ESPN for the City of Gods for the third time in the summer of 2017.
In their first-round matchup, the player scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in the City of Gods’ 88–86 loss to Gael Nation, a team comprised of Iona College basketball alumni.
In 2016, Chris also played for the City of Gods. However, they were defeated by eventual champions Overseas Elite.
Chris Wright: Net Worth
During his professional career, the player did sign contracts and played for various teams. His playing career is his primary source of income.
However, we know that Chris spent most of his life fighting the M.S. and trying to relearn everything.
The player’s focus was on getting his life back to normal rather than earning a lot of money. Moreover, the player has also spent a great deal on his treatment.
Chris Wright has an estimated net worth of around $1.5 million. The information about Wright’s other assets and investments is still under review.
Social Media
- Instagram: @mr_wrightsr
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many teams have Chris Wright played for?
Chris Wright has played for a total of 15 teams in his career.
Is there a book about Chris Wright?
Chris Wright’s wife, Erin, published her first book in 2018, “The Game Changer,” loosely based on her relationship with Chris and his professional basketball career in Italy.
Likewise, her second book, “The Takeover,” is also based on the hardships and obstacles of their life.
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