Chris Eversley
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Chris Eversley
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| number = 33
| position = Small forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 225
| team = Westports Malaysia Dragons
| league = ASEAN Basketball League
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|9|26}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
| high_school = Payton College Prep
(Chicago, Illinois)
| college = Rice (2009–2010)
Cal Poly (2011–2014)
| draft_year = 2014
| career_start = 2014
| years1 = 2014
| team1 = Westports Malaysia Dragons
| years2 = 2015–2016
| team2 = Kangoeroes Willebroek
| years3 = 2016–2017
| team3 = RheinStars Köln
| years4 = 2018–present
| team4 = Westports Malaysia Dragons
| highlights =
- First-team All-Big West (2013)
- Second-team All-Big West (2014)
- Big West tournament MVP (2014)
| medal_templates =
}}
Chris Eversley (born September 26, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Westports Malaysia Dragons of the ASEAN Basketball League. He was not selected in the 2014 NBA draft prior to his international career. Eversley generally plays the small forward position on the court.
He played with the Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team throughout his college years and became the first athlete from Walter Payton College Prep to sign a National Letter of Intent with a men's basketball program in the NCAA Division I.{{Cite news |last=Scroggin |first=Joshua D. |date=August 21, 2010 |title=Eversley is excited about coming to Cal Poly |pages=S1 |work=The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA)}} Eversley previously played basketball at the collegiate level with the Rice Owls, but transferred after completing his freshman season.{{cite news |author1=Mike Pendleton |title=Chris Eversley Looks To Dominate at Cal Poly |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/423909-flyin-to-new-heightschris-eversley-looks-to-dominate-at-cal-poly |access-date=25 May 2019 |work=Bleacher Report |date=23 July 2010}} Some of his most prestigious honors through his years with Cal Poly include being named to the All-Big West First Team as a junior, and All-Big West Second Team in his final season. He was also a great contributor in the Mustangs' unanticipated run in the Big West championship, and was named the tournament's most valuable player after scoring eighteen points in the final game against Cal State Northridge. Eversley was considered to be the catalyst behind their 2014 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament appearance.{{cite web|title=Chris Eversley Bio|url=http://www.gopoly.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/bios/eversley%20chris%204pxd|website=GoPoly.com|access-date=17 July 2014}}
Collegiate career
On, March 15, 2014, Cal Poly won its first ever Big West championship over CSU Northridge 61–59. Eversley was named the game's MVP with 18 points.{{cite web|last=Morales|first=Chris|title=Cal State Northridge men's basketball loses to Cal Poly in Big West championship game|url=http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20140315/cal-state-northridge-mens-basketball-loses-to-cal-poly-in-big-west-championship-game|access-date=15 March 2014}} By the end of his college years at Cal Poly, Eversley stood 12th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,192 points total. He also ranked ninth under the rebounding category.
On the night of February 1, 2014, Eversley completed a dunk during a game against UC Irvine at Mott Athletics Center which was shown later that evening on ESPN's "SportsCenter" as the No. 3 play of the day across the country in the daily 'Top 10' segment.
Professional career
Following Cal Poly's tournament defeat to Wichita State, Eversley took part in a nine-game, two-week tour through China with the United States Basketball Academy.{{cite web|last1=STAFF|first1=TRIBUNE|title=Cal Poly's Eversley says he's signed to play in Malaysia|url=http://asean.einnews.com/article/211026944/cW5dIeNs9YjXq5rJ|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140725175113/http://asean.einnews.com/article/211026944/cW5dIeNs9YjXq5rJ|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 July 2014|website=EINNews.com|publisher=The Tribune|access-date=18 July 2014}}
Eversley signed with the Westports Malaysia Dragons of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) shortly after being undrafted through the 2014 NBA draft. The decision made him only the ninth Mustang to compete with a professional team after being coached by Joe Callero.{{cite web|title=Eversley Inks First Professional Contract with Westports Malaysia Dragons|url=http://www.gopoly.com/sports/mbkb/2014-15/releases/20140625meslhc|website=GoPoly.com|access-date=18 July 2014}}
He made his professional debut on July 16, 2014, against HiTech Bangkok City, scoring 31 points total. His first game helped him become the league's top scorer for the time period. Eversley also recorded 13 rebounds, helping him gain league attention. Despite his electric performance, the Dragons started the season out with a loss.{{cite web|title=Chris Eversley|url=http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/stats/player/238|website=ASEANBasketballLeague.com|access-date=17 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726082707/http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/stats/player/238|archive-date=26 July 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Guan|first1=Kng Zheng|title=Dragons go down to Bangkok in season opener|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Basketball/2014/07/16/Dragons-go-down-to-Bangkok-City-in-season-opener/|website=TheStar.com|access-date=18 July 2014}}
On August 31, 2016, he signed with the Rhein Stars Koln,[http://www.rheinstars-koeln.de/2016/2181/chris-eversley-startet-gleich-mit-viel-energie/ Eversley Chris Eversley startet gleich mit viel Energie] a Pro A club in the German Bundesliga.
In 2018, Eversly returned to the Westports Malaysia Dragons.{{cite news |title=Back From Retirement – Chris Eversley |url=https://aseanbasketballleague.com/back-from-retirement-chris-eversley/ |access-date=25 May 2019 |work=aseanbasketballleague.com |date=21 March 2018}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.zweite-basketball-bundesliga.de/teams/kader/spieler/3334/ German League profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eversley, Chris}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Belgium
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Germany
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Malaysia
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Chicago
Category:Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball players
Category:Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen players
Category:Rice Owls men's basketball players
Category:Kuala Lumpur Dragons players