Chiozza Steps Up, Receives Deserved Applause
It’s one thing to preach the “next man up” and “strength in numbers” mantras.
It’s another thing to put it into action – case in point, Chris Chiozza.
“I just go into each game with the same mindset, I’m not sure how many minutes I’m going to play or if I’m going to play at all,” Chiozza said. “(I’m) just being ready, staying ready everyday, these guys do a good job of keeping my confidence high and I’m working everyday, so I’m ready no matter how many minutes I’m going to play. I’m going to try to come in and make an impact any way I can.”
The fourth-year guard out of Florida made his presence felt on the NBA side of his Two-Way contract Sunday, registering his first double-digit scoring performance as a Warrior in the team’s 119-104 victory over the Raptors. Going 4-of-9 from the field with a pair of triples, Chiozza logged a season-high 20:29 of floor time on his 26th birthday.
After signing a Two-Way deal in August – allowing Golden State to flexibly move Chiozza from San Francisco to its G-League affiliate in Santa Cruz – the guard seemed like an afterthought as the now-resolved debate over a guard for the 15th roster spot raged on.
Chiozza has appeared in only seven games this season, but with Andre Iguodala and Gary Payton II’s ailments, he was ready to go halfway through the first quarter Sunday as he was inserted for Jordan Poole.
Regular minutes are not guaranteed regardless, but they can be especially hard to come by for a Two-Way player. However, Chiozza said postgame that since his August signing he and the coaching staff had a mutual understanding on the look of his role with Golden State.
“One of the reasons I came here (was that the Warriors) have a history of Two-Way guys getting into the rotation and contributing a lot,” Chiozza said. “Coming into training camp, I just came in with the mindset of being able to be ready to be possibly the backup point guard or whatever position they wanted me to play. I kind of knew I was going to have games where I didn’t play a lot, and then games where I played major minutes. (Coach Kerr) and all those guys talked to me early and talked about being in there playing with (Stephen Curry), coming in for Steph, just being ready to do whatever they needed me to do.”
Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Chiozza has worked his way into NBA minutes after going undrafted in 2018. His playing career began with the Houston Rockets in the 2018-19 season, securing a contract for the remainder of that season after bouncing between Houston and the G-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Following his time in Texas, Chiozza inked Exhibit 10 and Two-Way contracts in both Washington and Brooklyn, playing his most substantial minutes with the Nets over the last two seasons. While his scoring has never been gaudy, his ability as a passer last season shone through with 3.0 assists per game over an average stint of just 10.5 minutes.
No matter how his role fluctuates going forward, Chiozza has indicated his preparedness regardless of the circumstances, and his new locker room indicated its acceptance of the 5-foot-11 guard with a round of applause following his performance Sunday.
“(The ovation) means a lot, it just goes to show how close this team is and the trust we have in each player on the roster and just how connected we are from top to bottom, so it felt great,” Chiozza said.
(Photo credit: Cameron Browne / Getty Images)