SALT LAKE CITY (December 10, 2014) – The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed free-agent guard/forward Patrick Christopher of the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy. Christopher becomes the NBA’s 10th overall NBA D-League Call-Up of the 2014-15 season and the eighth different player to be called up. Per team policy, financial terms were not released.
Christopher (6-5, 209, California) appeared in seven games (all starts) for the Energy this season, averaging 15.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 36.4 minutes per contest. He recorded 10-plus points in four games, including 20-or-more points on three occasions. Christopher spent the 2014 preseason with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 4.5 points in eight preseason games, before being waived on Oct. 25.
The 26-year-old guard also spent the 2013-14 season with the Energy, recording 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 33.4 minutes in 50 games (47 starts). Christopher was named to the 2014 NBA D-League All-Defensive Second Team and participated in the 2014 NBA D-League Three-Point Shootout at NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.
During the 2012-13 season, Christopher played for the Besiktas Integral Forex in the Turkish Basketball League, recording 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 23.3 minutes in 50 games (36 starts). He spent the 2011-12 season with Cholet Basket of the French League, as did Jazzman Rudy Gobert, where he averaged 13.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 24.5 minutes in 27 games (four starts).
A native of Compton, Calif., Christopher played four seasons at California (2006-10), averaging 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 30.7 minutes over 134 career games (113 starts). Christopher played high school basketball at Dominguez High School in Compton.
Christopher becomes the 12th D-League Call-Up in Jazz history, and first since Diante Garrett, also from the Energy, on Nov. 13, 2013.
He will wear uniform #19 for the Jazz. Following the move, the Jazz roster now stands at 15 players.