After long journey, Warriors forward Chris Boucher readies for possible NBA debut - The Mercury News

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OAKLAND — Throughout his brief basketball career, Warriors two-way forward Chris Boucher is more than privy to packing up and leaving. Over a five-year-span, Boucher has attended three colleges across three states, covering more than 4,000 miles.

Now, with the Warriors' frontcourt depth running thin with injuries to Draymond Green and David West, Boucher was asked to pack his bags once again. He boarded a 6 a.m flight from Frisco, Texas, leaving the Santa Cruz Warriors G League team in an effort to shore up the battered Warriors for Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena.

"It's exciting," Boucher said.

Since coming back from an ACL injury, Boucher, 25, has flourished for Santa Cruz, averaging 12.1 points on 47 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Boucher's journey would have been considered a long shot until about a half-decade ago. As a youth, Boucher's family moved from his native St. Lucia, an island country in the Caribbean, to Quebec, Canada. While his interest in basketball was steadfast, his academics made the prospects of an NBA career bleak. He bounced around multiple high schools, and his bad academics, coupled with a near nonexistent AAU career, forced him to nearly give up.

That changed in May of 2012, when Boucher, at the behest of local pickup players from Montreal-Nord, joined a little-known AAU squad. Though inexperienced, Boucher scored 44 points against Canadian AAU power Brookwood Elite in the acclaimed Adidas Hang Time tournament, prompting a collective chorus of, "Who's this?" from observers.

Still, Boucher's grades forced him to attend junior colleges in New Mexico and Wyoming, where he was the Spalding NJCAA Division I Player of the Year in 2015 after averaging 22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds before accepting a scholarship offer at Oregon.

Despite his rail-thin 6-foot-11 frame, Boucher flourished with the Ducks, blocking 189 shots during his two seasons. He also displayed a soft shooting touch, becoming a reliable 3-point shooter, before his college career was cut short in the 2017 Pac-12 tournament semifinals. Boucher, who had 10 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots in 24 minutes in a 61-48 win over Cal, had torn his ACL.

Despite the injury and going undrafted, Boucher was signed to a two-way deal by the Warriors. With the NBA veering toward small-ball, switch-heavy lineups, teams are searching for the next multi-faceted big man. Boucher is a long defender who can block shots and guard every position while possessing the ability to hit 3-pointers, pass and rebound.

With 18 G League games under his belt, Boucher feels confident heading into his potential NBA debut Wednesday night.

"I started feeling better, finding my groove," Boucher said. "It's just a great opportunity for me to be in Santa Cruz playing. Having more minutes and just to get better."

Under the two-way contract, Boucher provides a low-risk, high-reward move for a Warriors team stocked with veterans in the frontcourt. Boucher's contract pays $75,000 during his time in the G League and a prorated salary of the NBA rookie minimum (about $816,000 this season ) for any time he spends with the Warriors.

"I'm not expecting anything," Boucher said. "Just be ready. Obviously, I know I can do a lot of things to help the team. But I'm not expecting anything. I'm just going to wait for my chance and do what I can do to help the team."

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