Season in Review: Josh Christopher

Josh Christopher has put together one of the more impressive trips around the sun of any Skyforce player in recent memory. From league awards, to impacting winning, the HEAT two-way player showcased why he is a first round NBA talent in the 2024-25 season.

He jumpstarted his campaign early, winning Summer League MVP, netting a team-high 24 points on 9-17 FGA (6-10 3PA), four rebounds, three steals and two blocks to help the HEAT earn their first Summer League championship. He netted 20+ points in four-of-six games in Las Vegas, which earned him a two-way contract with Miami on July 25th.

Christopher picked up where he left off to start the season, guiding Sioux Falls to their first ever Winter Showcase Tournament and championship game berth in Orlando, FL in December.

He posted 26.4 points on 47.0 FG% (third in the NBA G League), 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 steals per 37.7 minutes in 17 Tip-Off games. His +153 plus-minus ranked first in all of the league during the Tip-Off Tournament.

In three games in Orlando, he averaged 31.0 points per game (35 points in the opening round to defeat Capital City in the final minutes) and amassed 10 steals/blocks in the tournament.

"Winning and contributing to winning is always the most important thing," Christopher said. "At the end of the day, that's what matters. Did you win or lose? This organization thrives off of that and I wanted to embody that every single day, no matter if I'm with the HEAT or the Skyforce."

His play would earn him All-NBA G League Winter Showcase and Player of the Month (December) honors. Not to mention, he tied the NBA G League's record for total points during the Tip-Off Tournament (449) and broke a Skyforce franchise record for 20+ points in-a-row (14-straight) held by Duncan Robinson.

"We really just got into a groove and played complementary basketball," Christopher said. "We all balance off each other well and pushed ourselves to be the best we could be every day."

Christopher averaged 20.9 points on 41.5 FG%, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals per 34.4 minutes in 19 regular season games. His play counted when it mattered the most. As the Force was on a push for the playoffs, he reeled off five-straight games of 24+ points (highlighted by a season-high 38 points on 13-22 FGA, 7-10 3PA) on March 21st against South Bay) to end his season.

To highlight his season, he was named to the NBA G League's Next Up Game and was also named to the All-NBA G League Third Team, as well.

"This place (Sioux Falls) is special," Christopher said during the season. "It's a place where you can redefine yourself and give yourself another crack at it (the NBA). It comes with a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it's worth every second of it."