NBLC Alumni: Chris Commons
6'9
Forward
From Canton, Ohio
2xNBLC Champion
2xAll-NBLC
It was still early days in NBL Canada history when Chris Commons first joined the league, but his immediate impact is one that remains one of the best careers in Canadian basketball so far.
Being the top scorer for Central Catholic High School in Canton, Ohio, Commons caught the attention of the Findlay Oilers in NCAA Division 2, whom he played two seasons for. He then transferred to the USC Aiken Pacers and was named Peach Belt Player of the Year both years he played for the team before turning professional in 2009.
Commons played his rookie year in Bahrain and Germany, the following season he moved to the Brunei Barracudas in the ASEAN Basketball League. The year after he returned to the States and played with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Steamers in the Premier Basketball League.
Midway through the 2012-13 season, which he started playing in Finland, he signed with the Windsor Express. He appeared in 34 games for Windsor, averaging 17.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. Commons built on his impressive first season for the Express by starting in every game for the team the following season. He averaged 17.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists - efforts that helped the Windsor Express capture their first NBL Canada championship.
Commons rejoined the team for the 2014-15 season and averaged 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 44 games played for Windsor. The Express once again had the best regular season record and won their second NBLC championship, albeit in controversial circumstances.
The 2015-16 season would be his fourth straight spent in Windsor, where he had his best NBLC scoring records of 18.8 points per game. However, the Express were unable to repeat their championship run again; they swept the Orangeville A's in the playoff first round but lost 4-2 to the London Lightning in the Central Division finals.
He remained in the league the following season, but this time playing for the Saint John Riptide. However, after appearing in 13 games he made the move to the Niagara River Lions, for whom he started in 21 out of 25 games where he made an appearance and averaged 12.8 points and 5.7 rebounds. That, or anything else, would not be enough to lift the River Lions to a playoff place.
After four years in Canada, Commons then moved on to the Dutch Basketball League in 2017. Playing as a starter for Rotterdam, he averaged 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 12 contests. He last played for Ohio Express in the 2018 edition of The Basketball Tournament.
Commons remains the third-highest scorer and rebounder in NBL Canada history, coupled with the two championships he has won more than make him worthy of being among the elite players to have played in the league.
Picture: Ian Shalapata
