Former National Basketball Association (NBA) guard Chris Duarte has officially signed a two-year deal with Spanish basketball club Unicaja Malaga, the team announced. The 28-year-old Dominican player spent four seasons in the NBA, appearing in 177 games with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and most recently, the Chicago Bulls. Duarte, who made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2021–22, is now set to begin a new chapter in Europe.
Duarte’s NBA Journey: From Rookie Honors to G League Revival
Duarte’s NBA career began with promise. In his rookie season with Indiana, he averaged an impressive 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, earning him All-Rookie Second Team recognition. Over four seasons, he averaged 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. However, his role diminished over time, and during the 2024–25 season with the Bulls, Duarte played limited minutes, averaging just 2.1 points in 4 minutes per game across 17 appearances.
Despite this, he showed flashes of his old form in the G League with the Windy City Bulls, where he delivered standout performances — averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 steals in two games.
From Puerto Rico to Spain: Duarte Looks to Reignite His Career
After his NBA and G League stint, Duarte moved to the Puerto Rican league and made a strong impact, averaging 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game to close out the 2024–25 season. His resurgence caught the attention of Unicaja Malaga — a club that just wrapped a dominant season with titles in the Basketball Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa.
With Unicaja aiming to maintain its European dominance, Duarte’s addition could be key to sustaining that success while reigniting his professional career.
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