
Warriors get past Grizzlies, buoyed by undrafted wing Chris Manon's steady two-way play
He missed his first five attempts this summer, started at swingman Tuesday night and ended his short-term shooting slump against the Memphis Grizzlies at Thomas & Mack Center.
With 6:06 to play, he replaced Alex Toohey and spaced to the right corner – awaiting a pass from LJ Cryer he shot through the hoop sans hesitation. As he ran to defend, he slapped his leg, perhaps unknowingly revealing the relief he confirmed a few minutes after a 12-point win.
'Finally,' he said with a grin. 'I've just got to keep shooting.'
An undrafted wing from Vanderbilt by way of Cornell, where he played three years, Manon had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in Golden State's 96-84 win. Jackson Rowe scored 14 for the Warriors, who got 12 points apiece from Will Richard and Jaden Shackelford. Owner Joe Lacob was among the courtside onlookers, hours after the NBA's board of governors met.
Said Warriors summer league head coach Lainn Wilson: 'Our pace stayed well, our intensity stayed and kind of increased as the game wore on and I thought that made the difference for us.'
Golden State's win was its second straight – the Warriors beat the Utah Jazz on Sunday – after a blowout loss in its Las Vegas opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. Manon was also instrumental Sunday, posting 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal and three blocks in a 103-93 win.
'He makes stuff happen,' Wilson said, touting his pace in transition with his defensive effort. 'He's always willing to go hard … and he's really responding well to what we've been asking him to do.'
Manon, born of Dominican descent and raised in Milford, N.J., transferred to Vanderbilt as a fifth-year senior. His 2020-21 season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic amid an Ivy League mandate. The next three years, he averaged 11.2 points (53.6% shooting, 32% 3-point shooting) to go with 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals for the Big Red.
An All-Ivy first-team honoree standing 6-foot-5 with curly brown hair, he played a grad season in the SEC – logging 6.6 points (53.3% shooting, 23.5% 3-point shooting) with 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 steals for the Commodores.
'I found out a lot about myself playing in the SEC,' Manon said, explaining his defensive-minded role and willingness to 'guard the best players on the other team and make life hell for them.'
Manon prepared for the NBA draft in New Jersey and completed workouts with seven NBA teams, lastly the Warriors – building a rapport, though he wasn't sure he'd play in summer league. His agent, Sevag Keucheyan of Keucheyan Sports Management, is based in Switzerland without an active NBA client.
He 'kind of figured' his career would continue abroad, 'but I'm grateful for this opportunity and definitely going to take advantage of it.'
Manon started Golden State's summer debut in the California Classic at Chase Center, coming off the bench in its second game and sitting the third game altogether. Scoreless against Portland, his output has since steadied to the tune of 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 61.5% shooting the last two games.
What's more are his effort, connective instincts and defensive versatility on the wing.
'He's a great defender,' Richard said, having played against Manon while at Florida. Richard continued, noting Manon 'can do a little bit everything, create on offense, make shots, cut at the right time.'
Pleased with the win, Manon, 23, said he's getting 'a bit more comfortable' offensively with the Warriors. In addition to the triple, he converted three layups and maintained their flow opposite his usual determined defense.
'I can move the ball and pass the ball and be a guy who can do that as well and obviously, I want to keep showing that I can play defense,' Manon said.
Briefly: Taran Armstrong was inactive for Golden State … Cam Spencer led the Grizzlies with 22 points. His brother, Pat, played the last two seasons for the Warriors.

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