Chris Mantis, who played an important role coming off the bench two years ago in helping the University of Maine men’s basketball team reach the America East title game for the first time since the 2004-05 season, will be joining the Minnesota Timberwolves for the abbreviated NBA Summer League campaign.
The Timberwolves will play four games from July 9-15 in Las Vegas and the top teams will advance to the playoffs culminating in a July 19 championship game.
He will be the first former UMaine player to ever play in the NBA Summer League since the league’s inception on July 2, 2004.
Mantis, a 6-foot-7 forward from Lowell, Indiana, played for the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA’s developmental G League this past season and averaged 8.4 points in 35 games including 13 starts. Capital City is based in Washington, D.C., and is affiliated with the NBA’s Washington Wizards.
He shot 45.7 percent from the field and 42.8 percent behind the 3-point arc. He averaged more than two 3-pointers per game.
During his only season at UMaine after transferring from Appalachian State (North Carolina), he averaged 8.1 points per game and 19.8 minutes of playing time per contest.
He led the Black Bears in shooting percentage from the floor (44.9 percent) and from long-distance (43.6) as well as in made 3-pointers with 72 which is the 11th most in a single season in program history.
He scored in double figures 11 times and hit at least three 3-pointers in a game on 12 occasions.
He also sank 11 of his 12 free throw attempts and averaged 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
“I’m really happy for him and really proud of him,”. “He is an unbelievable young man — great kid, great family.
“He worked really hard throughout his college career,” UMaine men’s basketball coach Chris Markwood said. “He had a great year with us and played really well in the G League this past year and because of the year he had in the G League, he’s getting a shot in the summer league.”
Markwood added that Mantis has an “elite skillset that is valued at the highest level. He shot 42 to 43 percent from 3 in the G League this year on a lot of attempts so any time you do that, you’re going to raise some eyes and ears. People are watching.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ first game is scheduled for Thursday, July 9 against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 3:30 PM.
They will also play the Denver Nuggets on July 11, the Portland Trail Blazers on July 13 and the Indiana Pacers on July 15.