@fullname - @sport - University of Michigan Athletics

Charles Matthews

Class:
Junior
Position:
G
Height:
6-6
Weight:
200
Hometown:
Chicago, Ill.
High School:
St. Rita

Who is Charles Matthews...
• Extremely athletic player with strong vertical leap
• One of the nation’s best defenders; tremendous with length and speed
• Possesses creativity to get to the basket as well as a strong, pull-up mid-range game
• Mother, Nichole, said Charles and his two brothers were named after NBA legends -- Charles after Charles Barkley, Dominique after Dominique Wilkins and Jordan after Michael Jordan.
• Avid fan and family friends with Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade

Michigan Career & Honors
• Began collegiate career at Kentucky (2015-16), before transferring to Michigan (2016-19)
• Had an additional year left, however, elected to stay in 2019 NBA Draft
• Finished U-M career with a 63-15 record in two active playing seasons; 89-27 in U-M career
• All-Big Ten, honorable mention (2019)
• Preseason All-Big Ten team (2019)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2018, '19)
• Michigan Academic Achievement (2018, '19)
• NCAA West Regional Most Outstanding Player (2018)
• NCAA All-West Regional (2018)
• Michigan Captain (2019), along with Zavier Simpson
• Finalist for Naismith Julius Erving Award (Top Small Forward, 2019)
• U-M's Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player (2019)
• U-M's Thad Garner Leadership Award (2019)
• Helped U-M set the program record for single season victories with 33 wins (33-8, 2017-18) and followed with a second straight 30 win season in 2018-19 (30-7)
• Helped U-M win two straight Big Ten Tournament titles (2017, '18)
• Despite not playing due to transfer in 2017, and following a well-documented plane crash, U-M won four games in four days at the Verizon Center (Washington, D.C.) to win first conference tournament title in 19 years; In 2018, helped U-M repeat as tournament champions winning four games in four days and becoming just the third Big Ten team to win back-to-back titles.
• Helped U-M to three straight NCAA Tournament and Sweet 16 appearances (2017, '18, '19)
• Despite not playing due to transfer in 2017, helped U-M to the No. 7 seed (Midwest) and advance to the Sweet 16; In 2018, guided U-M to the No. 3 seed (West) and to the second Final Four and national title game in six years; In 2019, helped U-M to the No. 2 seed (West) and a third straight trip to the Sweet 16

Senior (2018-19)
• Started 34 games; snapped 69 consecutive game streak after missing the final three regular season games due to right ankle injury; returned for the postseason
• Averaged 12.2 points per game, third on U-M
• Recorded 19 games with 10-or-more points and six with 20-plus
• Scored a season-high 25 points, twice -- vs. George Washington (Nov. 17) and Western Michigan (Dec. 12)
• Made the game-winning shot against Minnesota (Jan. 22) as time expired; knocked down a five foot baseline jumper after Ignas Brazdeikis driving lay-up missed
• Averaged 5.0 rebounds per game, third on U-M
• Grabbed 171 rebounds with three games of 10-or-more
• Grabbed a career-high-tying 11 rebounds at Indiana (Jan. 25)
• Averaged 1.4 assists per game, third on U-M
• Finished with 49 assists
• Dished a season-high four assists, three times
• Recorded three double-doubles, helping U-M go 3-0
• 25 points, 10 rebounds against Western Michigan (Dec. 15)
• 10 points, 11 rebounds at Indiana (Jan. 25)
• 22 points, 10 rebounds vs. Montana (March 21)
• Made a career-high 11 free throws on 16 attempts against Western Michigan (Dec. 15)
• Third on U-M with 36 steals while adding 16 blocks
• Averaged 31.5 minutes per game, third on U-M
• One of three players to average over 30 minutes per game

Junior (2017-18)
• Played and started all 41 games; one of two Wolverines to do so (Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman)
• Made first career U-M start against North Florida (Nov. 11)
• Averaged 13.0 points per game, second on U-M
• Recorded 31 games with 10-or-more points, seven with 20-plus and one with 30-plus
• Scored a career-best 31 points against Alabama A&M (Dec. 21)
• Averaged 5.5 rebounds per game, second on U-M
• Grabbed 227 rebounds with three games of 10-or-more
• Grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds, twice -- Minnesota (Feb. 3) and vs. Montana (March 15) in the NCAA First Round
• Averaged 2.4 assists per game, third on U-M
• Finished season with 98 assists, just missing the century mark and giving U-M three players with 100-plus
• Dished a career-best 12 assists against UC Riverside (Nov. 26)
• Recorded five games with four-or-more assists
• Recorded four double-doubles, helping U-M go 4-0
• 22 points and 10 rebounds vs. Chaminade (Nov. 21) at Maui Invitational
• 17 points and 12 assists against UC Riverside
• 13 points and 11 rebounds against Minnesota (Feb. 3)
• 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Montana in NCAA First Round
• Tied for U-M lead with 26 blocks while adding 30 steals
• Averaged 30.1 minutes per game, second on U-M
> One of two players to average over 30 minutes per game

Sophomore (2016-17)
• Sat out the season due to NCAA rules after transferring from Kentucky
• Valued member of U-M's practice/scout team
• Used season to develop game

Freshman (2015-16)
• Played in all 36 games with three starts, playing 10.4 minutes per game
• Made his first career start in the season-opener against Albany (Nov. 13), playing 15 minutes with four points and two rebounds
• Helped the Wildcats to a 27-9 record, a share of the SEC regular-season title, the SEC Tournament crown and the second round of the NCAA Tournament
• Averaged 1.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per game
• Highlighted his season with an 11-point performance in the Hoophall Miami Invitational vs. South Florida (Nov. 27); a seven-point, five-rebound effort against Georgia (Feb. 9) and grabbing a seven rebounds in win over Boston University (Nov. 24)

Prep Career
• Played at St. Rita under coach Gary Decesare
• Tabbed as ESPN's No. 42 overall player in the 2015 Class and No. 2 player in Illinois
• Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Class 4A All-State first team (2015), third team (2014)
• Associated Press Class 4A All-State first team (2015), honorable mention (2014)
• Chicago Tribune, Class 4A All-State first team (2015), special mention (2014)
• Daily Southtown Basketball Player of the Year (2015), All-Area (2015)
• Tony Lawless Award for MVP of Catholic League South Section (2015)
• Chicago Catholic League first team (2015), South Section All-League (2014)
• Led St. Rita to three straight Catholic League South Division titles (2013, '14, '15)
• Helped St. Rita to two straight Class 4A Regional titles (2014, '15)
• As a senior, averaged 21.3 points and 6.2 rebounds, leading Mustangs to a 26-4 record, Chicago Catholic League South title and 4A Regional title before losing to Simeon, 74-70, in 4A sectional final
• As a junior, averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, leading Mustangs to a 21-8 record, Chicago Catholic League South title and 4A Regional title before losing to eventual Class 4A champion Whitney Young, 75-66, in sectional final

Personal
• Son of Nichole and Charles Matthews
• Born on November 15, 1996 in Chicago, Ill.
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• General Studies major

Personal Notes
• Has two brothers: Dominique, who plays at Illinois-Chicago and Jordan, who plays at Loras College
• Alum of the Nike EYBL Meanstreets program -- an AAU organization that was started by former NFL wide receiver and U-M grad Tai Streets in 2001
• Captured MVP honors after leading his team to the 3-on-3 USA Basketball U18 championship