Background and career
Chandler Evan Parsons (born October 25, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators and was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 38th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Between 2011 and 2020, Parsons played in the NBA for the Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Atlanta Hawks before injuries caused by a drunk driver forced him into retirement. Post-retirement, he became a sports commentator, including currently as the co-host of FanDuel online show Run It Back.
Parsons was born in Casselberry, Florida, and attended Lake Howell High School alongside future fellow Florida Gator Nick Calathes. Together, Parsons and Calathes helped the Lake Howell Silverhawks high school basketball team advance to the Florida Class 5A state basketball championship final four in 2005, 2006 and 2007, winning the state championship in 2007. As a senior, Parsons was a first-team all-state selection, and was recognized as the most valuable player of the state championship game after scoring thirty points and grabbing ten rebounds.
Parsons accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators men's basketball team from 2007 to 2011. Parsons commented that playing for four years under Donovan gave him an advantage over other players who left the team early. During his freshman season, Parsons played in 36 games averaging 8.1 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game, but the Gators failed to make the NCAA Tournament. During the 2008–09 season, Parsons saw more playing time and his scoring, rebounding, and assists all improved. The Gators once again failed to make the NCAA tournament, though. In his junior season, Parsons averaged 12.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. On January 3, 2010, Parsons hit a 75-foot shot with no time left in overtime to give the Gators a one-point victory over North Carolina State. The Gators were invited to the NCAA Tournament, but lost to BYU in the first round. During the 2010–11 season, Parsons averaged 11.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game while leading the Gators to the best regular-season record in the SEC. On January 23, 2011, the Gators trailed South Carolina by one when Parsons hit a three-point shot to give the Gators the win. On March 8, 2011, he was named the 2011 SEC Player of the Year, becoming the first Florida Gator to win that honor. The Gators also made the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. In the first three rounds of the tournament, the Gators beat UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, and BYU. In the Elite Eight, the Gators lost to Butler. Parsons was picked to the All-America fifth team by Fox Sports. Parsons graduated from Florida with a degree in telecommunications.
Parsons was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 38th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He played three games with French team Cholet Basket during the 2011 NBA lockout.
Parsons signed with the Rockets on December 18, 2011. In the Rockets' season finale on April 22, 2012, Parsons scored a season-high 23 points against the Miami Heat. For the season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. On November 12, 2012, Parsons scored a career-high 25 points against the Heat. On November 23, he set a new career high with 31 points against the New York Knicks. On March 3, 2013, Parsons scored a career-high 32 points on 12-for-13 shooting in a 136–103 win over the Dallas Mavericks. On January 24, 2014, Parsons scored a career-high 34 points and made 10 3-pointers—all in the second half—in an 88–87 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. He set an NBA record for 3s in a half and a franchise record for 3s in a game.
After the 2013–14 season, Parsons became a restricted free agent. On July 10, 2014, he received a three-year, $46 million offer sheet from the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets declined to match the offer and Parsons signed with the Mavericks on July 15. On December 17, 2014, Parsons scored a season-high 32 points against the Detroit Pistons. On March 8, 2015, Parsons returned to action against the Los Angeles Lakers after a seven-game absence with a sprained left ankle. Parsons missed the final six regular-season games due to a right knee injury. He played in game one of the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the Rockets, then missed the rest of the series with the same knee injury. He subsequently had knee surgery on May 1. Parsons returned to action in the third game of the 2015–16 season, then dealt with strict minutes restrictions for the first six weeks of the season. On January 24, 2016, he scored a season-high 31 points in a 115–104 loss to the Rockets. On March 25, he underwent successful surgery to address the torn meniscus in his right knee, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
