Charles Matthews Bio
Charles I. Matthews, born on November 15, 1996, is an American professional basketball player who most recently suited up for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League. A 6-foot-6 shooting guard listed at 205 pounds, he is best known for his college career at the University of Michigan, where he helped the Wolverines reach the 2018 NCAA championship game and earned West Region Most Outstanding Player honors. After going undrafted in 2019, Matthews rebuilt his career through the G League and a season in Sweden before returning to Memphis.
Early Life and Background
Matthews was raised in the Avalon Park Community area of Chicago, near 79th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, on the border between the Chatham and Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods on the South Side. He briefly lived in Matteson, Illinois, before returning to the South Side, where he attended Ray Elementary and first picked up basketball at the 63rd and Stony Island YMCA. In his youth he also played chess, hockey, the trombone, and skateboarded, but he began to take basketball seriously the summer before his freshman year of high school.
His parents, Nichole and Charles Matthews, met while attending Southern Illinois University, and both of his brothers shared his passion for the sport. His older brother, Dominique, was a teammate at St. Rita of Cascia High School before graduating in 2014 and going on to play for the UIC Flames, while his younger brother, Jordan, trailed him by four classes at the same school. Matthews comes from a close-knit family whose support helped shape his early development as an athlete.
Path to Basketball
Matthews committed to playing for John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats on February 26, 2014, during his junior year at St. Rita of Cascia, becoming the first member of Kentucky’s 2015 recruiting class. At the time, Rivals.com rated him as the number 11 overall player and number 3 shooting guard in the national class of 2015, while ESPN had him at number 12. Other programs that pursued him included Illinois, Kansas, Marquette, and Michigan State.
On June 1, 2014, Matthews won the USA Basketball 3-on-3 Under-18 National Championship Tournament with teammates Braxton Blackwell, Tim Delaney, and Kipper Nichols, earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Over his four-year high school career at St. Rita’s, he led the team to 82 wins and four straight Chicago Catholic League South championships, including a 26–4 record as a senior when he averaged 21.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. He was later named to the Associated Press Class-4A All-State first team and was selected to play in the 2015 Jordan Brand Classic.
Charles Matthews Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
Matthews played in 36 games, including three starts, for the 2015–16 Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 1.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 10.3 minutes per game. His three starts included the season opener against Albany and the December 26 rivalry game against 16th-ranked Louisville, when Isaiah Briscoe sat out with an ankle injury. His season highs were 11 points against South Florida, 7 rebounds against Boston University, and 34 minutes against Illinois State.
Following the season, Matthews had a medical procedure on his hip and was granted his release from Kentucky on May 18, 2016. He then visited both Xavier and Michigan, ultimately selecting Michigan on June 20, 2016, with the school confirming the transfer on July 1. Because of transfer rules, he sat out the 2016–17 season and served on Michigan’s scout team, setting the stage for his breakout the following year.
Michigan Breakthrough (2017–2019)
As a redshirt sophomore in 2017–18, Matthews wasted little time announcing his arrival at Michigan, scoring 20 points against North Florida in his first game on November 11, 2017, becoming part of the first Michigan duo to reach 20 points in a game since March 3, 2015, alongside Duncan Robinson. He posted career highs of 28 points and 8 rebounds in a first-round game of the 2017 Maui Invitational Tournament against LSU, and the next night recorded his first career double-double with 22 points on 8-of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds. On November 26, he added a points-assists double-double of 17 points and a career-high 12 assists against UC Riverside, and on December 21 he erupted for 31 points in a 97–47 rout of Alabama A&M.
Matthews averaged 10 points and 5.5 rebounds across Michigan’s four games in the 2018 Big Ten Conference men’s basketball tournament, helping the Wolverines win their second consecutive Big Ten tournament championship. In the 2018 NCAA tournament, he opened with 20 points and 11 rebounds against Montana, then led Michigan past Florida State 58–54 in the West regional final with 17 points, earning West Region Most Outstanding Player honors. Michigan went on to defeat Loyola–Chicago 69–57 in the national semifinals before falling to Villanova in the 2018 NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship game, with Matthews averaging 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals for the tournament.
In 2018–19, Matthews was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by the Big Ten Media and was named to the preseason watchlists for the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith College Player of the Year. He posted 25 points and 10 rebounds against Western Michigan on December 15, hit a buzzer beater to beat Minnesota 59–57 on January 22, and was the only Big Ten athlete named a Julius Erving Award Top 10 finalist on February 6. After missing the final three regular-season games with an ankle injury, he finished as a 2019 All-Big Ten honorable mention selection and opened the 2019 NCAA tournament with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 74–55 win over Montana before declaring for the 2019 NBA draft on April 9, 2019, and formally forgoing his remaining eligibility on April 17.
Memphis Hustle Era (2025–Present)
On February 1, 2025, Matthews joined the Memphis Hustle, marking his return to the NBA G League after stints with several other clubs. The move reunited him with the organization that had previously acquired him via the available player pool in February 2022 before waiving him a few weeks later. His most recent role with the Hustle gives him another opportunity to establish himself as a steady veteran presence in the backcourt.
Driving Style and Strengths
Matthews is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard whose physical tools allow him to defend multiple positions and finish above the rim in transition. At Michigan he showed a knack for posting up smaller defenders, attacking closeouts, and stepping into mid-range jumpers, while also flashing improved playmaking with a 12-assist performance against UC Riverside. His ability to switch defensively and contribute on the glass, evidenced by multiple double-doubles with 10 or more rebounds, made him a versatile two-way contributor for the Wolverines.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Matthews’ career are his 2014 USA Basketball 3-on-3 Under-18 National Championship MVP, his buzzer-beating winner at Minnesota on January 22, 2019, and his 2018 West Region Most Outstanding Player honor during Michigan’s run to the national championship game. He also appeared, along with his co-founders of The Players Trunk, on the final thirteenth-season episode of Shark Tank, where the group asked for $650,000 in exchange for 5 percent of the business.
Charles Matthews Career Wins
Charles Matthews’ basketball career has been built on steady team success rather than a long list of individual trophies, with his biggest win coming as part of Michigan’s run to the 2018 NCAA championship game.
Michigan Highlights
Matthews helped Michigan win the 2018 Big Ten Conference men’s basketball tournament, the program’s second consecutive title, and contributed 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game across the event. He then powered Michigan’s run to the 2018 NCAA championship game, posting 20 points and 11 rebounds in a first-round win over Montana and 17 points in the West regional final against Florida State, en route to West Region Most Outstanding Player honors.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2014, Matthews won the USA Basketball 3-on-3 Under-18 National Championship Tournament and was named the event’s Most Valuable Player. He also led St. Rita of Cascia High School to four straight Chicago Catholic League South championships and an 82-win record over his four years, including a 26–4 mark during his senior season.
Charles Matthews Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Matthews’ parents, Nichole and Charles Matthews, met while attending Southern Illinois University, and the family has deep roots on the South Side of Chicago. His older brother, Dominique, played alongside him at St. Rita of Cascia before graduating in 2014 and going on to play for the UIC Flames, while his younger brother, Jordan, also attended St. Rita’s, four classes behind Charles.
Personal Life
Beyond basketball, Matthews has pursued entrepreneurial interests, co-founding The Players Trunk, a venture that brought him and his co-founders to the final thirteenth-season episode of Shark Tank, where they sought $650,000 in exchange for 5 percent of the business. The family ties that shaped his youth in Chicago continue to play a central role in his life as he navigates a professional career in basketball.
2025 Season Performance
Matthews’ 2025 NBA G League season began on February 1, 2025, when he joined the Memphis Hustle for his second stint with the organization. The Memphis Hustle, the G League affiliate of the Memphis Grizzlies, gave him a familiar landing spot after he had previously been acquired and waived by the club in early 2022.
Coming off a 2024 season with BC Luleå in Sweden, where he started his European professional career on January 28, 2024, Matthews returned to the G League looking to provide veteran scoring and defense on the wing. His track record of double-doubles and tournament performances at Michigan, combined with stops in Cleveland, Maine, and Windy City, made him a low-risk addition for a Hustle team seeking backcourt depth.
Looking ahead, Matthews’ 2025 outlook centers on carving out a consistent rotation role with the Memphis Hustle and using his experience from the NCAA title game run to mentor younger teammates. A productive season in Memphis could also open the door to additional overseas opportunities or a possible call-up, continuing the steady professional path he has built since going undrafted in 2019.