Garrison Mathews Bio
Garrison Mathews (born October 24, 1996) is an American professional basketball player who plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard listed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and 215 lb (98 kg), he first gained national attention while playing college basketball for the Lipscomb Bisons. He was named the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference Player of the Year for 2019 after leading Lipscomb to its first NCAA tournament appearance and a runner-up finish at the 2019 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Since entering the NBA in 2019, he has spent time with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, and Indiana Pacers.
Early Life and Background
Garrison Mathews was born on October 24, 1996, in Franklin, Tennessee, United States. He grew up in the Franklin community and attended Franklin High School, where he was a dual-sport athlete competing in both basketball and football. Playing multiple sports at a young age helped him build a competitive foundation and gave him a clear sense of how to handle pressure in front of crowds.
At Franklin High School, Mathews showed enough promise to attract attention from college basketball programs, but he was not a nationally ranked recruit. His decision to attend Lipscomb University, a smaller school in Nashville, allowed him the opportunity to focus on a single sport and grow at his own pace.
Path to Professional Basketball
When Mathews arrived at Lipscomb, he committed to basketball full-time for the first time in his athletic life. The adjustment paid off quickly as he became one of the most productive scorers in program history. He set school Division I-era records for single-game scoring, career scoring, and three-pointers made.
As a junior, Mathews helped lead the Lipscomb Bisons to their first NCAA tournament appearance, a milestone for both him and the program. The following season, as a senior, he was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and selected first-team All-Atlantic Sun. He averaged 20.8 points per game as a senior and finished his college career with 2,478 total points.
Garrison Mathews Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Mathews played four seasons of college basketball at Lipscomb from 2015 to 2019. During that span, he earned three consecutive first-team All-Atlantic Sun honors in 2017, 2018, and 2019, a rare run of consistency for a mid-major program. His scoring performances at the 2019 NIT, including 44 points in the quarterfinals and 34 points in the semifinals, brought him widespread attention ahead of the 2019 NBA draft.
Despite those accomplishments, Mathews went undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft. Rather than giving up on his NBA goal, he signed a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards and split his first professional season between the Wizards and their NBA G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.
Washington Wizards (2019–2021)
Mathews made his NBA debut on October 23, 2019, coming off the bench in a 100–108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He played sparingly early in the season while continuing to develop with the Capital City Go-Go in the G League. On December 30, 2019, he scored a career-high 28 points with four rebounds in a 123–105 win over the Miami Heat, a performance that established him as a perimeter scoring threat at the NBA level.
Across his two seasons with the Wizards organization, Mathews built a reputation as a high-energy shooter who could change a game with a quick scoring run. Although his playing time fluctuated, his willingness to take and make open shots made him a valuable piece of the team’s depth chart.
Houston Rockets (2021–2023)
On September 28, 2021, Mathews signed with the Boston Celtics, but he was waived at the end of training camp. Just over a week later, on October 18, he was claimed off waivers by the Houston Rockets, who converted his deal into a two-way contract with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. On December 18, 2021, the Rockets upgraded his contract to a four-year, $8.2 million standard NBA deal, a major step for a player who had entered the league undrafted less than two years earlier.
During his time in Houston, Mathews continued to serve as a reliable three-point shooter off the bench. His shooting touch and willingness to defend bigger wings helped him carve out a consistent role in the Rockets’ rotation.
Atlanta Hawks (2023–2025)
On February 9, 2023, Mathews was traded, alongside Bruno Fernando, to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, and two future second-round draft picks. He made nine appearances for Atlanta that season, posting averages of 4.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists while getting acclimated to a new system.
In 2023–24, Mathews appeared in 66 games with five starts, averaging 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. The following season, in 2024–25, he played in 47 games, including two starts, and improved his averages to 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. On September 16, 2025, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the New York Knicks, but he was waived prior to the start of the regular season on October 18, 2025.
Indiana Pacers (2025–Present)
Mathews signed a 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers on November 20, 2025, after the team was granted a hardship exception. On December 1, 2025, the Pacers re-signed him to a second 10-day hardship contract. On December 11, 2025, the Pacers signed him to a non-guaranteed standard contract for the remainder of the season. In 15 appearances with one start for Indiana, he averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists.
On December 26, 2025, Mathews was waived by Indiana following the signing of Micah Potter. His brief Pacers tenure once again highlighted his reputation as a depth shooter who can step in when rosters are stretched thin.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mathews is best known as a three-point shooter with the confidence to launch in transition or off the catch. He moves well without the ball, sets hard screens, and provides positional size on the wing. His career has been built on shot-making, energy, and the ability to fill specific roles rather than handling the ball as a primary creator.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most memorable moments of his career, his 44-point performance in the 2019 NIT quarterfinals and his 28-point game against the Miami Heat on December 30, 2019, stand out. Converting his two-way contract with the Houston Rockets into a four-year, $8.2 million standard deal in December 2021 also marked a defining milestone for an undrafted player.
Garrison Mathews Career Wins
Although Garrison Mathews is not known primarily for accumulating postseason series wins, his professional record reflects steady contributions at multiple stops. His career highlights include consistent three-point shooting, a career-high 28 points against the Miami Heat, and postseason experience at the college level with Lipscomb.
NCAA and NIT Highlights
At the college level, Mathews helped Lipscomb reach its first NCAA tournament and a runner-up finish at the 2019 NIT. His 44-point outburst in the NIT quarterfinals and his 34-point showing in the semifinals powered Lipscomb’s run to the championship game against Texas.
Other Wins and Performances
Across the NBA, Mathews has been a reliable role player, providing shooting and energy in short stints with the Wizards, Rockets, Hawks, and Pacers. His improvement to 7.5 points per game with the Hawks in 2024–25 was one of his most productive individual seasons in the league.
Garrison Mathews Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Garrison Mathews was raised in Franklin, Tennessee, where he attended Franklin High School. Public details about his parents and immediate family have not been widely reported, and he is known primarily for his own path to professional basketball rather than a family sports lineage.
Personal Life
Mathews is a United States citizen and has built his professional life around basketball since turning pro in 2019. He has not publicly shared extensive personal life details, and confirmed information about a spouse or children is not available from verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been one of the most eventful of Garrison Mathews’s career. After finishing 2024–25 with the Atlanta Hawks with averages of 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the New York Knicks in September 2025. He was waived by New York in October before the regular season began.
On November 20, 2025, he joined the Indiana Pacers on a 10-day hardship contract, followed by a second 10-day deal on December 1, and a non-guaranteed standard contract on December 11. In 15 appearances with one start for the Pacers, he averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists before being waived on December 26 to make room for Micah Potter.
For the remainder of the 2025–26 season, Mathews remains a free agent, ready to provide three-point shooting and perimeter defense for any roster in need of depth. His journey from undrafted rookie to multi-contract veteran underscores his persistence and adaptability in the modern NBA.