A New Chance for Chris Chiozza After His Disappointing Stint in Cantù
Chris Chiozza is reportedly close to a new adventure in Montenegro. According to BPG Info, the American point guard is in advanced negotiations with Budućnost, a historic club in Podgorica founded in 1949.
Born in 1995 and standing 180 centimeters tall, Chiozza comes off a stint in Italy with Pallacanestro Cantù: called up last January by the Brianza-based team’s management to replace the released Jacob Gilyard, he struggled more than expected, partly due to some physical issues: he made 13 appearances, averaging 6.0 points and 5.4 assists per game under coach Walter De Raffaele, who did not seem particularly impressed with him.
His relationship with De Raffaele had appeared anything but idyllic from the very beginning. A prime example of this was the Livorno-born coach’s scathing outburst following the home loss to Reyer Venezia last January: “I think he’s in serious physical and technical trouble,” the coach had declared. “He did something at the start, but then we got nothing from him.” Harsh words that clearly highlighted the American point guard’s struggles to fit into the Brianza team’s system.
Chiozza’s season in Cantù then took a definitive turn for the worse at the end of March, when, during the away game against Bertram Derthona Tortona, the player was forced to leave the court after just four minutes of play due to a muscle injury. The club issued an official statement to address the situation: “Acqua S.Bernardo Pallacanestro Cantù announces that, this morning, player Christopher Chiozza underwent initial examinations to assess the extent of the muscle injury that forced him to leave the game early during the league match played in Tortona. In order to determine the exact recovery time, the player will undergo further diagnostic tests over the next two days.” To cover for his absence, Cantù subsequently signed veteran Gerald Robinson.
Before arriving in Brianza, Chiozza had already gained significant experience in Europe: He arrived in Europe in 2023 playing for UCAM Murcia, then had a lackluster stint in Turkey with Pinar Karsiyaka, which ended in mid-November 2025, before answering Cantù’s call. His resume also includes stints in the NBA and the EuroLeague, a testament to a talent that, however, has not found consistency during his Italian adventure.
Meanwhile, Cantù has already turned the page at the point guard position: for the 2026–2027 season, under new head coach Frank Vitucci, the Brianza-based club has set its sights on Semaj Christon, a 34-year-old from Cincinnati now in his seventh stint in Italy, fresh off a career that includes an ACB League title won with Saski Baskonia in 2019–2020. For Chiozza, on the other hand, Budućnost of Podgorica could represent an opportunity to bounce back after a season best forgotten.
