Suns' Chriss admits to struggling with weight management

Phoenix Suns sophomore Marquese Chriss has not made the leap many expected in his second season, and he takes responsibility for that.

Chriss admitted he initially packed on the pounds after entering the league, and said he came into this season out of shape. And while he didn't offer a specific number as to how much weight he gained, he said it had been holding him back.

"I let myself get to a place where I shouldn’t have been," Chriss told Scott Bordow of AZ Central. “I think it happens to a lot of people. For me, it was a learning experience.”

Chriss only caught on to his bad habits when alerted by his best friend and his mother that he was "getting big." Upon that realization, he took steps to cut fried and fast food out of his diet.

Part of it comes with the territory of a young player transitioning from college to the pros. Chriss played just one year at Washington before joining the Suns as the No. 8 pick last season. To his credit, he hasn't missed a single game in his NBA career, but wants to be better than what he's shown.

"You’re on a limited budget in college but all of a sudden I had nothing but free time and money. I needed to learn how to manage. I needed to grow up in that aspect of my life so I’m grateful that it happened sooner rather than later," he said.

Chriss is shooting 39 percent from the field and is averaging three fewer points per game than what he put up last season.