Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Phil ChenierPhilip Chenier is a retired American professional basketball player renowned for his scoring prowess and smooth shooting style during his NBA career.

Player Profile

Personal Information:

  • Full Name: Philip Chenier
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: October 30, 1950
  • Hometown: Berkeley, California, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters)
  • Weight: 180 pounds (82 kilograms)
  • Position: Shooting Guard
  • Jersey Numbers: 45, 30, 15

Education:

  • High School: Berkeley High School, Berkeley, California
  • College: University of California, Berkeley

Professional Career:

  • NBA Draft: Selected as a hardship case by the Baltimore Bullets in 1971
  • Teams Played For:
    • Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1971–1979)
    • Indiana Pacers (1979–1980)
    • Golden State Warriors (1980–1981)
  • NBA Championship Rings: 1 (1978 with the Washington Bullets)

Career Highlights:

  • NBA Champion (1978)
  • Three-time NBA All-Star (1974, 1975, 1977)
  • All-NBA Second Team (1975)
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team (1972)
  • Jersey number 45 retired by the Washington Wizards

Post-Retirement:

After retiring as a player, Chenier transitioned into broadcasting, serving as a color analyst for the Washington Bullets/Wizards from 1987 to 2017.

Personal Life:

  • Family: Phil Chenier resides in Columbia, Maryland, with his wife, Gerry. He has two daughters and one son.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Phil Chenier fit the archetype of a polished two-way shooting guard, the kind of perimeter scorer who could carry offense without playing like a ball-dominant lead guard. Defensively, he handled a real backcourt assignment rather than a hidden one, with his reputation tied to solid perimeter work and all-around guard play. Offensively, he operated as a scoring wing first—comfortable rising into jumpers, working off the ball, and adding enough passing to keep the offense flowing. At 6’3″ and 180 pounds, Chenier had a lean guard build, and that lighter frame paired well with his quickness and smooth shooting mechanics. His overall style was sleek and controlled: a refined scorer with touch, rhythm, and balance, but also a player respected for bringing substance on both ends instead of empty volume. (NBA)

Sources: Phil Chenier player profile — NBA.com; Phil Chenier stats, height, weight, position, draft status and more — Basketball-Reference; BF #5: Phil Chenier — Bullets Forever; Phil Chenier: Can He Unseat Walt Frazier as Basketball’s Top Guard, 1975? — From Way Downtown