NBA Comparison: Max Strus/Max Christie

Strengths: Christie is a thin, 6’6, 190 lb sharpshooter with adequate length and athleticism on the perimeter … Smooth, cerebral, coordinated player who shows pretty decent body control and leaping ability when he gets a running start … Jump shooting will be his main calling card at the NBA level (70 made 3s, 39 3FG% as a Fr.); fluid, consistent shooting fundamentals and a pretty follow through make his jumper one of the most aesthetically pleasing in this draft class … Solid with his feet set but has the ability to stick shots off the bounce, using DHOs and in transition as well … Also has a high release that held up pretty well at hitting shots against contests…Uses the threat of his jumper to attack hard closeouts, where he can hit pull-ups or use his rangy strides to get to the rim and finish with authority at times if the defense is late to rotate … Demonstrates nice passing instincts and timing in situations when the defense is tilting towards him as well, and rewarded bigs and cutters with a good amount of dump-offs for easy points at the rim (74 assists, 2.2:1.2 A:TO as a Fr.) … Decent ball-handling skills and can be effective getting his shot off the dribble, especially when he has the help of a screen … Willing defender who understands positioning and how to use his length to contest, blur passing lanes and get deflections … Will make high IQ plays and doesn’t lack for awareness as such a young player … Won’t turn 20 until after his rookie season, so he’s slightly younger than your typical player entering the draft …

Weaknesses: Needs to add significant strength and muscle to his frame to be able to deal with contact at the pro level, doesn’t really stand up well to physical play currently on either end of the court … Not a particularly sudden or explosive athlete; the long-striding nature that he moves makes him more of a straight-line run and jump athlete with buildup speed opposed to quick and shifty … Puts little pressure on the rim right now as a creator with his lack of physicality, creativity and strength, and is statistically one of the worst finishers in this draft class in the rare instances he does make it to the paint (42 FG% inside the arc)…79% FT shooter but made it to the line at a low rate (2 FTA/G), further showing signs of apprehensive slashing and avoiding playing through contact…Propensity to settle for jumpers bogged down his efficiency as both a shooter and overall scorer to an extent, even though his 3-point numbers aren’t bad…How much will he contribute if his shot isn’t falling? … Also struggles to get back in plays when beat off the bounce or fighting through screens, where his thin frame combined with his lack of great lateral quickness give him a weak defensive profile at the moment…Too frail to defend bigger wings but also not quick enough to defend many smaller guards at the pro level currently … Was often solid from a fundamental standpoint but didn’t create many turnovers or make many impact plays on defense considering his decent physical profile (0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG) … A bit green; will need time to come into his own …

Overall: Cam Christie is from the Chicago area and is the younger brother of Max Christie, who currently plays for the Lakers and went to Michigan State in 21-22 … Cam was the lesser ballyhooed prospect out of HS of the 2, but he committed to Minnesota after a productive HS career, earned a starting role early on during his Fr. season and emerged as the teams 2nd-leading scorer (11.3 PPG) … He offers a similar skill set and draft profile to his brother just 2 years later and after just testing the waters initially, his stock has risen so much after the season that he’s kept his name in the draft after many assumed he’d return for a Soph. season (also like his brother) … He has potential as a SG with a impressively smooth jumpshot and the groundwork of being a solid 3-and-D type, with plus passing skills added for good measure … He’s really young, and it shows from a physical standpoint currently as he can be neutralized by his own lack of strength and body mass…His main focus early in his career should be on living in the weight room to better withstand the rigors of attacking against and defending NBA players, as it will only get tougher from playing a 20-game Big 10 schedule (which can be a pretty physical conference in its own right) … There are also detractors that want to see him show that he’s more than a one-dimensional type of offensive player at the pro level too … The team that selects Christie is likely looking at him as a work in progress and will be banking on him in the future rather than for instant gratification and he fills out his frame and continues to polish his game…His draft range is likely anywhere from just outside of the lottery to somewhere in the 2nd round, though word is he is much more likely to be selected in the late first round …

Notes: Measured 6′ 4.50” barefoot, 8′ 5.50” standing reach, 190.4 lbs, 6′ 8.00” wingspan, 32.5 standing vert, 35.5 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine … Averaged 11.4 ppg as a freshman at Minnesota, on shooting splits of 40.3 fg% 39.1 3p%, 79.1 ft% … Measured almost identical to his older brother Max Christie at the combine with a max vertical that was an inch lower than Max’s 37.5 …

Jorrye Nixon 6/11/24