Christie eager to build on best Gophers freshman debut in 20 years
As a Gophers player, Ben Johnson got to see a future first-round NBA draft pick up close, in Kris Humphries. Now as the team's third-year head coach, Johnson feels fortunate to have another true freshman, brimming with potential.
When Cam Christie scored 18 points in last Friday's 102-76 victory vs. Texas San Antonio, it marked the highest total for a true freshman in a Gophers debut since Humphries out of Hopkins in 2003.
The 6-6, 190-pound Christie, a former four-star guard from Illinois, had scholarship offers from all six major conferences. Landing him a year ago was arguably the most important recruiting win so far for Johnson's program.
"Cam had some heavy hitters late on him," Johnson said. "But we were able to do a good job early. He saw the vision. He came to campus multiple times. He saw us play live. He really had a belief."
The Gophers, who host Missouri on Thursday at Williams Arena, believed in Christie's talent helping them upgrade their new backcourt. He just needed to get healthy first.
Christie was so sick with mononucleosis in early October that he couldn't practice for a month. He only had a couple practices leading up to the regular season, so he didn't suit up until the second game last Friday vs. UTSA.
"It was definitely rough," Christie said. "But my teammates did a good job of keeping me included. I just had to stay confident in myself and stay true to my work."
Christie, the brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie, was known as one of the nation's top shooters as a senior at Rolling Meadows High School in Arlington Heights, Ill. So it came as no surprise his jumper was the highlight of his first college game.
Christie hit three straight three-pointers against UTSA and had 13 points by halftime, as the Gophers built a 26-point lead. He finished 4-for-6 from beyond the arc for a team that hit 14 threes. He also filled up the stat sheet with four assists, three rebounds, two steals and had zero turnovers in 26 minutes off the bench.
Christie's brother, who went from Michigan State to the NBA in 2021-22, told him the biggest adjustment to college would be the pace of the game as a freshman. Christie prepared himself by playing against lightning-quick guard Elijah Hawkins in practice.
"Having to guard Elijah every day definitely helped me adjust to the speed," Christie said. "It's not going to get much faster or quicker than that. It was an easier transition out there."
In the Gophers' first two games, Hawkins, a Howard transfer, and sophomore Braeden Carrington were the starting backcourt. The only guard off the bench in the 80-60 season-opening win vs. Bethune-Cookman was Mike Mitchell Jr., a Pepperdine transfer.
How Christie is used in the Gophers' guard rotation could determine the team's early-season success, including Thursday against their first Power Five opponent.
"He did a good job playing with pace," Johnson said. "I don't think he really tried to force the issue. I thought he took good shots, shots he's taken in practice. He's a good shooter."
Christie, who hit 100 threes his senior year at Rolling Meadows, was the highest-ranked guard recruit for the Gophers since Amir Coffey and Isaiah Washington in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Christie was the No. 1 priority for the Gophers in the 2023 class. Assistant Jason Kemp was Christie's main contact, but the entire staff pursued him heavily. "There's a reason why I recruited him the way I recruited him," Johnson said. "That's the type of player I know he is."
That relentless pursuit paid off when Christie remained committed, even after five-star center Dennis Evans III asked out of his letter of intent during the U's 9-22 finish last season.
The Gophers know "not every game is going to be like that," Johnson said about Christie's spectacular debut. His future looks bright, but he won't get caught up in the hype.
"You can be the greatest thing and the next day you can be the worst thing that ever happened," Christie said about fan reaction. "So, it's about remaining confident in the work you put in and trusting you deserve to be here — never letting that waver."
Top scoring games in Gophers freshman debut since 2003
26 – Kris Humphries vs. UMKC in 2003
21 – *Dan Coleman vs. Lipscomb in 2004
18 – Cam Christie vs. UTSA in 2023
14 – Daniel Oturu vs Omaha in 2018
14 – Rodney Williams Jr. vs. Tennessee Tech in 2009
13 – Amir Coffey vs. Louisiana Lafayette in 2016
11 – Rico Tucker vs. Lipscomb in 2004
10 – Nate Mason vs. Louisville in 2014
*- Redshirt freshman
