LA continues to uncover intriguing young role players.
In a wide-ranging interview that’s well worth a read in full, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha spoke with Los Angeles Lakers rookie shooting guard Max Christie about his 2022-23 season so far.
Buha considers the Christie draft pick (LA snagged him at No. 35 out of Michigan State University) another steal courtesy of the LA front office’s scouting department, who has also uncovered second-round picks like Jordan Clarkson and Thomas Bryant, and signed undrafted free agents like Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves.
Buha reveals that Christie, with an eye not just on securing his next contract but on LeBron James’s 20-year longevity, has taken to drilling James for tips on exactly how the four-time MVP has stayed this durable. Per Buha, Christie has been following The King’s lead to the letter, icing his feet and knees to expedite his game-to-game recovery, using cold showers, employing Normatec boots, stretching, and applying a foam roller.
“Everything he does from after the game in the locker room to before the game, how he gets ready for games,” Christie informed Buha. “I mean, I’ve observed everything, and I’m trying to use everything that he’s been doing and putting it in my repertoire.”
Across his two starts for LA on Monday and Thursday, Christie is averaging 10.5 points on 64.3% shooting from the field (and 50% shooting from the line), as well as four rebounds, in 27.3 minutes per.
“Coming in at such a young age and being able to start on a team like this is really cool, and then I think the performance sort of follows that,” Christie allowed. “I think I did a pretty good job, scored my career high in points even though we got the loss. It was just fun out there for me at least having a game like that.”
For the season, the 19-year-old is averaging 3.7 points on .421/.432/.833 shooting splits, 2.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists.
