NBA Draft: Houston Rockets Select ASU Forward Josh Christopher
The Arizona State Sun Devils have one more of their own in the NBA.
On Thursday, the Houston Rockets drafted ASU forward Josh Christopher with pick No. 24 in the first round of the draft.
Christopher, who was projected as a borderline first-round selection, was drafted just a bit earlier than where many had him going in mock drafts prior to draft night.
The former Sun Devil wasn't able to truly make the impact he came to Tempe to achieve, playing in just 15 games through the season. Christopher averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists his freshman season at Arizona State, with a shooting percentage of 43.2.
Christopher's box score doesn't jump off the page, but some of the performances he was able to display intrigued many around the league towards the back end of the first round.
Christopher's Upside
John Hollinger from The Athletic ranked Christopher as his No. 26 prospect heading into the draft, categorizing him as a role player with upside.
"Christopher’s best defensive clips are fantastic, featuring really quick hands, but dig deeper and the fun stops," said Hollinger.
"His motor often conks out after two slides, at which point he’ll just stop and reach for a steal. He also fouls like a madman, with 5.9 personals per 100 possessions – an insane rate for a guard.
"Offensively, the potential is there if he tries going to the rim more and considers passing once in a while. His tape from Arizona State is all Kobe shots: He either jab steps toward his right and goes straight up for a contested J, or he takes five dribbles and shoots a pull-up after a right-to-left crossover. It’s like an automated sub-routine: He only goes into the shot after the cross to his left, he never really tries to get past his man, and once he dribbles he’s never passing."
Much like his introduction to Arizona State, his rookie campaign in Houston will be met with great expectations for both short- and long-term viewpoints from fans.