Is Former Michigan State Star About to Break Out?

When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Michigan State Spartans guard Max Christie in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft, no one really knew what to expect.

After all, Christie was very raw, and probably could have benefited from spending another year at East Lansing.

But, nevertheless, the Lakers seemed to love his ceiling as a potential two-way wing, and they actually gave him considerable playing time during his rookie campaign.

Los Angeles then increased Christie's minutes last season, as he played in 67 games and averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 boards over 14.1 minutes a night.

Christie's youth was on full display in each of those first two NBA campaigns, and it was abundantly clear that he needed a lot of work.

But now, the 21-year-old appears to be making significant progress.

On paper, Christie's numbers aren't great. He is logging 5.1 points across 17.1 minutes per game.

However, he may be on the verge of breaking out.

Christie has put together a few very solid performances this month, most recently logging 8 points in 23 minutes in the Lakers' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Before that, he posted 12 points, four rebounds, a couple of assists and a block in 22 minutes during the Lakers' win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Most notably, Christie posted a plus-16 on the evening, which is a major positive sign and indicates he is making a significant impact defensively, which is huge.

Also, after not recording double figures in any of his first 10 appearances this season, Christie has tallied three double-digit scoring efforts over his last eight games.

Obviously, Christie still has a long way to go, and again, he probably should have stayed in college for another year to really hone his skills. Had he done that, he surely would have been a first-round pick — and potentially a lottery pick, at that — in 2023.

But what's done is done, and now, the Arlington Heights, Illinois native has to try and learn on the job.

All of that said, Christie is showing some very positive progress and could be preparing to finally bust out of his shell soon.

Los Angeles must be getting more confident in him, too, as it has begun to give him consistent playing time.

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