Hornets Rookie Christian Anderson Takes Growing Pains in Stride, Says He's Up for Challenge

Ten miles off the Las Vegas strip, Hornets rookie Christian Anderson was deep in film study.

Sitting alongside assistant coach Ryan Frazier, the two spent about a half hour after practice analyzing his play against the Orlando Magic in his summer league debut. He said nerves played a factor in his 2-11 performance, but that wasn’t the only thing.

“It was super physical,” Anderson, a 6-1 guard, explained after scoring just six points in Charlotte's 86-74 win. “Like, everybody's huge, athletic, and, you know, grabbing and holding. So you just got to find ways to get around it.”

Like all rookies, Anderson is still learning the tricks of the trade. Rust didn’t help either, as he said it had been a while since playing five-on-five games. He wouldn’t grade his performance, only saying it wasn’t his best. So with that in mind, Anderson was all ears for the extra help.

“We were looking at plays or situations that I can improve on, get better at, and learn from next game,” he said. “(It was) a productive study.”

Anderson had no problem taking in the criticism, saying it’s part of the gig. Then again, he also said it was nothing compared to the feedback he used to get from his father, Christian Anderson Sr, who was a professional basketball player in Germany.

“You can ask anybody, he was super hard on me,” Anderson said. “But I think that's what made me into the person and player I am.”

Perhaps we’re being a bit hard on the kid. After all, it’s been a whirlwind month. From getting drafted to coming to Vegas for the first time, it’s certainly a lot of newness. However, Anderson says he's enjoying the moment, doing everything he can to take everything in.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” he said.

That also includes the hardships, but Anderson is confident he’ll be able to make the adjustments. The Hornets are hopeful he can, especially with the LaMelo Ball trade becoming official Thursday. If all goes well, he’ll be the team’s primary ball handler off the bench. It’s a big ask, but Anderson said he’s not intimidated by the challenge.

“Just playing through mistakes right now and getting as prepared and ready,” he said. “(It’s about) taking all the feedback I can to help me improve and be ready for when my name is called.”

It’s a challenge but Hornets fans should take comfort in Anderson’s belief that he’s more than up for it.

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