It's been a busy fall for Rolling Meadows junior star Max Christie.
Although seniors take the spotlight in recruiting thanks to official visits and a flurry of commitments, nationally-ranked, five-star players like Christie still get priority treatment from college coaches despite being in the junior class.
College coaches have continued to monitor Christie this fall as he's seen two Big Ten campuses and been visited at open gym by numerous high-major programs.
Christie watched Wisconsin's football win over Michigan over the weekend on an unofficial visit to Madison and he's also visited head coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State for an unofficial visit as well. Schools like Duke, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue and Villanova have also been to Rolling Meadows to see Christie play the past few weeks.
During a Sunday workout at Benet run by the Illinois Wolves grassroots program, Christie showed why he's so coveted among the nation's best schools. At 6-foot-6 with an ability to play multiple guard spots, Christie set the tone in many of the workout's drills and stations, leading the charge among a talented junior class for the Wolves.
The ability to knock down perimeter shots is a key ingredient for Christie and he's also improved his handle under pressure. Already over 1,000 points for his varsity career after two seasons, the junior has big expectations individually and for Rolling Meadows this season. Christie has played with some varsity teammates for a few years now while his younger brother, Cameron, joins the program with a talented freshman class.
"I feel like we're going to be really good. This could be the best year among my four years at Meadows. No disrespect to all of my old teammates, but my little brother's class is coming in and they're pretty good," Christie said. "Our classes have been tight knit for a few years now so we really know each other well. I feel like this year we're going to make a really good run in state. I feel like we're looking good."
Despite missing some games with illness last season, Christie still made a major impression. Dropping a 50-point game and a triple-double during the season, Christie had some memorable outings as only a sophomore.
"I'm working hard on all of my fundamentals with shooting and dribbling and strength. I've worked a lot on my strength. I've gained about 10 pounds since the summer. I've been working hard, especially on strength. Working hard on my game just to get better," Christie said.
Rolling Meadows is going to be one of the area's most fascinating teams to watch this season. Christie is the type of rare talent who can take over a game but the Mustangs couldn't get rolling for long as they finished 15-12.
But Christie can take over a game and win some by himself and the Mustangs have some interesting players around him. The Mid-Suburban East will be one to watch and Christie could get Player of the Year buzz if he continues to get better.