The highest ranked recruit in Arizona State Men’s Basketball history is now in the NBA. Josh Christopher was selected in the first round with the 24th pick by the Houston Rockets. The flashy dunker and hyper-energetic guard joins a young squad that will also include the No. 2 overall pick, Jalen Green.
He’s the first Sun Devil picked in the first round since James Harden in 2009. The last draftee out of Tempe was Felix Carrick in 2013. He joins Harden and Luguentz Dort as the only alumni currently in the league right now.
In high school, he built a following of over one million on Instagram because of his flashy dunks and ability to jump out the room. Once thought of as a potential lottery pick, Christopher slid down draft boards after an inconsistent freshmen season. While limited by a few injuries, the 6-foot-5 combo guard averaged 14.3 points per game on 43% shooting.
Bobby Hurley has always praised Christopher’s maturity. That maturity is going to come in handy as the former five-star recruit now enters the league with a chip on his shoulder.
Jordan Spurgeon
