Rolling Meadows rising sophomore Cameron Christie following in brother’s footsteps

Rolling Meadows’ Cameron Christie (24) takes the ball past Fenwick’s Trey Pettigrew (1). | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

The Christie name remains hot in high school basketball.

This time it’s Cameron Christie.

The 6-3 guard, who averaged 10 points a game this past season as a freshman at Rolling Meadows, has picked up recent offers from both Michigan State and Ohio State.

It wasn’t long ago when older brother Max broke through as the brightest young prospect in the state –– and one of the hottest names in the country in the Class of 2021.

Max Christie, a versatile 6-6 guard, emerged as a star quickly upon entering high school. As a freshman he averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and 2.9 assists a game, upping those numbers as a junior to 26 points and 10 rebounds a game. He is among the top 20 seniors-to-be in the nation with his choice of high-major college programs across the country. He took

Cameron came into high school with a little less fanfare than his older brother, though much of that had to do with his physical makeup. The body type was an obstacle as a freshman. A late-bloomer physically, Cameron had just reached an ultra-slender 6-feet –– Max was 6-4 as a freshman –– and his frame lacked both upper and lower body strength as he began his varsity career.

“Max was obviously taller and longer as a freshman, but Cameron came in with a little more court sense than Max,” Rolling Meadows coach Kevin Katovich said. “As he’s started to catch up physically, you can see his game really coming together and taking off.”

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Rolling Meadows’ Max Christie (12) shoots the ball over Fenwick’s Bryce Hopkins (23).

Cameron buried a trio of threes and scored 15 points in a December win over Wheeling. There was the 18-point performance against Lyons Twp. in late December. There were the four straight clutch free-throws he made to secure a win over Prospect in late January in front of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.

While it would be natural for some to think the offers extended come as a sweetener for both Michigan State and Ohio State as they are in hot pursuit of Max Christie, the fact is the upside in the still-developing Cameron Christie is very tantalizing and easily noticeable. While he was a productive freshman, when it comes to the younger Christie, it’s about evaluation and projection as a prospect going forward.

He’s been the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s No. 3 ranked prospect in the Class of 2023 for a reason. This is a very young player with a smooth game, feathery shooting touch and basketball instincts.

Blessed with a sweet-shooting stroke from the three-point line, Cameron Christie shot 40 percent from beyond the arc. His feel for the game led to three assists a game. He plays with confidence and competitiveness. Plus, he’s now easily dunking and continues to grow and add natural weight and strength.

“The tools were always there,” Katovich said. “He’s a pure shooter and super smart with a high basketball I.Q. But it’s never easy going straight from playing 8th grade basketball to varsity basketball. You could see as be became more comfortable he became more confident.”

It’s that confidence that Cameron Christie believes is the biggest difference from his first varsity game in November to right now.

“I’m a lot more confident,” said Christie, who helped the Mustangs to a 20-win season. “I’m taller, stronger and the time between then and now has just allowed my game to develop more.”

Cameron Christie was eager and excited to take a big step forward this spring and summer. He was poised to open more eyes on the club basketball circuit with the Illinois Wolves and in the June “live” periods with his high school team. That’s all been put on hold and disappointing for the younger, less-established Christie.

“I was excited and ready to test myself against high-level competition,” Christie said of the off season opportunities. “I wanted to show where my game has gone and showcase myself now that I had that varsity experience and have been able to catch up with the speed of the game. I feel that I’ve gotten a lot better as a player.”

With the spring shutdown, the schools that have been heavily involved with Max Christie have had an advantage. They coaching staffs of those schools have actually seen a lot of Cameron through the recruitment of Max.

“It feels good to have those offers, to know they have taken notice of my ability,” said Cameron, who has been working out, lifting and playing one-on-one with his brother over the past few months. “But I know I have to keep working on my game, continue to develop.”