Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) looks on during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Spartan Had Career NBA Season

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 9:34 AM ET

Former Michigan State guard Max Christie recently wrapped up his third NBA season, turning in a career campaign and starting to cement himself as an elite professional talent. After a midseason shake-up, Christie played the best basketball of his career.

Christie experienced his very first trade as a professional, being involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Mavericks star Luke Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Christie.

He played the first 46 games of the season for Los Angeles, making 25 starts. He shot an impressive 44.4% from the field, averaging 8.5 points, starting to settle into his own as a strong NBA player. The trade would shake things up for Christie as he was sent to Dallas.

In the final 32 games of the year with the Mavericks, Christie balled out. He averaged 11.2 points on 41.1% shooting with 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He played an average of 30.4 minutes, the most he had played at any time during his career.

In total, Christie finished the season averaging career-highs in points (9.6), shooting percentage (42.7%), rebounds (3.3) and assists (1.9). After assuming a much more limited role in his first two seasons with the Lakers, Christie exploded onto the scene with an extremely productive season.

The former Spartan shined brightest this season with a career-high 28 points on 9-16 shooting with five triples when he was with the Lakers in early January. He then finished the rest of the season with 32 more games of scoring in double figures, something he only did 10 times last season.

Christie made another playoff appearance as he played in two NBA Play-In Tournament games, totaling 13 points and a pair of rebounds between the two games. The Mavericks would be eliminated in the play-in, failing to earn a first-round playoff spot.

Going forward, Christie's production will continue to improve as grows throughout his career. At 22 years old, Christie has so much time and potential to elevate his game even further. This season was a flash of stardom and with how he finished the year with Dallas, his future is bright.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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