When the Lakers selected Max Christie 35th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, he was reportedly a no-brainer unanimous pick by the scouting department spearheaded by assistant general manager and co-owner Jesse Buss. The Michigan State product was on Buss’ radar as early as 2016 as he felt that Christie embodied the skillset that would thrive in the NBA today.
However, by drafting the 19-year-old, there was a catch: They were banking on a raw prospect that was miles away from being an instant contributor to this season’s Lakers team.