The heroes of the Lakers vs Wolves matchup were undeniably Max Christie and Dalton Knecht. For a rookie in his first professional game, Knecht did very well, making him an instant favorite with the Lakers fans. And Christie? The two-year “young” vet was outstanding, garnering praise from everywhere. You might have already heard everything analysts have to say on the matter. So, why don’t we listen to the man in question?

“I have been working a lot this summer. Just as you gain more experience in this, you feel a lot more comfortable. And having two years in this, I feel super comfortable to be able kinda be out there, navigating my own way, trying to lead teammates,” the 21-year-old said in response to a reporter’s query about how his growth over the summer has prepared him for this year.

In addition, the reporter also asked how it translated to his first game. And what did Christie have to say? “Tonight was a good combination of that. It was good to see the first game of the season, kinda see things go my way. I thought I was pretty active on both sides of the ball, hit a three early, so I thought overall was a good game for me. So, it’s good for my confidence going forward,” he surmised.

Obliging Coach Redick’s goal of focusing on shooting more threes, the Purple & Gold’s first four shots out of five from the deep saw Max Christie drain the first one. As he pointed out, the Michigan State alum did showcase a solid performance, scoring off a couple of strong drives to the rim, while playing great defense.

As the Lakers dropped the game against Minnesota, Max finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, going 5-of-9 from the field in 33 minutes. But there was someone else who had predicted just as much ahead of the season.

Max Christie made good on LeBron James’ projection

Max’s skillset as a 3-and-D wing has often put him in conversations among talking heads as being the perfect partner next to Bron and Davis. However, the McD’s All-American did not really see much floor time under Ham. But with JJ Redick taking up the duties, the former sharpshooter made it clear that he will be seeing an increase in responsibility and workload.

James echoed the new Lakers coach’s sentiment, as well. “I think Max will be a big part of our rotation. He’s getting better and better. I’m happy we were able to bring him back in the summer. I look forward to a bright future from him,” the 4x champion said after Los Angeles’ first practice.

Considering how well he played tonight, it’s clear that the young guard took LeBron’s words to heart. More importantly, the two years that he spent not playing, helped him observe and learn as much as he could from the veterans around him. And when you have one of the greatest ever in your team, what better way to spend your time than absorbing each detail?

Thoughts?