Texas Tech’s backcourt presence continues to grow stronger with the addition of a Rivals.com top 100 prospect, 2024 Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy PG Christian Anderson Jr. A four-star product, Anderson chose the Red Raiders over the likes of Florida, Stanford and opportunities to compete overseas.
Anderson spent the better part of his high school career committed to one school, that being Michigan and Juwan Howard. With Howard being dismissed from his post, however, Anderson went searching for a new place to call home. He knew what he was looking for and he found that at Texas Tech.
“Basically just a coaching staff where I feel really comfortable,” Anderson said in a conversation with RedRaiderSports.com. “Where I feel like they’re gonna help me be the best player I can be and help me be able to showcase my skills. I think that’s all I was looking for, just kind of like a family environment that helps me get where I want to get to.”
Anderson took a visit to Lubbock this past week and wasted little time announcing his plans to become a Red Raider. In a similar fashion to recruits of the past, Anderson was welcomed with the love of West Texas and quickly understood how passionate the people of Lubbock are about Tech.
“I think the culture was amazing,” Anderson said. “It’s like Texas Tech is the only sports team in that area, basically all the fans love, love Lubbock and Texas Tech. The culture was amazing and all the facilities and everything about it is very nice.”
Anderson was won over by the atmosphere that this coaching staff presents and that resonated with his father, Christian Anderson Sr.
A veteran of European basketball, Anderson Sr. recognized what Texas Tech could offer his son.
“It was great, it’s a high level program,” Anderson Sr. said. “The culture with coach Grant (McCasland) is amazing. He’s done extremely well constructing a roster. Last year they came in for the third spot in the Big 12 and you can tell that he constructed a good culture over there."
As a senior at the esteemed Oak Hill Academy, which has produced NBA legends like Carmelo Anthony and Jerry Stackhouse, Anderson averaged 20 points per game this season while shooting a blistering 49 percent from beyond the arc.
With Minnesota transfer Elijah Hawkins in the fold for the Red Raiders, Anderson will have a senior presence to learn from while he gets accustomed to the collegiate game. When he’s on the floor, Anderson will look to make an impact however he can.
“I think me, I’ve always been confident in what I can do,” Anderson said. “I think I can make an impact right away. My shooting, my IQ, my passing is something that I’ll be bringing to the table.”
Added Anderson Sr., “I think it’s important to understand that you can’t play college basketball until you play college basketball. He’s played at the highest level with the Nike EYBL Scholastic, they did well as a team, and he did a really good job individually, as well. Just trying to transfer that to the next higher level and Texas Tech seems a great opportunity for him due to the coaching staff and the competition.”
After being committed to Michigan for so long, developing a new set of relationships with an entirely different program could have been a daunting task.
Anderson did not credit a singular coach that played a role in his recruitment, rather he said they “all equally recruited” him and that speaks volumes to the family brand under the McCasland regime.
Entering his freshman season, Anderson is already well decorated on the international stage, competing for Germany’s U16 and U18 teams throughout his prep career. Anderson helped lead Germany to a bronze medal at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany.
When asked about what his goals are at the next level, Anderson went straight to business.
“My goal is just to win. My message is let’s just get to work right away. Let’s try to compete for a national championship.”
