Cam Christie was underrated as a Gophers freshman. Will same be true in the NBA?

A year ago, Cam Christie was preparing for his first season playing college basketball. The buzz out of Dinkytown was the Gophers had one of the most underrated freshmen in the Big Ten.

After being the first Gophers player to be drafted as a freshman in 20 years, Christie was better than advertised and surprised even himself in getting to the NBA so quickly.

“It’s been really fun,” Christie said. “But if I was in college thinking about going to the NBA, I don’t think I would’ve had the year that I had at Minnesota. It’s important to stay where your feet are and enjoy where that takes you.”

The 6-5, 190-pound Illinois native is entering his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers hoping to prove again to be ahead of the curve — just like he did with the Gophers.

At 19, Christie is the youngest player on the Clippers, but he’s played in all four of their preseason games through Tuesday, including a high of 16 minutes off the bench against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 8.

In the annual preseason NBA general manager survey, Christie received votes for the rookie who could be the biggest steal at where he was selected in the NBA draft.

The Clippers, who also have guard and ex-Gopher Amir Coffey, showed their excitement in Christie’s potential by signing him to a four-year, $7.9 million contract after selecting him in the second round with the 46th overall pick.

“Super happy for Cam,” Gophers coach Ben Johnson said. “Did I necessarily know he was going after one year? No. Was it a possibility? Yes. And as the year progressed, I started to tell our staff this is realistic.”

In five NBA Summer League games, Christie averaged 11 points and shot 40% from three-point range as a starter. That’s pretty close to his stats with the Gophers. He’s adjusting now to a reserve role in the preseason.

“You always have to stay ready playing with a bunch of older guys,” Christie said. “You never know when your opportunity is going to come. You have to stay engaged and be a great teammate on and off the court.”

Christie’s first preseason basket was a three-pointer against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the exhibition opener at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center.

“Seeing Steph and them up close was super cool,” Christie said. “I’m really excited to continue to experience moments like that as the year goes on. It was very different from playing in [the summer].”

The two Gophers currently on NBA rosters are on the Clippers. Christie and Coffey saw the floor together for the first time against the Warriors in Hawaii. Coffey is entering his sixth year with the Clippers.

“We talk about it all of the time,” Christie said about being from the same program. “It brings us closer.”

Johnson recruited Christie and sold him on a vision that he could be the next Gopher in the NBA. That vision became reality faster than expected, but he still feels a connection to Minnesota’s program.

“I still keep in touch with those guys and all of the coaches,” said Christie, who visited practice this fall. “They’re still so welcoming with me. It was a real family experience. Every chance I get, I’m going to come and hang out with those guys.”

His work has just started to make his mark in the league. Christie’s older brother, Max, has set an example for him as well. Max is entering the third season nearby with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“What keeps me going here is my confidence and my ability to get better by believing in myself,” Christie said. “And I have great people around me to help push me and keep me on the right track to get to where I want to go.”