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Michigan basketball commit tabbed as a top NBA prospect in FIBA ​​tournament

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Christian Anderson, a class of 2024 point guard who is committed to Michigan basketball, helped lead Germany to the FIBA ​​U16 European Championship, Division B tournament title late last month. He not only earned MVP honors, but he also got noticed as one of the top professional prospects at the event.

Anderson averaged 16.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game across eight contests. The 16-year-old shot 57.1% from the field, including 60% from 3-point range during the tournament. The Michigan commit scored at least 10 points in every contest, including 25 against Sweden in the quarterfinals, 15 against Belgium in the semifinals and 15 against Finland in the final. He led his team and finished 10th in the tournament in scoring.

Following the tournament, NBADraft.net included Anderson among the top-10 NBA prospects at the event, noting he was “probably the most efficient guard” — with the caveat that players at that age are usually “far from finished products.“ Here’s what they wrote:

The Michigan commit shot 85% from the free throw line and 60% from 3. Was probably the most efficient guard for Division A or B. Voted MVP for Division B and led Germany to a first place finish. IF he can grow another 3-4 inches he will have a great shot at an NBA career.

Anderson, who plays high school ball at Lovett School in Atlanta, is described by FIBA ​​as follows:

Christian Anderson Jr. is a highly skilled guard. The 16-year-old is an exceptional shooter, who is comfortable shooting off the catch as well as off the dribble, reliably knocks down his midrange jumpers but also has range way beyond the three-point line. Furthermore, Anderson shows nice flashes as a playmaker. With this skillset, it’s no wonder the US-based guard has made a name for himself in high-school basketball. Despite his youth, the sharpshooter has already committed to represent the University of Michigan starting in 2024, which likely makes him the only college-commit in either division of the FIBA ​​U16 European Championship. With Germany, where Anderson’s father spent part of his professional basketball career, Anderson Jr. will be looking to gain promotion and bring Germany back into Division A.

Juan Howard and the Wolverines were the first program to offer Anderson in June 2021. The guard visited Ann Arbor in late September of that year, coming on-campus for the Rutgers football game. He told The Michigan Insider that the visit was “fantastic” and pulled the trigger days later.

“Because Coach Juan Howard and the entire staff believed in me from the start, they recognized my academics, my circumstances and my potential in the future,” Anderson told 247Sports of why he chose Michigan. “Coach Howard is an NBA Champion, he has been on an NBA Championship team, he has coached NBA Championship teams and I just thought Michigan and the whole program would be a great fit for me.”

While it’s relatively unusual for a prospect to commit at the beginning of his sophomore year, Anderson said the move would allow Michigan to build around him.

“I felt that if I were to commit this early, it would give the coach Juan Howard and the whole Michigan staff this trust in me that they already know who they have and they have an opportunity to build around me rather than me just wait for all of these other schools and they don’t know whether I am going to go there or not and who they’re going to have,” he said.

Anderson is listed at 5-foot-9 by FIBA. He’s a four-star in the 247Sports Composite and a top-100 player nationally. He is currently the only member of Michigan’s 2024 class.

Highlights: Christian Anderson at the FIBA ​​U16 European Championship

CBB Europe compiled highlights of Anderson’s performances at the FIBA ​​U16 European Championship. Watch them below: