ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. – It was a day long in the making for Max Christie, a basketball star since grade school.

“When did you know Max was going to be a special player?”

“Probably about fourth or fifth grade, when I started watching him in feeder and he’d start coming to our camps,” laughed head boys basketball coach Kevin Katovich.

“Not only is he a great player but he’s the complete package – a straight A student, doesn’t get in trouble, unselfish. He just wants to help the team win.”

The Rolling Meadows senior ranks as the number one recruit in Illinois for the class of 2021, and the top shooting guard prospect in the nation.

Several elite college programs courted him, but he took his only official visit to Michigan State in early March, which helped Max make up his mind to suit up for Sparty.

“They stressed the fact that they wanted me, that they needed me,” explained Christie. “I felt like with Coach Izzo and his staff and all the players there, I’d fit in really nicely. It’s just the place I wanted to be.”

Max is still taking classes virtually and not sure if or when his senior season will start. But after committing verbally in the summer, Max and his support system wanted to make sure he had a signing day ceremony to remember.

“Our school has been absolutely amazing supporting him and helping put this together during really, really tough times,” Katovich noted.

“It meant a lot. It just showed all the hard work come into place at one time,” Christie added. “It was really nice to watch the video and have everybody here.”

The 6’6″ sharpshooter hasn’t used the pandemic as an excuse to stop improving, lifting weights and finding places to practice, whether it be a gym or just at home.  

“Dribbling workouts, handling workouts. His trainer would be zoomed in,” remarked Christie’s parents Katrina and Max Sr. “Destroying our floor, so we have that to fix at this point but that’s okay. Shooting laying down on his bed or shooting through our high ceilings.

“It’s worth the sacrifice.”

“I’m just trying to use that time to separate myself and personally just use it as fuel to get better.”

Committed to improve as he commits to the next stop on his basketball journey.