2020 five-star basketball recruit Josh Christopher, the nation’s top shooting guard prospect, has trimmed his list to five schools. Arizona State, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and UCLA made the cut, while big-time suitors like Arizona and Oregon are among the schools that were taken out of consideration.
Boom! Top 5. Early bday gifts for everybody! God is Good! Thank you for everyone that helped through this process! pic.twitter.com/rbhtfpu3Vd
— Josh(ua) Christopher (@Jaygup23) July 25, 2019
Christopher performed well at the Nike Peach Jam earlier this month, leading Vegas Elite to a 3-2 record while averaging 20.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Some of his flaws were on display as well, however, as he averaged 3.6 assists to 4.4 turnovers per game and shot just 7-for-25 (28.0%) from three-point range. If he wants to establish himself as a high-end NBA prospect, he’ll need to tighten up his playmaking and improve his outside shooting.
Still, there are plenty of things that Christopher does at a high level that will serve him well at the college level. He’s a dangerous scorer once he gets in the paint, capable of finishing in traffic and through contact. He also possesses excellent strength, which helps him operate as a dynamic rebounder despite standing at just 6’4.
Kentucky has been considered the heavy favorite in Christopher’s recruitment ever since they offered him on July 17th. According to Jack Pilgrim of Kentucky Sports Radio, he grew up as a fan of Calipari’s program and called Kentucky his dream school, which undoubtedly works in the Wildcats’ favor. However, there are still other players in his recruitment. Christopher grew up in California, giving UCLA some of the same “hometown hero” allure that sent Romeo Langford to Indiana last year. Furthermore, his brother Caleb joined Arizona State’s program as part of the 2019 class, which could factor into his recruitment.
Another thing worth noting is that Christopher is very close friends with fellow guard prospect Jalen Green, and a package deal to Kentucky is very much in play (though they likely wouldn’t commit at the same time). No matter where he ends up, though, Christopher figures to be a major contributor at the college level.
