Meet Max Christie: From Arlington Heights to the NBA

Max Christie, the young star of the Los Angeles Lakers, was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in 2003. His parents, Max Sr. and Katrinas Christie, are both American and hail from different ethnic backgrounds—Max Sr. is African-American, and Katrinas is of Caucasian descent. Despite their mixed heritage, Max identifies as African-American. Basketball runs deep in the Christie family. Max Sr. played at Loyola Academy and later at Parkland College, while Katrinas was a standout player at Northwestern University. Their love for the game has certainly rubbed off on their children. Max's younger brother, Cam, was picked by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2024 NBA Draft. Max Sr. became an aircraft pilot after completing his education, while Katrinas pursued a career in psychology. Both have played crucial roles in nurturing their children's basketball skills. Max attributes his strong post-game and social media management skills to his mother's mentorship. Christie follows Christianity, though he hasn't publicly discussed his religious practices much. Before joining the NBA, he represented the U. S. in the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship, held in Brazil. His performance helped Team USA win the gold medal. Max's NBA journey is just beginning, but he's already making a name for himself. From scoring 9. 5 points per game in the FIBA tournament to starting for the Lakers, his journey is one to watch.