Canadian four-star Christian Nitu discusses his recruitment, game

Over the last few years, we’ve seen the development of the Unicorn. Tall, lanky, yet very skilled prospects taking over the game of basketball. The newest Unicorn in the bunch? Christian Nitu.

Nitu, a 2024 prospect out of Fort Erie International Academy, stands at 6-foot-11 and causes havoc on both ends. He’s even played for Canada’s u17 team in the FIBA World Cup this year, where he was able to establish his worth as a top-tier prospect in the 2024 class.

He can truly do it all. Defends at a very high rate and uses his length very well. In addition, on the offensive end, Nitu can score from all over the floor, a playmaker, but also my favorite part is his versatility and his motor to run the floor at almost 7 feet tall.

Most recently, Illinois extended a scholarship offer to Nitu, joining a fair share of schools that are already in pursuit. With two months of high school remaining and a whole spring and summer ahead, I can presume we see the recruiting breakout of Nitu here in the coming months.

He discussed his blossoming recruitment, his game, and more with Stockrisers.com. Here’s Canadian prospect Christian Nitu. 

Which schools are heavily involved in your recruitment?

“TCU, Miss. State, Creighton, Illinois, Santa Clara, Utah, Pittsburgh, and Coastal Carolina. Those are the main ones.”

And have any new schools reached out recently?

“South Carolina, Nebraska, Portland, and George Washington are recent.”

How did you feel about the Illinois offer and your thoughts on their program?

“I know that they play in the Big Ten which is a great conference and has a lot of dogs. It would be a good option once high school is done because they would help bring what I need to get to the league, which is my goal. They have a great culture as well.”

What are your thoughts on Creighton, they recruit Canada heavy, thoughts?

“Creighton has a great system and I would fit right in offensively. I know Ryan Nembhard goes there, he’s a good person. It would be a great spot.”

So how about TCU, do thoughts on them?

“TCU was the first program to take interest in me so that means a lot. I’ve kept a great relationship with them. The Big 12 is a great conference too.”

Pittsburgh?

“One of the coaches reached out to plan a visit but it never ended up happening. I haven’t been in touch with them.”

And you brought up visits, have you locked in any?

“I haven’t planned any visits so far but I’m guessing by the end of the summer I will have some planned out.”

How would you best describe your game?

“The best word is versatile. I play inside and out and exploit mismatches. If you put a slow big man on me I will take them out on the perimeter. If you put a guard on me I will post them up. If you put a wing on me I will take it to the mid-post or short roll-off screens. I like to grab rebounds and push the ball down the floor to play make and score. I’m a very underrated passer as well. I need to continue to get stronger for the next level. A swiss-army knife is the best way to describe it.”

And how do you feel your game evolved this season?

“I’ve evolved a lot on the defensive end. Keeping the ball in front of me and guarding the post, as well as altering shots.”

And how do you feel your season is going?

“Season is going good, our time is getting much better as time goes on and we are on track to winning the OSBA. We look to do damage in The Grind Session, hopefully winning the championship.”