Sept. 18, 2026, 2:47 p.m. ET
As the 18th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, guard Christian Anderson Jr. joins the Charlotte Hornets after a dazzling sophomore year at Texas Tech.
Anderson was a third-team All-American last season, averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 41.5% from 3-point range. He ranked fifth in the country in total assists (244) and 11th in minutes (1,266).
The 6-foot-1 Anderson set the Red Raiders’ single-season program record for assists, while he knocked down the second-most 3s (108). He was one of five players in the country to register eight or more 10-assist games last season.
Anderson is the fourth first-round pick from the program since the draft moved to a two-round format in 1989, joining Tony Battie (1997), Zhaire Smith (2018) and Jarrett Culver (2019). He is the first selection since Jahmi’us Ramsey went in the second round in 2020.
The 20-year-old debuted with the Hornets in summer league, averaging 10.4 points, 4.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 31.5% from the field in five games. He finished in double figures three times, including an 18-point, eight-assist effort on July 17.
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Anderson is among two first-round picks for the Hornets, along with Hannes Steinbach. He showcased his overall skill in Las Vegas and should be in store for a productive rookie year.
Throughout September, Rookie Wire is compiling some of the most interesting facts about each first-round pick in an effort to further introduce the incoming draft class ahead of the 2026-27 season
Previous: AJ Dybantsa | Darryn Peterson | Cameron Boozer | Caleb Wilson | Keaton Wagler | Mikel Brown Jr. | Darius Acuff Jr. | Kingston Flemings | Morez Johnson Jr. | Brayden Burries | Yaxel Lendeborg | Aday Mara | Nate Ament | Hannes Steinbach | Dailyn Swain | Bennett Stirtz | Ebuka Okorie
Christian Anderson Sr.
Anderson is the son of Christian Anderson Sr., who is from Germany and played college basketball at College of Charleston and Virginia Union. The 20-year-old Anderson lived briefly in Germany during his father’s professional playing career overseas.
High School
Anderson was a McDonald’s All-American nominee as a senior at the Oak Hill Academy. He previously played at The Lovett School, where he set the Georgia high school single-season scoring record with 861 points, including a career-high 51-point performance.
Michigan
A four-star recruit, Anderson initially signed a letter of intent in November 2023 to play at Michigan under coach Juwan Howard. However, Anderson later reopened his recruitment after Howard was fired and eventually signed with Texas Tech in May 2024.
Germany
Anderson has represented Germany four times at the junior level, most recently in the 2025 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. He was named to the All-Star Five en route to the silver medal, averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds. Anderson, who has also won two gold medals and a bronze, played alongside Steinbach in his last three tournaments.
Chris Paul
Anderson grew up heavily influenced by future Hall of Famer Chris Paul and considers him a basketball role model. He even played for Paul’s AAU team, Team CP3, in 2021 and 2022 and was named the Top 16U player at the 2022 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions.