Meet 18-year-old LA Clippers rookie, Cam Christie

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Cameron Christie speaks to the media after being selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 46th pick during the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft at ESPN Seaport District Studios on June 27, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Imag (Getty Images)

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LOS ANGELES - At 18 years old, Americans legally become adults and gain privileges, including the right to vote and the ability to apply for a credit card.

For Cameron "Cam" Christie, while most of his peers are getting ready for their second year of college, he’s training to prepare for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas for his first year as a professional basketball player.

While becoming a professional athlete at 18 is common, it's become more of a rarity in the NBA after changing its league eligibility rules in 2006. The change is often referred to as "the one-and-done rule," meaning players often play for a single season in college before declaring for the NBA Draft.

During the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers used their sole draft selection on him at No. 46. After being the NBA’s oldest team during the 2023-24 season, the Clippers seem to be on a mission to add more youth to their roster.

On Sunday, he took the podium for the first time in Los Angeles as a pro. As the youngest person in the room, he seemed ready for the moment and took questions in stride.

"I'm super young compared to a lot of other guys on the team or in the league, but kind of just, [I’m not going to] let that deter me," he said.

Christie played for a single season at the University of Minnesota and if his name sounds familiar, you aren’t mistaken. His older brother, Max Christie, plays for the LA Lakers.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Cam Christie joins brother, Lakers guard Max Christie, in LA after being drafted by Clippers

Now, their parents will be able to watch them play in the same city.

He looks up to his brother and looks forward to living in the same city. He said he takes a lot of pride in being compared to Max. However, he also wants to build his own identity, which he said was "super important."

"We’re two different people, two different players. I think as long as I just try to stay within myself and, not be somebody that I'm not, I'll be good."

The Christie brothers are part of a tight-knit family and Cam Christie also credits his father for influencing him throughout his career.

"He's been super helpful with both me and my brother. Just kind of, molding our shots since we were really young. I mean, we worked on it every day with him, so I say he's probably, like the main helper that I've had throughout my career," Christie told reporters on Sunday.

The Clippers also revealed Christie will wear jersey #12, just like his big brother.

Learn more about Cam Christie below.

Which players inspired Cam Christie growing up?

"Player-wise, I watched a lot of Devin Booker, I watched a lot of Kevin Durant," he said. "Sprinkle in some Kawhi [Leonard] and James [Harden] and watching all those guys. But I just like to watch a bunch of different high-level players and take some things from their games."

How does he feel about becoming teammates with future Hall of Famers?

"I think it's just super cool for me to even have this, ability to be able to play with guys like, you know, James, Kawhi and a bunch of other really, really good vets. I think it's super cool for me to be on the same team as them. I'm going to try to learn as much as I can from them. Obviously, they're very good at what they do. They've been doing it for a long time at a high level, so kind of just, recognizing that and, you know, just trying to be, you know, as good as a rookie as I can."

Looking forward to the Clippers' New Era

The Clippers will move into the Intuit Dome next season and the G League team has relocated to Oceanside.

"I think it's super cool to be in an organization where we have a bunch of new things coming in. Obviously, the Intuit Dome is going to be super cool … and same with the G League facility. I think it's just super cool for the organization to have both of those things as priorities and kind of prioritize the development of the player. So I'm super excited to get out there and see both."

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When can I see Cam Christie play?

Cam Christie will head to Las Vegas as part of the NBA’s Summer League, which is an off-season basketball competition showcasing players between their first and third years. Undrafted players can also be added to summer league rosters to earn a chance to go to a team’s training camp, which could then lead to earning a two-way contract.