Scouting Report: FSU 3-star basketball signee Christian Nitu

With virtually all of their big men either graduating or transferring after last season, the Florida State men’s basketball team clearly has a need for some help on the interior in 2024-25.

One of the Seminoles’ incoming recruits who could be able to help in that area is 6-foot-11 Canadian freshman Christian Nitu. The former Indiana State commitment changed his pledge to Florida State in April, and he will be part of a heavily reconstructed roster for Leonard Hamilton this season.

On3 rates Nitu as a three-star prospect, the No. 39 power forward in this class and the No. 25 prospect in Canada. At 6-11 and 200 pounds, he possesses a very versatile skill set, which should be helpful in Hamilton’s system.

Nitu was a member of TeamCanada’s under-17 national team, which participated in the 2023 World Cup.

Offensive Outlook

Nitu is a good example of a modern-day big man in today’s evolving game of basketball. He has the ability to score at all three levels with decent efficiency.

Something pretty intriguing about Nitu’s game is his handle. As you can see from the clip below, Nitu seems very comfortable operating off the dribble, using it to set up his mid-range game.

Nitu can also be a valuable off-the-ball offensive player. He is a capable outside shooter, and his length and athletic ability will allow him to be a nice weapon in pick-and-roll sets.

In an interview with Prospective Insight, Nitu said that he thinks his wingspan is around 7-foot-1, which would place him near the top of the recent NBA Draft. That tremendous length should allow him to catch lobs or entry passes in traffic near the paint.

Nitu also has displayed comfort shooting from the perimeter. In the second clip below, he does a nice job of being ready to catch and shoot in one motion while running the floor in transition.

Something that could hinder Nitu’s offensive output this season is his lack of physicality and strength. At 200 pounds, Nitu weighs less than all but one of the nine forwards on the FSU roster from a season ago. This obviously could hinder his ability to work in the post against bigger, stronger ACC defenders.

Nitu also has dealt with injuries during his high school career. So getting into a college strength and conditioning program will be vital.

Defensive Outlook

On the end of the floor, Nitu has some qualities that should be very valuable to the Florida State defense next season.

At 6-foot-11 with an extra-long wing span, Nitu should be able to alter shots in the paint. One of the Seminoles’ biggest problems on defense in recent years has been a lack of a rim-protector, and if he can fill that role at all, it would be a huge boost for FSU.

Because Hamilton likes to switch defenders 1-through-5, Nitu will have to prove he can guard smaller, quicker players away from the basket as well. This is another area where Florida State has struggled at times in recent years, so anything he can provide in this area will be a plus.

In the first clip below, Nitu displays the ability to provide help-side defense and contest shots. In the next clip, he is shown working to defend an opposing big man in the open floor.

If he can get his fundamentals down, Nitu’s length could be effective at all three levels defensively. Not only could he block shots in the paint, but he could force 3-point shooters to get off their shots quicker, and creating space in the mid-range game will also be a challenge for opponents.

One concern about those clips above is that even when Nitu contests the first shot, the opponents were able to collect offensive rebounds.

In that interview with Prospective Insight, Nitu was asked where he feels he can improve the most.

“I think I need better defensive instincts, which comes from experience … I feel defensive rebounding is also something I need to work on,” Nitu said.

Florida State ranked next-to-last in the ACC in rebound differential last season, and the Seminoles were 11th in total offensive rebounds allowed. Nitu and his new teammates will have to put in a lot of work over the offseason to try and correct these issues.

Up Next: Scouting report on FSU junior college transfer Malique Ewin.

Sam Stevens is a Warchant intern entering his second year as a student at Florida State University.

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