While Max Christie has become a key asset for the Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson admitted he did not know much about him beforehand. In fact, Thompson sheepishly admitted he previously believed his new teammate was the son of Sacramento Kings interim head coach Doug Christie.

The Mavericks narrowly lost to the Kings in overtime on Feb. 10, prompting Thompson to bring his Max Christie-Doug Christie blunder to light. After the game, the sharpshooter revealed his confusion to reporters, citing the two players' build and play style.

“I thought that was Doug Christie's son for like, years,” Thompson said. “I clarified that with him and they're not related. Same measurables, you know? [They're both] Six-six off-guards.”

After getting his initial thoughts out of the way, Thompson praised Christie's recent play. Since joining the Mavericks at the trade deadline, Christie hit the ground running, averaging 17 points per game in his first four games with Dallas.

“I've been incredibly impressed with Max. What a great addition. I've had great success with Michigan State guys throughout my career and he's just another one. They come in, they know how to defend, they are team players, and he has such a bright future in this league.”

Thompson loosely compared Christie to his former Golden State Warriors teammate, Draymond Green. Christie and Green both attended Michigan State before entering the NBA Draft, which Thompson believes turned them into the gritty players they are.

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Max Christie's hot start with Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) celebrates making a three point basket during overtime against the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Christie's hot streak has shockingly made him the best asset Dallas has received in return for Doncic thus far. The Doncic trade was centered around Anthony Davis, who played just one game for the Mavericks before suffering another injury that will keep him sidelined for a significant amount of time.

In each of his four games as a Maverick, Christie has scored at least 15 points. He scored 23 points in his home debut against the Houston Rockets, just five shy of his career-high. His recent surge helped Dallas corral consecutive wins over the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets, two of the premier teams in the NBA.

Despite the small sample size, Christie is already showing more with the Mavericks than he ever did with the Los Angeles Lakers. The third-year guard broke into JJ Redick's starting lineup in 2024-2025 but averaged just 8.5 points per game through his first 46 outings of the year. He has since doubled that production during his first week in Dallas.