When you show a high level of skill and an ability to score the basketball, you’re going to be a coveted recruiting target. New Trier’s Christopher Kirkpatrick checks off both of those boxes.
The offers flowed in following terrific sophomore and junior seasons and an impactful spring and summer on the Under Armour club basketball circuit with Elevate.
There was another box Kirkpatrick checked: high academics.
The beneficiary of receiving all those qualities at the next level? Princeton and coach Mitch Henderson, a program and coach that has been a regular and successful match with Illinois prospects.
Kirkpatrick, one of the top five prospects in the Class of 2026, committed to Princeton following the conclusion of the July live period.
But Kirkpatrick made it a point to emphasize this decision had plenty to do with relationships and “basketball fit” and not just the elite academics.
“Obviously academics is important to me,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’m sure a lot of people will look at it as another suburban kid going to the Ivy. But for me it was the relationship with Mitch [Princeton coach Mitch Henderson]. We have had a great relationship since day one, since the day coaches could contact players.”
The 6-3 guard says Henderson and Princeton were extremely consistent in their pursuit. He believes it was the ideal fit for him from a basketball standpoint, and it’s an opportunity he’s not sure others could provide.
“I definitely want to go somewhere that I can play right away, and I think I have a chance to do that there and hopefully play a lot.” said Kirkpatrick. “It’s a great fit basketball wise and the place is amazing. I’m thankful they believed in me.”
Despite battling some untimely injuries over the past year where he’s missed time, both with his high school and club basketball teams, Kirkpatrick always showed his value when on the floor. This past season he averaged 22 points, six rebounds and six assists for a New Trier team that won 21 games. He’s already surpassed 1,000 career points.
“I was definitely annoyed with the injuries, and it’s easy to get in the mindset of why is this happening to me, get frustrated” Kirkpatrick said of the injuries. “But I said, ‘It happened. Get over it. What the next best move?’”
As an example, Kirkpatrick took advantage of an injured thumb on his right hand to better his game.
“I worked and focused on things I might not have before,” Kirkpatrick said of the time he was injured. “I look at it now as a blessing in disguise, because now my left hand is elite and I’m confident with it.”
The super skilled, bucket-getting Kirkpatrick is a methodical ballhandler who has an uncanny way of getting to his spots and creating scoring opportunities for himself. He manages to hit contested shots and does so in a variety of ways as a significant shooting threat.
Princeton has flourished in recruiting Illinois talent. Downers Grove North’s Jack Stanton, Young’s Dalen Davis and University High’s Ryan Duncan are all currently on the Tigers roster. Caden Pierce of Glenbard West was recently the Ivy League Player of the Year while at Princeton.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
