Christian Nitu is the Canadian version of Chet Holmgren

Christian Nitu is a  point forward for Fort Erie International Academy RED (6-2 OSBA record) playing out of Fort Erie, Ontario.

A Canadian prospect who stands at 6’11 and possesses a unique combination of skills is a rare find in the world of high school basketball. Christian is a player, with his height and ability to dribble, shoot, rebound, and block shots, could be an NBA level talent when all is said and done.

Nitu’s height alone makes him an asset on the court, as he has the potential to be a dominant presence in the paint, both on offense and defense. His ability to dribble, shoot, and rebound allows him to play multiple positions, making him a versatile player that can adapt to any situation. This versatility is a valuable asset for FEIA, as it allows them to take advantage of matchups and exploit the strengths of their opponents.

One of, if not the most unique prospects Canada has seen in years, is the Toronto native Nitu. If you are unfamiliar with Christian Nitu here is a quick video for reference.

Now that you are up to speed, it’s not hard to tell that Nitu stands out like a sore thumb in between those four lines. I first saw these clips two summers ago and thought my eyes were deceiving me. Not only was this Toronto City Elite prospect handling the ball, pulling up from 3 with a clean left-handed stroke, crushing dunks and swatting shots but at this point in time he was only 14 years old. Are you kidding me? A 14-year old doing these types of moves was mind blowing, and from that point forward I knew I had to keep tabs on the kid.

Fast forward to his first Prep season with Royal Crown Academy in Toronto, ON. I have raved about this program before about how loaded their roster is year in and year out in the OSBA. Last season Christian found himself as one of the youngest players on the senior roster and with the amount of established and older talent he was the 6th/7th man off the bench. I believe this year was good not in terms of his playing time but his experience practicing against guys like 7’0 Thierno Sylla (UCF) who has a very similar positionless style of play as Christian. Nitu was a part of a winning program at Royal Crown, despite not winning the OSBA Championship their regular season dominance was impressive in itself as they went 14-0.

Christian would go on to have a very big Spring/Summer, starting with winning the NPH Game Speaks Combine MVP. Then attending NBA Basketball Without Borders camp along with 5 other fellow Canadians. On top of that honour, Christian was named to FIBA U17 Team Canada where he averaged 5.9 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game in the 7 game tournament. Christian had some highlight reel plays throughout the tournament and was demonstrating how comfortable he was putting the ball on the deck and running the offense.

Now, present day Christian Nitu is a part of a stacked FEIA RED team consisting of prospects such as (2024) Ishan Sharma, (2025) Char Yeiy & (2024) Felix Kossaras to name a few. Christian has been getting notice from scouts across the country from On3 to Draft Express – Jonathon Givony and the buzz is really starting to heat up. On top of being acknowledged by some of the top tier Scouts he has picked up offers from Creighton, Mississippi State, Eastern Michigan, Washington State, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, UTEP, TCU and Santa Clara.

I reached out to Christian Nitu’s head coach at Fort Erie International Academy – Charles Hantoumakos. Coach Hantoumakos spoke very highly of his 2024 prospect, he told me the following:

Christian is a swiss army knife. He can dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, alter/block shots and has a feel for the game you don’t often see.

Charles Hantoumakos on Christian Nitu

Now for some context, Charles Hantoumakos is a veteran in coaching elite Canadian talent from current TCU Horned Frogs standout Emanuel Miller or his brother Leonard Miller who is currently playing with the G-League Ignite. If that’s not enough, I forgot to mentioned he coached one of the best defenders in the NBA — Lugentz Dort during his time at Athlete Institute Prep, along with another crop of Division I talent. So it’s safe to say Charles knows what he’s talking about when speaking about a player. Charles went on to say this about his current forward at Fort Erie International Academy:

More importantly Christian wants to be great and is as coachable a player as I’ve had. His relentless pursuit of greatness coupled with his humility and character makes for a special talent.

Charles Hantoumakos on Christian Nitu

So, the reason why I believe that Christian Nitu could be the most promising prospect out of Canada in the next 5 years is his unicorn-like style of play much like a Chet Holmgren or Victor Wembanyama.

On the offensive end, Nitu’s’s height makes him a threat in the paint, as he can finish at the rim without breaking a sweat, and also shoot over smaller defenders. His ability to dribble, shoot, and rebound also allows him to play in the post, as well as on the perimeter, making him a difficult player to defend. Nitu can use his height and ball handling skills to drive to the basket, create his own shot, or even drain a three-pointer.

On the defensive end, Nitu’s height and ability to block shots makes him a valuable asset for Fort Erie. He can contest shots and alter them, making it difficult for opposing teams to score in the paint. Additionally, his ability to rebound allows him to control the boards and secure second chance points on offense or put the ball on the ground and initiate the offense of a defensive rebound.

In conclusion, an 12th grade basketball player who is 6’11 and can dribble, shoot, rebound, and block shots is a rare and valuable asset for any college program. With his height and versatility, he has the potential to be a dominant force on the court in the future, and makes a significant impact on Fort Erie’s current success in the present.

Nitu is a 4-man who can control the tempo of a game like a point guard. His lefty jumper is incredibly smooth from all over the court and his combination of jab-steps, pump-fakes and space creating moves make him a mismatch for any position. I think he is league bound.