Obviously the staff has seen something in Christian that they like. There ARE some things that can be gleaned from a highlight reel, tho I feel pretty sure Laving and Chiles have seen him in person, and verified that during the on campus friday/saturday. Great leaper, obviously very strong physically. Looks like great footspeed (judging from the clips - he pulls away on breaks several times from what look like 6 foot guards chashing him). Decent midrange shot (one highligh clip showed him hitting three 15-17 foot shots in what from the jerseys appeared to be the same game...most kids these days don't even ATTEMPT 3 midrange shots a game). Appears to have a fine first step, and very good body control. Looks to be very guick off the floor on 2nd jumps - again highlight clip stuff, but several times gets his own offensive reb for a putback. Appears to have a good concept of spacing on offense. Generally seems to be in the right place on the court. Appears to also move well without the ball.
Some seem concerned with his size - they're calling him a PF, and one report says 6'8, but it seems pretty obvious that's an overstatement (tho kids DO grow - at his age David Robinson was stillshort enuf to get into the Naval Academy) - but I'm guessing 6'5-6'6.
Size at the PF spot has never scared off Lavin - especially at the BACKUP Pf spot. From the clips Jones reminds me physically very much of a poor mans version of former Lavin player JaRon Rush - the BEST of the three Rush brothers (Kareem and Brandon), who drank himself out of his college and pro career. And yes, Lav's had no qualms qualms with the 6'5 1/2 210 lb Rush at PF (his natural position) or at SF. He led the Lav's top 25 Bruin team in rebouding as a frosh, on front line that also had Dan Gadzuric, future lotto pick Jerome Moiso, and Matt Barnes. And its worth noting, the 6'6 1/2 Matt Barnes (then now list him at 6'7 in the NBA) started for 2 years at PF - on two Sweet 16 teams - alongside SF Jason Kapono and C Gadzuric for Steve.
Right now this kid projects as the 12th man off the bench, as the 3rd string PF (behind a College All Americn in Sanchez and a top 40 talent in Sampson). SO there's plenty of time for him to develop.
Think of it this way - if this kid was a year older and this was a year earlier and we signed him July 1st, even tho we aleady knew our roster was Norvell Pelle, Mo Harkless, Amir Garrett, Nurideen Lindsey, Malik Stith, Sir Dom Pointer, D'Angelo Harrison, God's Gift Achiuwa, Phil Greene - we'd have likely thought he was in excess THEN, too - we should save the ride for the 2012 class. After all, look at all the posts on there being no downside to the Meikle decommit. Heck, Meikle would have never seen the court for us last year, right?
So we finish the season with 6 bodies. A 7th (even a Meikle or Christian Jones - and I like the idea of Jones better) would have been a blessing.
I'm thinking the staff is simply taking no chances. They think this kid is a legitimate 10th/11th/12th player on the bench, with a chance a couple years with Rico can turn him into something more.
Rides for next year will work out (D'lo, Sampson, Sanchez may go). I mean, you realize the DOWNSIDE if the rides don't open up? The DOWNSIDE is we have to play with D'lo as a Junior, Sampson as a Sophmore, and Sanchez as a Senior, instead of breaking in three freshmen, and get our freshman in the 2014 class instead.