Laramie’s Mickelson is Prepared for Unique Basketball Events

Laramie High School junior Christian Mickelson is getting some rare opportunities this summer thanks to some changes in college basketball recruiting.

Mickelson has been chosen for two showcase events over the next month in Aurora, CO, and Phoenix, AZ. The Plainsmen guard will be part of the new Centennial State Grandstand Friday through Sunday in Aurora. Then, July 22-25, he’s been invited to the NCAA College Basketball West Academy at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

KOWB’s David Settle caught up with Mickelson, in the video above, to chat about these opportunities. Christian knows it’s big for him and will give him feedback on what to work on. He talked about his current ‘game’ and what he feels he needs to focus on, plus being one of the few chosen from Wyoming for these is nice.

The recent Rice Commission Report on College Basketball changed the landscape of how potential prospects will be recruited moving forward. The report changed some of the “live” viewing periods for college coaches in April and July to the month of June, which is reserved for high school events. The report also created three-day evaluation events, like the Centennial State Grandstand, that must be held on an education-based, non-Division 1 campus.

Both events that Mickelson will be attending are on an invitation-only basis. He is one of nine players from Wyoming headed to the Centennial State Grandstand this weekend. As of now, he is one of two prep players from the Cowboy State headed to the NCAA College Basketball Academy in Arizona. That is one of four across the country with one each for the “West,” “South,” “Midwest,” and “East” regions of the country.

Mickelson averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season for Laramie High School. He led the Plainsmen at 2.1 assists per game and also averaged 1.1 steals per game, as a sophomore.