COMMITMENT: Virginia basketball lands 2024 guard Christian Bliss

The Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team has landed its first commitment of the 2024 class with 6’4” combo guard Christian Bliss announcing his commitment today. A Newtown, Pennsylvania native, Bliss picked the Wahoos over other finalists including the Miami Hurricanes, Villanova Wildcats, and Xavier.

Who is Bliss as a player?

On offense, Bliss is a complete player. He can play both the point and off-ball. He’s capable of scoring at all three levels with a very good outside shot which complements an impressive understanding of angles. Bliss also has impressive court vision and the ability to break a defense down off the dribble and then make the correct play, whether that’s to pull-up, drive to the hoop, or find an open teammate.

Friend of the site Joe Boxley recently remarked that Bliss is a combination of former UVA players London Perrantes, Devon Hall, and Ty Jerome. It’s hard to disagree with that. Bliss isn’t notably flashy on the court, but he makes all the right decisions and has that winning mentality that so many past Virginia guards have had.

Bliss is fundamentally a patient offensive player who is effective at exploiting opponents’ weaknesses and poor decisions. He’s athletic enough to be a quality player in the ACC and his ability to beat a defender no matter how they guard him in ball screen scenarios is absolutely Jerome-esque.

Defensively, Bliss has good instincts and a knack for getting his hands on the ball. He’s not elite athletically, but with guidance from Bennett and his staff the three star guard should be a solid ACC defender.

How does his commitment impact Virginia’s recruiting?

Bliss makes UVA’s staff much easier simply because of his versatility. Similar to how Jerome and Hall provided ball-handling and play-making chops as bigger guards, Bliss does as well. His presence allows Virginia to recruit a variety of players to play alongside him.

Of course, the most important element of this commitment is that UVA has a point guard to fill in after Reece Beekman leaves after the 2023-2024 season. Should Bliss re-class and spend this upcoming season as a redshirt year, he could seriously benefit and step onto the court in the fall of 2024 as an immediate contributor alongside other backcourt pieces Dante Harris, Isaac McKneely, and Andrew Rohde.

As for the rest of the 2024 class, the Wahoos are likely still in the market for a shooter and a forward. Names to watch on that front are Kon Knueppel and Bliss’ AAU teammate Matthew Hodge.