Note #030: Christian Bliss (The Marathon Man)
Whilst analyzing a different Christian (Anderson, recently featured in Note #028), we knew we needed to take a closer look at this Christian (Bliss).
Bliss entered the transfer portal after his 2025-26 season with Delaware.
That year, the sophomore (per Sports Reference), who redshirted his freshman year at Virginia in 2023-24 and did not play for the Cavaliers in 2024-25, averaged 16.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.8 SPG in his lone season with the Blue Hens.
The ten NCAA Division I men's players to average at least 16.5 PPG, 5.5 APG, 5 RPG, 1.5 SPG in their sophomore season since 1947-48:
16.5-17 PPG
1. Jason Kidd (1993-94) - 16.7 PPG, 9.1 APG, 6.9 RPG, 3.1 SPG
2. Christian Bliss (2025-26) - 16.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG
3. Anthony Peeler (1989-90) - 16.8 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG
17-17.5 PPG
4. Magic Johnson (1978-79) - 17.1 PPG, 8.4 APG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 SPG
5. Nick Calathes (2008-09) - 17.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.9 SPG
6. Penny Hardaway (1991-92) - 17.4 PPG, 5.5 APG, 7.0 RPG, 2.5 SPG
7. DeVante Jones (2019-20) - 17.4 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.8 RPG, 1.7 SPG
17.5-24 PPG
8. Michael Anderson (1985-86) - 18.8 PPG, 7.3 APG, 6.5 RPG, 3.0 SPG
24+ PPG
9. Ja Morant (2018-19) - 24.5 PPG, 10.0 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG
10. Kenny Anderson (1990-91) - 25.9 PPG, 5.6 APG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 SPG
Hardaway first appears in Note #018 on Thomas Haugh's electric 2025-26 season. Michael Anderson's first app was in Note #028 on Christian Anderson.
Morant is everywhere lately: Note #021 (Robert Wright III) / Note #025 (Elijah Crawford) / Note #026 (Nolan Minessale) / Note #028 (Christian Anderson)
And don't forget about Kenny Anderson who comes up early and often: Note #003 (Keaton Wagler) / Note #008 (Acaden Lewis) / Note #010 (Alex Wilkins), and recently: Note #026 on Minessale.
The only other sophomore who met those two thresholds, our friend:
Christian Anderson - 18.5 PPG, 7.4 APG
The only freshman to do it in 2025-26?
Darius Acuff Jr. - 23.5 PPG, 6.4 APG
(Note #003 / Note #010 / Note #023 / Note #025)
Now let's tack on RPG (Bliss = 5.2).
Only one other player in 2025-26 averaged at least 16.5 PPG, 5.5 APG, 5.0 RPG:
Quinn Denker - 19.2 PPG, 7.0 APG, 5.1 RPG
FWIW, Denker was a senior that season.
Lastly, let's swap RPG for SPG (Bliss = 1.8).
There were only two others in 2025-26, besides Bliss, to reach the 16.5+ PPG, 5.5+ APG, 1.5+ SPG thresholds (min. 30 GP):
Kevin "Boopie" Miller - 19.1 PPG, 6.4 APG, 1.5 SPG
Jaylin Henderson - 18.2 PPG, 5.6 APG, 1.6 SPG
Miller was a junior, Henderson a senior.
Anyway, as mentioned in the Note on Anderson, what originally popped about Bliss was his 39.8 (!) MP/G (1233 MP total) across 31 GP in 2025-26.
Since 1977-78, there has only been one player in a single season who averaged a higher MP/G (min. 1230 MP total) than Bliss:
Bryce Cotton (2013-14) - 39.9 MP/G (1398 MP) in 35 GP
Of the 17 since 1977-78 that averaged 39+ MP/G (min. 1230 MP), only five were sophomores (including Bliss). The other four:
1230-1300 MP
1. Kerry Kittles (1993-94) - 39.3 MP/G (1258 MP)
2. Leon Wood III (1981-82) - 39.5 MP/G (1263 MP)
1300-1400 MP
3. Lionel Simmons (1987-88) - 39.0 MP/G (1326 MP)
1400+ MP
4. Tyus Battle (2017-18) - 39.0 MP/G (1443 MP)
Lastly: in 2025-26, Christian Anderson was the only other NCAA DI men's player besides Bliss to average 38+ MP/G.
Only four others played 37.5+ MP/G in 2025-26: Cruz Davis (37.9), Jordan Riley (37.8), Bennett Stirtz (37.7), Amir Lindsey (37.6).
Like Bliss and Anderson, Davis, Riley, Stirtz, and Lindsey all appeared in 30+ games that season.
Kittles is highlighted in Note #014 on Corey Hadnot II, while Simmons appears in Note #024 (Gavin Doty) and Note #028 (Christian Anderson).
Battle is also mentioned in #028.
Lindsey shows in Note #025 (Elijah Crawford).
Statistics via Sports Reference
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