Men’s Basketball signs Christian Bishop

AUSTIN, Texas — Christian Bishop has signed an Athletic Scholarship Agreement (ASA) to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Chris Beard announced Saturday. Bishop, who played his first three seasons at Creighton University, will join the Longhorns for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

Bishop (6-7, 220), a forward from Lee's Summit, Mo., played in 90 career games (62 starts) and registered 724 points (8.0 ppg) and 420 rebounds (4.7 rpg) while adding 82 blocked shots and converting 64.5-percent from the field in his three years at Creighton. He ranks fourth nationally among active NCAA Division I players (minimum 240 field goals made) in career field goal percentage at 64.5-percent (296-459). Bishop also ranks second in Creighton program history in career field goal percentage (min. 300 attempts) and ninth in career blocked shots.

As a junior in 2020-21, Bishop started all 31 games and averaged 11.0 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game while helping the Bluejays post a 22-9 overall record (14-6 BIG EAST) and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He converted 68.1-percent from the floor (141-207), ranking second on the Creighton single-season chart. Bishop led the BIG EAST in field goal percentage, and his 68.1-percent mark was tops nationally in Division I among the 770 players who attempted at least 200 field goals. He also ranked second on the team and eighth in the BIG EAST in blocked shots per game (1.0 bpg).

Bishop reached double figures in scoring in 23 games and double digits in rebounds in six games last year. He posted six double-doubles, including a pair of double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament. During his three NCAA tourney contests, Bishop averaged 13.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He registered 15 points and 11 boards in the first-round win over UC Santa Barbara and followed with 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the second-round victory against Ohio. The 15 boards were the most by a Creighton play since Ronnie Harrell Jr. in 2017 and most by a Bluejay in a NCAA Tournament contest since Bob Harstad grabbed 16 on March 14, 1991 against New Mexico State. Bishop's 31 total rebounds tied for the third-most in a NCAA Tournament by a Creighton player.

In his sophomore season in 2019-20, Bishop started all 31 games and averaged 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.5 minutes per contest while leading Creighton to a 24-7 record (13-5 BIG EAST) and the BIG EAST regular-season championship. He converted a team-best 59.2-percent from the field (106-179), the fourth-best mark in the league. Bishop reached double figures in scoring in 14 games, including a season-best 19 points to go along with five assists, four blocks and three steals against No. 21 Butler (Feb. 21).

Bishop played in 28 of a possible 35 games as a freshman (2018-19) and averaged 4.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per contest, as Creighton registered a 20-15 mark and advanced to the NIT quarterfinals. He converted a team-best 67.1-percent (49-73) from the floor. Bishop averaged 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.0 minutes per contest during Creighton's first 30 games, and increased those numbers to 6.0 points and 5.2 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per contest over the final five games of the season. He averaged 8.7 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game during Creighton's three NIT contests.

Bishop was a two-time first-team all-state selection at West High School (Lee's Summit, Mo.) while playing for coach Michael Scheiber. He was ranked as the No. 103 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals in the class of 2018. During his senior year, Bishop recorded the first triple-double in school history when he posted 24 points, 14 boards and 10 blocks against Christian Brothers College. As a junior, he averaged 12.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while converting 58.8-percent from the floor and led his team to the Missouri Class 5 state title game.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics