"I have to learn": Chris Riddle prepares for his freshman season with DePaul

Let’s face it: it’s not easy being a freshman in college basketball these days. 

Those who closely follow the sport are all too aware of the rise of covid seniors and increased usage of the transfer portal to replace meaningful minutes, drastically minimizing the impact of high school prospects. Coaches like Xavier’s own Sean Miller have even gone on record saying he’s glad there’s not a freshman on his team’s upcoming roster, which should contend for a Big East regular season title with its combined experience. 

But this is DePaul, and for at least a couple more years, a Big East title is likely not on the immediate horizon for the Blue Demons’ program. 

However, when the South Loop’s sleeping giant does finally awaken at the hands of new head coach Chris Holtmann, it feels like current freshman wing Chris Riddle is well-positioned to be at the center of it all. Ranked as a three-star prospect out of Chicago’s Kenwood Academy, the 6-foot-5 Riddle (who, for my money, is all of 6-foot-7) chose the Blue Demons over other local options including UIC, Northern Illinois, and Illinois State. 

Despite last season’s coaching change that led some to believe he might reconsider his decision, Riddle said he never wavered and quickly reaffirmed his commitment following the announcement of Holtmann’s hiring. 

“I was comfortable with everything about the school: the learning, the environment, and Coach Parham who recruited me is still here,” Riddle said at yesterday’s media availability in Lincoln Park. “[Parham] told me to keep going, to play hard, and be truthful to myself. I already love the game, I already want to learn, and I’m already coachable.”

Riddle’s work ethic and love for the game immediately shine through in practice, right down to the smallest details. In sprint drills, he can always be found right at the front of the pack, and on occasional missed plays he earnestly listens for feedback from not only his coaches, but his teammates as well. 

And where most freshmen feel that they deserve a lion’s share of the minutes at their respective position(s), and that a role should immediately be carved out for them around their new program, Riddle appears comfortable biding his time and letting the game come to him. 

“The main thing this year is that I have to learn. Everybody transferred [into the program], everybody needs a chance,” Riddle said. “I’m a freshman, man. I just came here. I don’t have a choice but to learn.”

Throughout his career at Kenwood, and especially as a senior, Riddle played with diligence on each end of the floor. DePaul basketball superfan Tim Anderson made a point to catch as much of Riddle’s final prep season as possible, and came away impressed with his poise on both sides of the ball.

“I’ve been pretty high on his upside from the time I first saw his game tapes [when he committed]. At the Chicago Public League Championship game this year, he accounted for many of the early points for Kenwood. The rest of the team seemed to get off to a slow start, but followed Chris’ lead,” Anderson said. “He’s a calm and gentle person to speak with, and shows maturity that surprised me for a high school senior. DePaul is very lucky to have him.”

Anderson added that Riddle “often outmuscled and finessed opposing players”, and displayed levels of defense far above the average high school prospect. And whether he’s on offense or defense for the Blue Demons, Riddle know he’ll play with the same intensity game in and game out.

“I definitely work hard to be on the court, to do the things that I do. And this year, you can expect anything,” Riddle said. “Anything my coach needs, he’s going to get it out of me. So you should probably ask Coach Holtmann [what I need to do].”

So, we did.

“This is a process about Chris growing this year to be really good as a sophomore. We’re not sacrificing this year at all, but I think there’s a lot for him to learn and grow this year, and he’s got to continue to take every day and all the information to learn and grow from that opportunity,” Holtmann said in his media availability. “And I think on that end, he’s been spot-on. He realizes he’s got a lot to learn, but he brings a lot of good things to the group.”

The best thing he brings to the group? An unrelenting, gym rat mentality. 

“I’m the guy that’s coming in here after class. Right after these interviews? I’ve got class. Right after class? Coming right back here [to the gym],” Riddle said.

It’s certainly true that in the current landscape of college basketball, most freshmen have a tough time making an immediate in-game impact. 

While that could largely be the case for Chris Riddle, his early mark on the program will assuredly be made in even more impactful ways, as the Blue Demons try to establish a new culture following its previous 3-29 season. And for that, Chris Holtmann’s DePaul will be all the better.