Florida State University Athletics
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University of Pittsburgh
Nitu, Seminoles Prepare For Pittsburgh Wednesday Night At Home
1/14/2025 11:18:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE -- You may think that the Seminoles' trip to Clemson which brought the first sight of snow for the team this season, would have been a welcome sight for Christian Nitu. After all, the 6-11 forward was born in Canada and had spent each of his first 19 winters shoveling snow, dodging snowballs, and finding his way around his hometown of Whitby, Ontario with layers upon layers of warm clothing to deflect the cold.
But for the first-year Florida State basketball, he's swapped the icy winters of Canada for Florida's warm embrace and couldn't be happier about it.
Nitu loves the warm weather as much as he loves playing basketball at Florida State.
"I don't miss the snow at all; I love the warmer weather in Florida," said Nitu. "I enjoy the change of scenery."
For Nitu becoming a student-athlete at Florida State has also allowed him to be on his own for the first time in his life.
"I've lived in Canada my whole life," said Nitu. "Living in Tallahassee has given me an excellent opportunity to be independent and I really enjoy my lifestyle here at Florida State."
Nitu and his Seminole teammates play host to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m. at the Donald L. Tucker Center in a game that will be televised by ESPNU.
Florida State students who attend the game with the Panthers will earn double Spear It Reward points at check-in. Fear the Spear pennants will be distributed to the first 500 students who check in at the Spear it Rewards table at the top of section 120. At halftime, Robyn Slain – one of only three women in the United States who can spin 10 basketballs at the same time – will entertain the crowd.
Nitu has made his presence felt for the Seminoles and has been a strong addition to the team in their first 11 victories of the season. He played in 11 of the first 16 games of the season, and he continues to develop both his inside and outside games within the successful system developed by head coach Leonard Hamilton and his staff.
"We need to get Christian more into our rotation," said Hamilton. "He's coming. We need to find a way to get him on the court because he is talented enough to help us."
While Hamilton continues to carve out playing time in the Seminoles' rotation for the player whose heritage is both Canadian and Romanian, Nitu is continuing to learn how to play the game every day in practice and in each game the Seminoles play.
"I've worked on both improving on defense and becoming a better shooter," said Nitu who arrived at Florida State during the summer of 2024 to begin acclimating himself to the climate in North Florida, learning about his teammates' skills, and building friendships that will last him a lifetime. "I quickly learned that the game at this level is all about your mentality and your willingness to work hard."
Nitu has worked to earn increased playing time in the Seminoles' rotation now that ACC play has started. He earned playing time in both of Florida State's victories over Syracuse and Miami while scoring his career-high of six points in 15 minutes of playing time in the Seminoles' victory over Tulane in the Orange Bowl Classic. Against the Green Wave, Nitu scored four of his six points in the second half to help Florida State earn its eighth victory of the season.
In addition to working hard to improve himself on the basketball court, the one-time soccer goalkeeper has also seen his work ethic pay off in the classroom.
Nitu earned a 3.55 grade point average in his first summer and fall semesters of work towards a degree in sport management. He earned a 3.438 grade point average in the fall semester and has adjusted well to the rigors of playing basketball at the Division I level and being successful in the classroom.
"For me, it's been smooth sailing, and having a great academic staff that has led to my success in the classroom," said Nitu.
As Nitu continues to grow and mature as a person, a word he comes back to frequently is consistency.
"I've learned that consistency in everything you do matters the most – consistency both on and off the court in everything that you do is the most important thing that you can strive for in every aspect of life."
Consistency is one most important lessons he has been taught by associate head coach Stan Jones.
"Christian is a hard-working young man who truly cares about his development and being a Florida State Seminole," said Jones. "He is on the verge of breaking out in a good way as he missed all of his last high school season with an injury. He is a joy to work with as he really listens and pushes himself diligently to apply what he has learned to his highly versatile skill set. As his body continues to strengthen and Father Time and Mother Nature do what they do, I am confident Christian will evolve into a big man to be reckoned with in our conference and in the college basketball landscape."
While assimilating himself into a new culture and bonding with his teammates who have become his lifelong brothers, Nitu still feels a little bit homesick. The remedy for that came when the Seminoles had a week off between their game against Louisville on December 21 and the start of their preparations for Syracuse on December 28.
"The first thing I did when I got home was to enjoy a meal with my family," said Nitu. "It was very refreshing after months of not seeing them. I miss my family and friends very much.
As his first season becomes a constant schedule of practice, playing games, and traveling, Nitu knows two things are certain.
"My biggest success is being healthy and having the opportunity to grow as a player and a person."
And not shoveling snow before heading out to basketball practice is pretty good, too.
