Here were the six selections for the Boston Celtics as they were suppose to have eight picks but to save room and to make some sort of trade, Ainge traded away the 31st pick (Deyonta Davis PF Michigan State) and the 35th pick (Rade Zagorac SF Serbia) to the Memphis Grizzlies for a 2019 first round pick from Memphis.
Round 1:
#3 overall- Jaylen Brown SF Cal-
Explosive player with big time abilities, Brown was a risk/reward player that will pan out over the course of time and has the abilities to be the unstoppable wing player. Players like P.J. Hairston, Stanley Johnson come to mind when you think of Brown. Big, athletic, fast players that can run the floor and take off and drive to the hoop with authority. Great pick by Ainge and company.
#16 overall- Guerschon Yabusele PF France-
An international player with insane strength down on the block, Yabusele was a top tier product from overseas and has proven himself well to be drafted 16th overall, which even surprised him as Boston gave him the call that he would be a Celtic. A physical presence on the block in the post, Yabusele stands at 6’8 and weighs roughly 260 pounds (comparsion to Jared Sullinger). A big time dunker who has extremely strong lower body strength, Yabusele will be able to adapt to the game at the low post early if he gets the opportunity but it is unlikely as Ainge may put him in the D-League to get further development. Good, unique pick here.
#23 overall- Ante Zizic PF/C Croatia-
Another mystery of a player but according to scouts, Zizic is the most pro ready international player in this class. At 6’11 and roughly 235 pounds, Zizic stands tall and has some muscle to him along with great athleticism. Zizic,according to scouts and mock draft analysts, was placed to go at the end of the 1st round to about where the C’s took him at #23. Interesting find and maybe this will work well for the C’s. Trust the process.
#45 overall- Demetrius Jackson PG Notre Dame-
A mature point guard that has helped guide the Fighting Iris to the tournament, Jackson is a well rounded point guard and understands the game. An efficent player that is pretty good size despite being a bit lanky but durable (6’1 195 pounds). I liked Jackson at Notre Dame as his time to shine is now and Boston is a good destination for him to learn from Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, and even be paired alongside with Terry Rozier, unless if the C’s bundle a deal with another team involving Rozier.
#51 overall- Ben Bentil PF Providence-
Bentil, a undersized yet dominant big man from Providence, was the man who didn’t get all the attention due to Kris Dunn’s rise but Bentil did a lot of the dirty work for the Friars, as they splashed into the tournament this year as the #9 seed. Bentil has a huge wingspan for a guy who is 6’8-6’9 (7’2 wingspan approx.) and has a knack for scoring efficiently. A late steal for the C’s at #51 will help them bolster their backcourt with young talent like Jordan Mickey, Kelly Olynyk, etc.
#58 overall- Abdel Nader SF Iowa State
The second Cyclone taken after fellow teammate Georges Niang was snagged by he Indiana Pacers at #50, Nader is another strong wing player that is a productive scorer (about 13 points a game this previous year) along with being a good defensive player. At 6’6 and 230 pounds, Nader should fit right alongside Jaylen Brown and Jae Crowder as very tough, strongly built wing players that will drive to the hoop and kill you with outside shooting.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
