Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Where in the world is Danny Ainge? The Celtics president of basketball operations let everyone know on Wednesday by sharing a photo from Croatia. […] But Ainge isn’t in Croatia sightseeing. He’s scouting. With the 2016 NBA Draft less than one month away, we’re entering crunch time of draft preparations.
Cibona Zagreb has two draft prospects on their roster: Ante Zizic and Nik Slavica. […]
But you’re probably wondering about Dragan Bender. He plays on Thursday in Tel Aviv, Israel. If Ainge makes the nine-hour flight over the Mediterranean Sea he’ll get a first-hand look at their potential choice with the third pick.
CSNNE – Danny Ainge Tweets Photo From Scouting Trip In Croatia
The Celtics have so many draft picks that trying to figure out who they will choose is like predicting the Powerball numbers: Impossible. One thing we do know is that hard-working Danny will cover all the bases to be prepared for all of his options, including trades. And if he does stop off in Israel on Thursday, the draft speculation is going to get very interesting.
Furthermore, if you listen to Brad Stevens, it sounds like Boston will keep the pick rather than trade for an established star.
“We’re really excited about the guys that we think will be available there,” Stevens said Wednesday during a radio interview with NBC Sports’ The Chris Mannix Show. “And so that’s been our focus. And again, I am a little bit in catch-up mode in regards to scouting and really looking at the college guys versus the rest of our front office. But that’s what I’m doing for a chunk of my day right now is watching the six, seven, eight guys that we think are most likely to be available that we will try to decide from. We’ll talk about obviously other options and those type of things as those type of things present themselves, but hey, there’s a lot of good players. We’re fortunate to be picking as high as we are.”
Stay tuned, because there is much, much, much more to come.
On Page 2: AB earns A+ on D
Congrats to Avery Bradley on his NBA All-Defensive first team selection! pic.twitter.com/HI0TPhzXUl
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 25, 2016
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAs you probably saw yesterday, Avery Bradley was named to the NBA’s All-Defense first team, joining a stellar list of Celtics who’ve been honored since defenders were first recognized in 1969. AB was third overall in the voting, and first among all guards in the league. It’s a well-deserved tribute to a guy who made his mark as a tenacious on-ball defender, even before becoming known as a reliable outside shooter.
For your viewing pleasure, the Celtics’ website offers a highlight reel of Avery’s best moments from this past season. More of AB’s career highlights appear below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KbsXgIqgy0] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1q75WEVVzA]Related: MassLive – 2016 NBA All-Defensive teams announced: Avery Bradley of Boston Celtics makes First Team | Boston.com – Celtics’ Avery Bradley named to NBA All-Defensive first team | ESPN Boston – Celtics guard Avery Bradley named to All-Defensive first team
On Page 3: Olynyk makes a good choice
…Olynyk’s right arm was in a sling as he recovers from last Monday’s shoulder surgery that is expected to sideline him for about five months.
Olynyk said choosing to have the procedure was one of the hardest decisions of his life. He was incredibly eager to play for Canada’s national team this summer as it attempts to qualify for the Olympics. But he also knew that delaying surgery until after the Games would not be fair to the Celtics.
“If I would have played in the Olympics and done it in September, I would have been ready for playoff time hopefully, right?” Olynyk said. “I just couldn’t miss all of next year.
Globe – By having surgery, Olynyk puts Celtics over Canada
It’s admirable that Kelly has national pride and wants to play for his country, but he made the right choice for the Celtics and himself. Wearing the maple leaf uniform won’t pay his contract or influence his career. Playing for the Cs will. He needs the Celtics just as much as they need him. Maybe more.
Related: CSNNE – Olynyk: Tough Call To Have Surgery, But It Was Right Thing To Do
And, finally: Winning the Genetic Lottery
According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of biographical data on every NBA player, 48.8% are related to current or former elite athletes—defined as anyone who has played a sport professionally, in the NCAA or at national-team level. While other leagues feature notable dynasties—the Manning’s of the NFL or the Griffey’s in baseball—only about 17.5% of NFL players and 14.5% of MLB players are related to other elite athletes, based on a similar study.
The connectedness in the NBA likely comes down to the importance of height in elite basketball. The average NBA player is about 6-feet, 6-inches tall, which is 11 inches taller than the average American male, according to Census data.
Wall Street Journal – Why Basketball Runs in the Family
This is fascinating, and totally believable. Think of all the examples of family ties throughout the league – Currys, Thompsons, Gasols, Rivers and more today, and families such as the Barrys, McGuires and Van Arsdales of the past. On the Celtics, Tyler Zeller’s brother plays for Charlotte and Jae Crowder’s dad played parts of two NBA seasons.
Maybe the Hoopers are onto something.
The Rest of the Links:
CSNNE – How The 1956 Draft Changed The Celtics Franchise
Tacoma News Tribune – NBA stars follow Isaiah Thomas home to Tacoma for annual tournament
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