Report Card: Boston Celtics Draft

51st Pick – Ben Bentil

Well, it’s not the Providence player we were hoping for, but Boston should still be very happy they ended up with Ben Bentil. A projected late-first round pick, Bentil almost fell entirely out of the draft. International players played a big part in that, and also the abundance of big men available.

Even though big men were a common theme in this year’s draft, the Celtics didn’t select one who’d be on their roster next season until the end of the draft, but still managed to find a very good player. Arguably their best selection on Thursday night, the Celtics finally hit a home run late in the draft.

Ben Bentil is raw, but he has the potential to be a very good NBA player. He was the Most Improved Big East Player last season with Providence as every part of his game took a spike. He ended up posting a Big East best 21.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Bentil is a big body, something the Celtics have been missing, but he does most of his work using his mid-range game. He shot an impressive 51.7 percent from two-point range last season, and should provide Boston with a better pick-and-roll option than Jared Sullinger last season.

With a developing three-point shot, there’s a lot of hope surrounding him. And there should be considering he’s a decent shot blocker, despite not being considered a great defender yet. Being a more willing defender, and working on his post defense, will be huge if he wants to develop into an NBA starter.

On the glass, Bentil averaged nine rebounds per 40 minutes over his two seasons, but he’s far from a finished product in that area. The fact of the matter is, he has all the tools to be a very good player, but it’s up to him to work on it.

The Celtics will finally have a consistent scorer in their front court, however, becoming a better defender and rebounder will take his game to the next level. He’s beaming with potential, making this an excellent selection by the Celtics.

Grade: A

Next: No. 58 - Abdel Nader