NBA Draft: 2 players the Boston Celtics could — and should — have drafted in 2016

Guerschon Yabusele, PF

Now look, we understand that past the top-10, pickings were relatively slim in regard to talent. However, even still, selecting Guerschon Yabusele at 16 overall was a reach right from the start.

For the months leading up to the NBA Draft, virtually every single mock draft saw the C’s selecting someone else — Malik Beasley, Deyonta Davis, etc. Even up to the day of the draft, Boston was projected to select someone else, with mocks having Yabusele going as a high second round selection.

But, as we all now know, Danny Ainge pulled the trigger on his second lottery pick and aimed it at the French forward.

At 6-8, 270 pounds the 20 year old was seen as a risky prospect right from the get go, for he had quite a rounded physic and lacked the size to handle traditional NBA fours when playing defense.

I mean, sure, obviously Yabusele proved to be an interesting project player to consider for NBA teams while playing overseas, what with his solid averages of 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds on 54 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from deep.

However, again, it must be stated that NO ONE reportedly saw him getting selected in the first round. And, yet, the Boston Celtics went ahead and, not only reached on Yabusele, but made an almost guaranteed second rounder into a lottery pick.