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Boston Celtics: 2 guards C’s should target in 2020 NBA draft

By James Finneral

Boston Celtics (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky

Immanuel Quickley is a point guard whose skill set could translate very well to the NBA. The current SEC Player of the Year has a very similar build and playing style to former Wildcat, De’Aaron Fox, who has been successful in his young professional career.

For starters, Quickley is long and athletic which allows him to get to the rim or create space for jump shots. Quickley really helped out Kentucky offensively and proved to be a viable scorer at all three levels.

Quickley’s ability to shoot from 3-point range will definitely appeal to a team like the Celtics. Quickley shot 42.8 percent from behind the arc this season, good for 5thin the SEC. It is even more encouraging that he showed an ability to strike from downtown off the dribble and the pass.

I was also very impressed with Quickley’s marked improvement as a rebounder. Quickley clearly put his length and athleticism to use this season with a 2.4 rebound per game increase from 2018-2019. He would fit right into a Celtics team that has to use its athleticism to stay competitive on the glass.

The Celtics may be fourth in the league in free throw percentage, but no player on this season’s roster, who attempts over 2 free throws per game, bests Quickley’s 92.3 percent clip from the line.

Quickley’s main weakness is his facilitating. Much like many of the Celtics’ guards, Quickley is a score first point guard. This is the main separator between Quickely and Fox, who was an elite prospect and the fifth overall pick in 2017.

Quickley has significantly improved almost every aspect of his game. He has transformed from a player with potential into a shoo-in NBA Draft pick. Kentucky may be a one-and-done factory, but Quickley clearly benefited from an additional year under coach John Calipari and company.

Overall, Quickley is a well-rounded prospect with the tools to be a solid NBA player. Quickley would be a nice fit in Boston with a chance to earn meaningful minutes in his rookie season.

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