Boston Celtics: Recent history on C’s side with number 14 overall pick

With the Boston Celtics officially in possession of the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, fans can feel confident knowing history has been kind at this specific selection.

Though it may have been the least surprising news to have come out this year, last night made it official: the Boston Celtics are the owners of the 14th overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Despite the team’s front-line of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward, Brad Stevens, and such having their sights set on competing for an NBA Championship this season, their front-office already has their attention predominantly on the offseason and, more specifically, their agenda of how they’re going to play things out.

The first event on the calendar will, of course, be the NBA Draft.

With this, Danny Ainge and co. are likely already putting together their desired list of incoming talents to target with their three first-round selections, including the Memphis (14th overall), their own, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ pick.

With the two later selections currently expected to fall at 26 and 30, expectations may not too be grandiose in regard to the talent-level they likely will receive, as many of the past players selected in these slots have not exactly panned out.

On the flip side, however, history — both recent and distant — has found itself to be quite kind to their lone-lottery selection at 14.

Over the past decade, there have been numerous notable talents taken at this point in the draft, such as:

• Romeo Langford (2019)
• Michael Porter Jr. (2018)
• Bam Adebayo (2017)
• T.J. Warren (2014)
• Marcus Morris (2011)

Listed above are five players that would be (one currently is) competent contributors on this Boston Celtics squad. In other words, we’ve seen an actual All-Star in Adebayo, a budding superstar in Porter Jr., and two quality 16 + points per game scorers in Morris & Warren all selected at 14 within the past 10 years.

Doing just a bit more research on the selection, you will find that there are plenty of other notable names, including perennial All-Stars in Peja Stojakovic (1996) & Dan Majerle (1988) and Hall of Fame/ all-time great talents in Tim Hardaway (1989) & Clyde Drexler (1983).

All in all, it’s up to the C’s decision-makers to, well, make the right decision when it’s their time on the clock. However, if recent history is any indication, there very likely will be a few quality talents ripe for the picking at 14.