Boston Celtics: B/R projects Cs taking WCC stud in second round

If Danny Ainge decides to hold onto his second-round pick from the 2021 NBA Draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects the Boston Celtics to take one of the top players from one of college basketball’s more unsung conferences.

Kessler Edwards out of Pepperdine is the C’s projected pick at #50, per B/R:

"50. Boston Celtics: Kessler Edwards (Pepperdine, SF, Junior)Consistent shooting at 6’8″ should help Edwards earn NBA looks. But he’s also flashed more scoring potential, having recently lit up Pacific for 37 points."

While the West Coast Conference is typically dominated by Gonzaga–and it certainly is this season with the Zags ranking as the #1 team in the nation after a 17-0 start and an 8-0 start in conference play–there have been several notable pros emanating from the WCC.

Domantas Sabonis, Brandon Clarke, Rui Hachimara, and Zach Collins are all WCC alumni, though they all admittedly hail from the aforementioned Gonzaga Bulldogs. Pepperdine’s last pros were drafted in 2011, when the Malcolm Thomas-Mychel Thompson duo landed with Chicago and Cleveland, respectively.

Perhaps another Wave could end up making its way to the NBA a decade later.

Edwards’ counting stats are impressive enough, currently averaging 17 points, 6.6 rebounds, and an assist per game. His 49/38/83 shooting splits are certainly eye-catching, as well.

What’s most tantalizing about his game is his fluidity in the paint as a driver and on the block. His game is reminiscent of the aforementioned Brandon Clarke, though he doesn’t quite have the length of the Memphis Grizzlies forward, who was selected in the2019 NBA Draft lottery.

The Cs probably would have liked to pick Clarke in hindsight, but they can get a poor man’s version in Edwards…if, of course, Boston even keeps its second-round pick this year.

Rumors of the Rockets seeking a return of multiple second-round picks for P.J. Tucker puts the Boston Celtics squarely in the mix for the veteran forward. Roster space is scarce after Ainge selected two first-round picks in 2020 and four picks overall in 2019.

Time will tell if the Cs are on the clock in round two of the 2021 NBA Draft, but if they are, Edwards could be a backcourt fit for a team still looking to find a long-term answer in their big man rotation.