Over the last few seasons, the Boston Celtics have done a pretty solid job picking prospects in the NBA Draft. Since 2014 they’ve hit on just about every one of their high picks. Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and Payton Pritchard are all guys that turned out to be pretty solid NBA players. Besides Rozier, that group makes up a large part of the current roster’s core. That core has been really really good for the majority of the young 2022-23 season.
Boston is off to a league best 21-7 start (yeah it was more fun when it was 21-5, but who am I to say?) and has gotten strong contributions from its homegrown stars. Both Tatum and Brown are playing at All-NBA levels. Tatum is a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging 30 points, eight rebounds, and four assists per game. His co-star isn’t far behind, totaling an average of just under 27 points, seven rebounds, and just under four rebounds each game. So far, the pairing has put together a solid sequel to last season’s NBA Finals run.
The Boston Celtics haven’t been perfect on draft night. Players like Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith were picked in the lottery and never really flourished in green. However, the Cs were able to acquire valuable pieces in trades by using those guys.
This is as good a time as ever to check in on the two former lottery picks in their new homes and look back on how they got there.