Jordan Walsh makes statement in Summer League debut, shows flashes of Grant Williams

It only took one game for the 2023 second-round selection of the Boston Celtics to make an impression as Jordan Walsh takes his first step toward a rotation spot.

It was an eventful afternoon for the Celtics for the franchises’ first NBA 2K24 Summer League contest in Las Vegas against the Miami Heat. The result may have not favored the boys in green and white, but there was a whole lot of positives to take from the game. Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, and Oshae Brissett watched from the sideline and had a chance to see a glimpse of who could be suiting up next to them come next season. For the first time since December with Arkansas, Brad Stevens’ second-round pick amassed 18 points.

Jordan Walsh went 6/11 from the floor including a sensational 4-6 from beyond the arc in 31 minutes on the hardwood. Boston fans could not have asked for a better debut from a guy that was drafted for his defensive versatility, length, and athleticism.

While he showed those at times, Walsh did not hesitate for a second when open on the perimeter. He said that he wanted to play the game like he was out there with Tatum. He did just that. The rookie constantly made the right plays, and put up shots when the opposition provided the space. With Boston losing Grant Williams this past week to a sign and trade with the Dallas Mavericks, Walsh looked a whole lot like the former Celtic with a much higher vertical.

He made an impact on the defensive end with two steals and a block in which he rightly said “Gimme that” following the play. If he can get into the right spots in the halfcourt offensively while being who he always has been in college on the defensive end, Joe Mazzulla might have no choice but to give him a shot.

While it was only his first 31 minutes in Vegas, Walsh looks to be fully bought into everything the Boston Celtics coaching staff has been telling him to this point. The Texas native expressed the fact that one day at summer league practice he passed up on a wide-open corner three. Everyone in the gym turned to Walsh and told him bluntly, “What are you doing, you have to shoot it.” That message was heard loud and clear by the youngster. Boston seemingly does not want his poor shooting in the past to affect the way he encounters the beginning of his career. Confidence is key when it comes to rookies, and if they can instill it in Walsh, something special is more than likely going to come from it.

The Boston Celtics’ culture is something Jordan Walsh has already embraced

Williams is out the door, but Stevens may have found a future replacement if the Celtics can develop him the right way. In time, he needs to get much stronger in order to sustain the physicality of the professional game. Even with the flaws, the culture in this city is something that Walsh has already taken pride in.

Since Boston called his name, the No. 38 overall selection has attempted to do everything he can to affect the team and the organization in a positive manner. He spoke to the media in Vegas expressing what he learned during his first day.

“Whether you’re on the bench, whether you’re just walking around in the street, maybe you’re just eating food, whatever you’re doing, everything affects winning,” Walsh said to reporters on July 8.

It is just a debut, but it is exactly what the Celtics want to see out of a player coming out of the draft. Whether it was flying in for an alley-oop or curling around a screen for a jumper, Walsh looked like he belonged. It is just the Vegas Summer League, but if the 19-year-old can build off of this, he could be an important energy piece moving forward.