Baylor Scheierman made just 31 appearances for a Boston Celtics team with championship aspirations as a rookie. With how deep the roster was, there weren’t many minutes to go around for the Nebraska native. But, he remained ready when the lion’s share of his opportunities came towards the end of the season.
Scheierman proved that he could hang in the NBA when he played 10 or more minutes in 13 of Boston’s final 24 contests.
He wasn’t perfect by any means, but he had some strong moments, highlighted by scoring outbursts against the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, and laid a solid foundation heading into his sophomore season.
Defense and preparation are helping Baylor Scheierman
More importantly, he learned how crucial it is to be prepared when his number is called, which could happen much more in the 2025-26 season.
“I think it was just to use the preparation,” he said of his biggest rookie lesson at Monday’s Media Day. “Just prepare like you're going to play every night, even if you're not going to play that way. When you are thrown into the game, you're prepared and ready to go, because you never know. That's probably the biggest thing I learned over the course of year one.”
With the losses of Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Luke Kornet, and Al Horford -- four rotation staples in Boston -- Scheierman should have an opportunity to earn a spot in Joe Mazzulla’s circle of trust.
Though offense was where Scheierman made his mark last season, he spent his summer preparing to be more impactful on defense when his number is called.
“I'd probably just say defensively,” Scheierman responded when asked what part of his game would surprise people most this season. “Just being a defensive playmaker and being able to use my instincts to impact the game in a positive way on the defensive side of the ball.”
Aside from his instincts, No. 55’s added muscle should help him be a nuisance for opposing players. He spent a lot of time hitting the weights this offseason to prepare his body for any added minutes he’ll see in the upcoming campaign, and, of course, to become a better defender.
Since Mazzulla took over as Boston’s head coach, it’s been rare for any player to find their way onto the floor consistently without being a plus defender. Needless to say, Scheierman’s offseason focus was in the right place.
We’ll get our first glimpse of how well his preparation will pay off when the Celtics kick off their preseason schedule on Oct. 8 in Memphis against the Grizzlies.