Night two of the 2025 NBA Draft is just hours away. On Wednesday, the Boston Celtics selected Spanish forward Hugo Gonzalez with the 28th overall pick. They’ll have another chance to add a talented young prospect with the second selection in Thursday’s second round.
Though second-rounders aren’t typically the most exciting or hyped-up prospects, there are still a few great options out there for the Celtics, as they look to solidify the back end of their roster.
Specifically, Rasheer Fleming, Maxime Raynaud, and Ryan Kalkbrenner all made it through round one without being selected. The only team standing between Boston and their choice from the bunch is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold pick 31. Even if the Wolves take one of these guys, the Celtics are still guaranteed to have two of the three on the board when they’re on the clock.
Of course, there are a plethora of other players who Boston can choose from, too, but this trio makes the most sense considering the team’s lack of frontcourt depth. With Kristaps Porzingis headed to Atlanta via trade and both Al Horford and Luke Kornet hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, drafting a big is in the Celtics’ best interest.
Who are these guys? Let’s take a look.
The Celtics can fill a serious hole by picking one of these bigs
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Kalkbrenner just finished his super senior season with the Creighton Bluejays. The seven-foot-two-inch center appeared in 35 games this past year, averaging 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 65.3% from the field and 34.4% from three on 1.7 attempts per outing.
He’s the prototypical “high floor, low ceiling” guy. Considering the aforementioned frontcourt issues, Kalkbrenner could help plug Boston’s hole at center pretty easily. His NBA-ready skillset should allow him to do some of the things that Kornet did so well during his time in Boston.
Kalkbrenner just captured his fourth straight Big East Defensive Player of the Year award and averaged nearly three blocks per game last season. He is an incredibly efficient shot-blocker who defends without fouling. The Missouri native averaged the fewest fouls of any of the top 500 shotblockers in college basketball last season.
In addition, he thrives in catch-and-finish situations. Kalkbrenner finished an impressive 72.4% of his attempts at the rim as a super senior. If he were to see minutes as a rookie in Boston, these are the sort of looks he’d be getting, so his comfort in said situations is a bonus.
Maxime Raynaud
Raynaud is another solid center option for the Cs. As a senior at Stanford, he averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 34.7% from beyond the arc on 5.5 attempts each outing.
Raynaud’s unique statline made him the first major conference player since Kevin Durant to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds and make more than 50 threes in a collegiate season.
Much like Kalkbrenner, Raynaud showcased a strong finishing ability inside with both hands. While his 62.7% rate isn’t as efficient as Kalk, he adds more offensive versatility as a legitimate floor spacer. His three-point efficiency on a high volume, combined with his 77% clip from the free-throw line, projects real promise for his potential as a shooter.
He leaves more to be desired as a defender, though. Raynaud isn’t an elite rim-protector and doesn’t move all that well on the perimeter. He’ll need to improve in these areas before he can be a legitimate candidate for rotation minutes in the NBA. With that being said, his offensive upside leaves the door open for him to have a higher ceiling than Kalkbrenner.
Rasheer Fleming
Unlike Kalkbrenner and Raynaud, Fleming isn’t your traditional NBA center. At just six-foot-eight inches tall, he’d primarily be a four, with some ability to be a small-ball five due to his seven-foot-five-inch wingspan.
He appeared in 35 games for St. Joe's last season and averaged 14.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 53.1% from the field and 39.0% from deep.
During his time in college, Fleming was basically used as a role player. He rarely had the ball in his hands, yet was still super effective in low-usage spots. The comfort that he played with despite not being an offensive focal point feels like a huge green flag in terms of fit with the Celtics.
Boston already has its foundational stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. What they should be looking for in the draft are players who can fit beside them. That’s Fleming.
He’s a versatile defender who draft experts feel confident in defending all five positions. On top of that, he’s shown that he’s a reliable shooter on 4.5 attempts per game. His shot itself is pretty and smooth, which should bode well for shooting potential, even with his struggles at the line in the past. Fleming shot 74.3% from the charity stripe in the 2024-25 campaign, but shot just 68% for his collegiate career.
Regardless of who Brad Stevens decides to roll with on Thursday, Celtics fans should feel confident that the team was able to fill a need.