In Max Shulga's final year at Virginia Commonwealth University [VCU], head coach Ryan Odom tasked him with more playmaking responsibilities.
It was a challenge that is already helping the Boston Celtics' second-round pick impress his new team.
A day after the Sin City Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 92-78, Brad Stevens shared with Hardwood Houdini what stood out to him about Shulga's performance in the victory.
“The thing that I was most impressed with was him handling the pressure," said the Celtics' president of basketball operations. "He doesn't get sped up. For a guy that's playing in his first Summer League game, we just talked about, you've got jitters, and you're playing in front of everybody, and you want to make a name. I don't even think he attempted a shot until the second half, right?
"So he's not even thinking about all the stuff that doesn't matter. He's just like, 'Okay, I'm gonna get us into offense. I'm gonna make the right read. I'm gonna make the right play, and then, things will open up.'"
As Stevens illustrated, Shulga impressed in handling lead-guard responsibilities. He initiated the offense, didn't commit a single turnover, and showcased his skill creating for others out of the pick-and-roll.
It captured a necessary truth for the Kyiv, Ukraine, native as he fights to preserve his two-way roster spot and aims to eventually earn a standard NBA contract: the 23-year-old sharpshooter brings more to the table.
Max Shulga is a defensive pest
Shulga and Boston's first-round pick, Hugo Gonzalez, made life miserable for Memphis's backcourt. They consistently applied full-court pressure. The duo was physical, lived in the opposition's airspace, and had no issues navigating screens to stick with ball handlers begging to get away from them.
Shulga having the stamina to apply pressure in the backcourt without suffering reprecussions in the frontcourt is an effort-based talent the Celtics are excited to tap into.
After Boston's win to start Summer League, Matt Reynolds, the Celtics' head coach in Las Vegas, told Hardwood Houdini, “That’s something we did see from him at VCU as well. I talked to him about some of their rules about backcourt pressure…You can tell that’s something he gravitates towards, and we’re happy to unleash that part of him.”
As Stevens noted to Hardwood Houdini, making his opponents uncomfortable and forcing them to start their offense later in the shot clock is a skill that will help Shulga, the 57th overall pick, defy the odds and hang around at basketball's highest level.
"On the other end, you've got to be able to do something to separate yourself if you want to make it in this league, and being able to apply pressure and being able to get into the ball is a good thing to be able to do, especially for a guy with his size."
The six-foot-four guard, best known for his three-point proficiency, put that to the side for the betterment of the team on Friday. He found other ways to shine. His defensive pressure and ability to orchestrate the offense earned deserved praise. They'll also help him pave a path to his NBA dreams.