According to HoopsHype’s draft workout tracker, the Boston Celtics have attended a workout for UConn senior Alex Karaban. Boston is one of seven teams that Karaban has worked out for thus far.
The Massachusetts native projects to be available early in the second round of next month’s NBA Draft, so he could be a name to watch at No. 40 for Boston.
Karaban appeared in 40 games for the Huskies in his final collegiate season, where he came within one win of a third national championship. The 23-year-old averaged 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 46.4% from the field and 37.4% from beyond the arc.
Those numbers were good enough to earn Karaban a spot on the All-Big-East First Team.
What does Alex Karaban offer to the Celtics?
He knows how to win.
It may sound cliche or unimportant when it comes to the draft process, but Karaban just spent four years competing for national championships under Dan Hurley. He started all but one of his 151 college games, and filled a consistent role for UConn as they put together one of the most successful eras in college basketball history.
When considering the team-first culture in Boston, it’s not hard to see how Karaban could be a fit there -- especially being a local kid who grew up watching the Celtics make the playoffs most years.
The six-foot-eight-inch wing has the skills to fit schematically in Boston, too. He is a reliable perimeter shooter with a quick release who can provide necessary spacing for the team’s stars. Karaban sank 37.4% of his threes throughout college on 5.2 attempts per game -- an impressive volume.
According to Maxwell Baumbach’s scouting report for No Ceilings, Karaban was elite off the catch. The UConn marksman knocked down 50% of his spot-up triples.
He thrived in the many pick-and-pop opportunities he saw with the Huskies this past season, too.
As a player who will almost certainly have to earn his keep by thriving without the ball, Karaban has a great feel for when to cut or relocate on offense. His high IQ could help him see the floor early in his pro career.
Not to mention that Karaban’s defensive box plus minus (points allowed per 100 possessions compared to an average player) of 2.9 is good enough to have him in the top 28 percentile of defenders.
His 225-pound frame enables him to stand his ground against offensive attackers, while his six-foot-11-inch wingspan allows him to be disruptive and make plays.
He’s not perfect, though. No second-round projected prospect is.
First and foremost, Karaban isn’t as athletic as most NBA wings. He gets beat off the dribble from time to time and is largely a below-the-rim finisher when he finds himself driving to the basket. There’s no question that opposing teams will test him anytime he’s on the floor.
It doesn’t mean he can’t improve, much like Sam Hauser has during his time in Boston, but there’s work to be done before Karaban isn’t a weak point defensively.
Karaban isn’t a great shooter on the move, either. Whether he’s pulling up off the dribble or coming off of screens, his shot-making isn’t at the level necessary to be a multi-faceted threat in the NBA.
At this point, Karaban wouldn’t fill a need for the Celtics. They’ve already got Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh all competing for rotation minutes at the same position. Boston would be better of looking to address other issues with either of their two draft picks. Maybe Karaban's college teammate, Tarris Reed, is a better prospect for the Cs.
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