RJ Luis Jr. made history when he signed his two-way deal with the Utah Jazz. Now a member of the Boston Celtics, thanks to a trade that sent Georges Niang to Salt Lake City, Luis is the NBA's first Ecuadorian player.
The former UMass Amherst and St. John's star recently received an honor from Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa. A caption on a post from Noboa's Instagram account about celebrating Luis's impact read, "We build a country where we want young people to believe in sport as a pathway, thank you @rjluisjr for reminding us that yes you can."
Luis was a player of interest to the Celtics at this year's NBA Draft. However, after not hearing his name called as one of 60 selections, he ultimately chose to sign with the Jazz.
Looking to shed salary and reduce its tax bill, Boston sent Utah second-round draft capital to absorb Niang's contract. The deal also allowed the franchise to acquire the six-foot-seven wing.
RJ Luis Jr.'s on-court profile
Playing for Rick Pitino at St. John's, Luis was the Red Storm's leading scorer last season. He averaged 18.2 points per game. However, in the professional ranks, he could prove most impactful at the other end of the floor.
The Miami, Florida, native swiped 1.4 steals per contest in his final collegiate campaign. He registered over one theft per tilt in each of his three years in the NCAA.
Luis has a six-foot-10.5-inch wingspan. His size, length, and athleticism make him a disruptive defender. Whereas there are questions about his three-point shooting, he has the tools to make his mark on that side of the ball immediately.
Offensively, the former Big East Player of the Year and Second-Team All-American is effective at creating for himself off the dribble. That includes attacking downhill, leaping off two feet, and flushing home thunderous dunks.
But what might intrigue the Celtics the most is the prospect of helping refine his jump shot. Luis was a career 31.4 percent three-point shooter across his time at UMass Amherst and St. John's. He hoisted 3.9 shots from behind the arc and converted them at a 33.6 percent clip last season.
If Luis proves a reliable catch-and-shoot threat from three-point range, he could evolve into a valuable two-way wing. That's a profile that will allow him to go from spending most of his time in the G League to earning a standard NBA contract.