Hugo Gonzalez just got the perfect motivation ahead of Year 2

Hugo Gonzalez is likely to have an even bigger role with the Boston Celtics in Year 2. What stood out most about Gonzalez wasn't just his infectious energy but how NBA-ready he looked even as a rookie. If there's one factor that could get him to truly take a leap this coming season, it's being snubbed.

Well, that just happened. After Gonzalez's impressive Summer League outing, he wasn't recognized for his efforts, as the league announced its All-Summer League teams, which didn't feature him or anyone else on the roster, for that matter.

It's Summer League, so it's not like this is some major setback. Plus, there was plenty of other young talent that got to show itself, so it's no surprise that they got more recognition than he did. Even so, Gonzalez showed some impressive improvements in his second Summer League (which is better than you think because his first one wasn't great).

The only problem was his inconsistent shot, so that evidently didn't sit well with those who judged the players' performances.

Gonzalez should absolutely use this as motivation with his second NBA season on the horizon. Boston will ask everyone so step up with Jaylen Brown gone, which might especially be the case with Gonzalez.

He already proved last year that he has the makings of being a game-changer, and this should give him the extra push to show just how impactful he can be as quickly as possible.

Lest we forget, Gonzalez was in the doghouse towards the end of last season

Most young players have hurdles to clear when they start their NBA career. Gonzalez actually had a pretty impressive start, as he gradually gained Joe Mazzulla's trust with each passing month. Unfortunately, Jayson Tatum's return meant someone was going to get the short end of the stick, and the candidate was ultimately Gonzalez.

As Tatum re-asserted himself as the team's top dog, Gonzalez's minutes waned that he wasn't even playing in the playoffs. Ironically, it was Tatum's knee injury that granted Gonzalez the chance to assert himself again in Game 7 against Philadelphia. It didn't take long for him to show his worth once he was back out on the floor again.

His late-season benching, the Brown trade leaving a void, and his All-Summer League snub can all culminate in quite the breakout season for Gonzalez. He played the right way for Boston last season when they asked him to. With his role more integral than ever, all Gonzalez needed was the right motivation to prove the full extent of his abilities.

And he may have just gotten it.

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