Hugo Gonzalez will tip off his second NBA Summer League campaign when the Boston Celtics take on the Toronto Raptors on Friday. A year ago, he found himself a rookie out of Real Madrid amongst several returning players; Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Miles Norris all headed to Las Vegas along with the rookie, after having been on Boston’s regular-season roster.
Now, with 1,084 NBA minutes under his belt, no one on the Celtics’ squad for their Vegas circuit has more experience than Hugo.
“I mean, obviously, it’s different,’ he told reporters on Thursday’s practice in Las Vegas. “Now I got like about 1000 minutes in the NBA, I don’t know what it is. Before when I came here last year, I hadn’t played a lot in Real Madrid, and I was really nervous because [it was] the first time playing off Real Madrid. Now, it's different. I'm already used to it. I already know that a lot of people here, and the ones [I don’t know], they're really great too. So I’m just looking forward to it.”
Gonzalez made 74 appearances for the Cs, including three starts. He averaged just 3.9 points in 14.6 minutes per game, but he often brought so much more to the table. The 20-year-old’s defense consistently impressed, and he never left any room for doubt when it came to effort.
Even after watching the majority of the Celtics’ first-round series from the bench, Gonzalez made an impact in Game 7 as Boston fought their way out of an early hole against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Hugo’s rookie-year experience has him looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow at Summer League and into the 2026-27 season.
“Obviously, a lot,” he explained of what he learned as a rookie. “Having the opportunity to play in another place that is not Real Madrid in year 19 and to change the culture and everything, it makes you mature really quickly. Looking forward to what we're gonna do here. Take it step by step and try to play one game at a time, but [we’re ready for it].”
This upcoming season should be a big one for the young Celtic. Not only will he presumably see more opportunities with Jaylen Brown no longer on the team. The five-time All-Star’s shocking trade to Philly leaves plenty of minutes up for grabs for Gonzalez and Boston’s other young wings.
Hugo Gonzalez has the Brad Stevens stamp of approval
There’s been no clear indication that those minutes will be Hugo’s, but last year’s 28th overall pick got a strong stamp of approval from Celtics president Brad Stevens back in May.
"The reality is Hugo had a great rookie year and is, I think, a critical part of us moving forward,” Stevens told reporters at the Auerbach Center. “Because his athleticism can meet the moment in big games. That's a real thing. You can see it. His strength is off the charts.”
Gonzalez showcased tons of great qualities as a rookie. His physicals stood out, for sure, but it was impossible not to notice his feel for the game. He always seemed to find himself in the right place at the right time -- a great attribute for a budding rotation player.
Though his moves can sometimes be controversial, Stevens has rarely missed during his years running the Cs. His strong backing of Gonzalez may tell us all we need to know.
"He's probably the strongest -- he's one of the strongest guys on our team, pound-for-pound, right now, as a 20-year-old. So, he's got a bright future.”
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