Wednesday, Chris Cenac Jr. practiced with the Maine Celtics at the Auerbach Center. A day later, the parent club assigned him to its G League affiliate.
That signals he'll be in the lineup for their season opener against the Westchester Knicks Friday night at the Portland Expo Building.
Cenac is ready to apply what he's learning from the start of his NBA career. As he does, there will be bumps in the road. The opportunity to learn from his mistakes excites Maine's second-year head coach Phil Pressey.
"This is going to be his first time in the G League, so he's going to have more opportunity to succeed, but then also to have some failure," said Pressey on a Zoom call on Thursday. "I think as a young player, you learn from your failure. You learn from your mistakes."
Chris Cenac Jr. is sharpening a dynamic skill set
As Pressey noted, Boston's first-round pick "can do a little bit of everything from his talent."
He stands six-foot-11 with a condor-like 7'5" wingspan and a 9'0.5" standing reach. He also has impressive mobility for his size. Those physical gifts give immense potential as a rim protector. And when he's on the weak side, Cenac has the range to challenge players around the basket and get to the corner to contest shots from beyond the arc.
Offensively, he brings so many promising traits to the table. The 19-year-old's first NBA basket came on a 3. His work on that shot with the Celtics' director of player development, Craig Luschenat, and the organization's track record of helping shooters improve, bodes well. Cenac has good form. If he grows into a reliable three-point threat, it will make him even more lethal and raise his ceiling.
Beyond that, he shows comfort making plays off the dribble. That includes the ability to get to a pull-up or a fadeaway jump shot. It's not the most efficient selection. However, there's a time for it, especially when he has to make a play after a defender runs him off the three-point line. The New Orleans, Louisiana, native also has promising potential as a passer. He can create points and generate offensive rebounds off cuts, and he's a lovable lob threat for his pick-and-roll partners.
Celtics fans must be patient with Chris Cenac Jr.
This is an incredibly toolsy player. He's a dynamic talent at both ends of the court. However, he's also a raw prospect. His development will take time. That's why Pressey's comments are at the heart of what matters most for him.
There will be growing pains. But it's not about playing timidly to avoid mistakes. It's about learning from them. It's arguably the most important part of his time in Maine.
Along with oozing potential, Cenac has an incredible work ethic. He was a McDonald's All-American and the No. 7 overall recruit. He chose to play for a hard-nosed coach, Kelvin Sampson. He thrived in the venerable bench boss's demanding program.
The way Cenac responded to that endeared him to the Celtics. They're betting on a raw talent with immense upside. Seeing his work ethic and how quickly he applies new lessons creates an exciting outlook for his future. Dropping a prospect like this into an elite development program maximizes his tools—and gives him every opportunity to make the teams that passed on him regret it.
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