Rookies across all professional sports leagues around the world typically find (or assigned) a veteran to turn to for advice as they find their footing in the pros. Boston Celtics big man Chris Cenac Jr. shouldn’t have any issue finding a mentor in Boston’s locker room.
Both he and newly-acquired center Mitchell Robinson come from Southern Louisiana. Cenac Jr. shared at his inaugural basketball camp in New Orleans that he’s excited to chat with Robinson once the season rolls around.
“I mean, that’s pretty cool that we both came from South Louisiana,” Cenac said at his camp, via WVUE. “That’s something that we’re definitely going to talk about a little bit more… we were definitely going to have more conversations when the season comes around.”
Robinson emerging as a mentor for the 19-year-old rookie makes sense. It's also an added bonus to the great things the big man does on the court.
The two have plenty in common, beyond just where they come from.
Both Robinson and Cenac Jr. were top-10 recruits coming out of high school (Robinson eighth, Cenac Jr., sixth). Yet, neither went as high in the NBA Draft as they would’ve hoped being ranked so highly heading to college.
Boston, of course, selected the 19-year-old 27th overall at last month’s NBA Draft, while the New York Knicks picked Robinson 36th back in 2018. Since then, the former Knicks big man has carved out a nice career for himself in the league.
Robinson played a key role for New York over the past few seasons as they climbed the ranks in the Eastern Conference, and eventually all the way to the 2026 NBA title. He mastered areas like screen setting and offensive rebounding to bring a real edge to the game when he checked in off the bench.
Chris Cenac Jr. has the tools to be great for the Celtics
There’s no doubt that Cenac Jr. is hoping to do the same with Boston and Big Mitch should be a great mentor for him as he approaches that battle.
He wasted no time showing potential at Summer League in Las Vegas. Cenac Jr. averaged 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game in four appearances. It quickly became clear that his athleticism could make him an elite rebounder and shot blocker someday. Not to mention he possesses an unreal confidence woven into everything he does on the court.
The rookie clearly enters the NBA with a chip on his shoulder, too.
“All the teams that passed up on me, I’m looking forward to those games,” he added on Monday. “That’s all I got to say.”
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