It was a whirlwind of a summer for Hugo Gonzalez. On the heels of his first year in the NBA, he represented his country at FIBA. He also went directly from playing with Spain to joining the Celtics for Summer League.
Those opportunities serve as a test kitchen. They're an ideal environment for him to work on expanding his game. More threes off the dribble, shooting with confidence, and his playmaking off the bounce, for himself and others, stood out.
As Joe Mazzulla pointed out at Day 2 of training camp at the Auerbach Center, he has a defined role in Boston. However, there's always room for growth. The more players can bring to the table, the better the team gets.
What Gonzalez's head coach identified is the second-year wing releasing the ball with "confidence in catch-and-shoot situations or his close-out reads. When guys close out to him, can you get into the paint and make the right read at the rim?"
The key to Hugo Gonzalez's ascent with the Celtics
As his bench boss noted, there's a role that the team needs the former Real Madrid standout to play. At six-foot-six, his athleticism, strength, and motor make him a dogged and versatile defender. He showed last year that he can be a trusted option against top scorers.
Those traits also helped him generate 2.1 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes last season. His ability to create extra possessions is a crucial part of his job.
And while it wasn't at high volume, Gonzalez knocked down 36.2 percent of the 1.6 threes he hoisted. His three-point shooting will have a lot to do with becoming the best version of himself on the court. For now, it's primarily about converting on his attempts off the catch.
Taking the next step: Hugo González's playmaking potential
The 20-year-old wing has the qualities to become a high-level connector. He's less of an offensive initiator, but off the catch, he can put the ball on the deck and make a play.
He sees the floor well and has the physical tools to get to the basket. Gonzalez shot 72.3 percent at the rim in his rookie campaign. That ranked in the 84th percentile, per databallr. It's early in his development. However, his ability to capitalize on what the defense gives him is central to Boston's offensive identity.
It's impressive to see how quickly Gonzalez applies teaching points. That allowed him to acclimate early while adapting to a dramatically different style of play than he was accustomed to overseas. That, coupled with a burning desire to maximize his potential, gives this burgeoning wing immense upside.
The Celtics ask Gonzalez to star in the defined aspects of his role. But the next step in his ascent could be improving as a shooter and making more plays off the dribble. It's exciting to think about where he already is in his development while still so far from his prime. Growth in these two areas would add to the already bullish outlook on him this season and beyond.
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