BOSTON — A ton wasn’t expected from Hugo Gonzalez heading into Celtics training camp even though he was the team’s first-round pick. Gonzalez got his first action of American ball during Summer League, and while he showed off his talent, it was generally an up-and-down performance in Las Vegas.
So, like the Celtics’ last two draft picks, getting consistent playing time with the Maine Celtics in the G League seemed like a possibility this season. That was indeed the case for Jordan Walsh (38th overall pick, 2023) and Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024) over the past two seasons.
But Gonzalez’s preseason play has turned some heads — and it’s created at least an intriguing decision for the Celtics. The latest data point was his eight-point game in the win over the Raptors on Wednesday, where he once again showed flashes of the player he could develop into years down the line.
“That’s the biggest thing from his game that we’ve taken is his defensive instincts, especially when he’s off the ball,” C’s coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He does a great job just reading the game. His ability to rotate, deflections. Been very pleased with his defensive instincts. He just has to continue to get better at those.”
Gonzalez, 19, was picked 28th overall by the Celtics in this year’s draft. He didn’t get much playing time last year since he was on Real Madrid. But the flip side of that is he already knows pro life as he acclimates to living stateside in Boston.
There weren’t super-high expectations for Gonzalez coming into C’s training camp. There are available minutes at the wing spot, though, so there was a chance he could push for playing time during the regular season. Josh Minott has been one of the standouts of preseason, but so has Gonzalez during his time on the court. Where Walsh and Scheierman fit into the equation is also another question.
What the Celtics do with their first-round pick will be worth monitoring. An important difference between Gonzalez and the Celtics’ past two draft picks is that the main club isn’t loaded with veteran players. In the past two seasons, it was difficult for any rookie to get a rotation spot considering the state of the team. But now, with Jayson Tatum sidelined, opportunity awaits for any wing who wants to step up.
Of course, there’s still plenty of development in Gonzalez’s future with the Celtics. The defensive instincts already pop out, which is a positive, as his offensive game continues to round out. The C’s have experimented with the ball in his hands, as well. But Gonzalez doesn’t need to rely on making shots to have an impact on the game already, which is noteworthy at this point in his career.
“He plays so hard, so that’s obviously like a good first start,” Derrick White said. “And he just knows how to play, knows how to be in the right position and competes at a high level. So ever since I’ve seen him, just constantly working hard, constantly asking questions, constantly learning, and you could tell that he’s been a pro for a while and played basketball at a high level for some time now.”
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