ATLANTA — On a Celtics roster full of uncertainties, Hugo Gonzalez was arguably the biggest mystery of them all entering his rookie season. The 19-year-old from Spain, drafted 28th overall by the C’s last summer, barely played for Real Madrid last season.
But the C’s had minutes available at the wing for anyone ready to step up — and Gonzalez has been one of those guys. So nearly at the midway point of the Celtics’ season, the rookie has exceeded nearly every expectation put on him.
“He’s been well-coached,” C’s coach Joe Mazzulla said in December. “He’s played at one of the best organizations in the world in all sports, many sports. He’s been around greatness for a long time. His defensive instincts are better than most young guys have been, and I think that gives him a chance. Also, that’s a skill, is being able to play that hard.”
Gonzalez’s per-game numbers are relatively modest, averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes over 35 games (two starts). It’s clear Gonzalez still has some areas to work on, and he’s not seasoned quite yet when it comes to his offensive game. He makes mistakes, which he gets down about, but his teammates are there to pick him up.
But it’s also obvious that the future is bright for Gonzalez. His feel for the game was evident in Summer League, and it’s translated to the NBA level. Gonzalez’s defensive instincts can’t be taught. It’s a similar style to Derrick White: High-activity defenders who aren’t afraid to get into traffic and make a play.
The part where Celtics fans should be excited is that he’s doing all this as a teenager. With more money in the college ranks because of NIL, that level is full of guys older than Gonzalez. The fact that the Real Madrid product is making this much of an impact already is a huge plus on his outlook.
There were some questions on what Gonzalez’s season would look like going into training camp. The Celtics’ past two top draft picks, Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman, spent a significant chunk of their rookie seasons in the G League. So, time with the Maine Celtics felt like a possibility for Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has instead been a contributor. It also helps the C’s aren’t loaded from a roster perspective like the past two seasons. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, wing minutes were going to be available behind Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser. So far, it’s been a mix of Gonzalez, Walsh and Scheierman to soak those minutes up, with Josh Minott getting an early look to start the season.
It’s also clear Gonzalez is getting better. If he’s open from beyond the arc, he’ll let the 3-pointer fly. His high-energy play is infectious whenever he crashes down to the court for a loose ball or two. There will be some nights where Gonzalez struggles to make an impact. But he’ll also have nights and moments that have Celtics fans dreaming about what kind of player he’ll look like in a few years.
“Anybody could step up,” Gonzalez said after a win in December. “Anybody can be important for us. The only thing matters is that always we got guys that want to get the win over everything. I’m sure we got a lot of players that have already done it. A lot of players are going to step up in the front, and they’re going to get us wins, too, and that’s the most important thing.”