Like any kid growing up, Baylor Scheierman had a dream of playing in the NBA someday.
That dream for the Aurora native came true last year when he was selected with the 30th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA draft June 26.
Scheierman just completed his first season with the Celtics. He said just getting drafted was a dream come true, especially by the Boston Celtics, which have 18 NBA championships including the season before he was drafted.
“Their organization as a whole, they really think about who they draft and know they aren’t just bringing anybody into their organization,” Scheierman said. “The fact that they believed in me and thought I would be a good fit into their organization meant a lot.”
During his first year with the Celtics, he appeared in 31 games and started in two. He averaged 3.6 points per game. He scored a career-high 20 points during a 104-96 Celtic win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 18. He even scored a 3-point basket in the playoffs against Orlando on April 29.
Scheierman said he felt his first season in the NBA and with the defending champion Celtics, who were beaten by the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs, was a success.
“I really didn’t know what to expect, especially with them coming off a championship,” Scheierman said. “With them bringing a lot of people back like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, I didn’t know if there would be an opportunity for me in year one to make an impact. But I think I grew a lot as a person and a player. I felt like I did make an impact later on in the season after the all-star break.
“And Coach Joe Mazzulla was great to play for. He’s super competitive, and we know where he comes from and know what he wants to accomplish.”
Boston Celtics forward Baylor Scheierman (55) during an NBA basketball game April 11, 2025, in Boston.
Charles Krupa, AP Photo
After playing high school basketball at Aurora, where he was named the Independent All-Heartland Super Squad boys basketball captain, he played at South Dakota State for three years. He made Summit League All-Conference his sophomore year, then was named the Summit League player of the year the following year. He averaged 16.2 points per game and led the conference in rebounding (7.8 per game) and assists (4.5 per game), while shooting 51 percent from the field during that year.
Following his junior season, Scheierman entered the NCAA transfer portal and declared for the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility. He wanted to test his options for the NBA but later felt he wasn’t ready yet. He committed to Creighton while remaining in the NBA Draft, but he withdrew a short time later.
He played two years with the Bluejays, helping them reach the Sweet 16 both years, which included a trip to the South Regional Final, where Creighton lost 57-56 to eventual national runner-up San Diego State. He was named a Third-Team All-American and All-Big East first team member during his senior year with the Bluejays.
Scheierman said he felt the dream of becoming a NBA player could come true after his sophomore season at South Dakota State. But he felt after going through the process the first time that he wasn’t ready for the NBA.
“After my sophomore year, I saw my name appear on a few NBA mock drafts, and I believe that was the first time I thought that the dream might be possible for me,” Scheierman said. “But when I just wanted to explore my options at the time, and I didn’t think I was ready in life and on the basketball court as I needed to improve on so many things.”
Scheierman said being a multisport athlete also helped him get prepared for the NBA. In high school, he also played football, where he was The Independent’s All-Heartland Super Squad honorary captain, as well as boys co-athlete of the year his senior year, guiding Aurora to a 13-0 record and the Class C-1 state championship in 2018. He broke numerous state records that year, including 4,172 yards of total offense, which included 3,924 passing yards with 59 touchdown passes.
Scheierman said he felt playing football has helped him get prepared for the NBA as well.
Boston Celtics’ Baylor Scheierman on the bench during a timeout in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Boston. The Aurora native just completed his first season with the Celtics.
Michael Dwyer, AP Photo
“I am such a believer in playing multiple sports,” Scheierman said. “I felt the different skill sets, like having the toughness from football with the physical contact and while being a quarterback, you had to find the different reads and all that.”
With one season in the NBA under his belt, Scheierman said he needs to improve in a few areas to be more of a complete player in the NBA.
“I think I can continue on working on my touch around the rim on different finishes and try to get more comfortable around the NBA 3-point line and work on the different shots, like movement or off the dribble shots that come with just playing,” Scheierman said. “I can even work on my strength and conditioning. I need to attack the weight room to get stronger and quicker and try to maximize every little detail into becoming a better player.”
Central City golfer Karter Negus is this week’s AOW for his performance at the Class B state championship. At Monument Shadows Golf Course in Gering, Negus finished tied for sixth place. Negus shot a 77 in the first round and a 73 in the second for a 6-over, 150 final score. In his second and final round Negus made two birdies.
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