There's an undeniable connection between the Boston Celtics and Duke Blue Devils. Jayson Tatum went from starring in Durham, North Carolina, to becoming the face of the franchise for the NBA's original monarchy.
There's a friendship between former national championship foes Brad Stevens and Mike Krzyzewski that's rooted in a strong mutual respect. Ties between the two include Kara Lawson going from a Celtics assistant to the head coach of the Duke University women's basketball program.
In other words, there are plenty of avenues for Boston to get intel on prospects coming out of Duke.
That could pay dividends this year in deciding whether to select Tyrese Proctor. Projections have the six-foot-four guard getting selected later than pick No. 32, the second of the Celtics' two draft choices.
However, if that proves true, this author is willing to bet that in future redrafts, Proctor will go higher than he does on draft night. It's also possible that whether it's a trade back or Boston's happy to take him at 32, the franchise finds itself compelled to pick him from a cluster of prospects without much separation.
Tyrese Proctor's offensive profile
The offensive end of the floor is where Proctor shines. He's an ideal fit in the Celtics' system. They place a premium on adding players who can dribble, pass, and shoot effectively. The Australian native checks those boxes.
Proctor buried 40.5 percent of the 5.8 threes he hoisted in his final collegiate campaign. He's capable of creating and capitalizing on clean looks from beyond the arc off the dribble. He's also a potent option in catch-and-shoot situations.
But the days of being just a shooter in the NBA are gone. The value in one-dimensional players in that mold cratered. Proctor is a high-IQ prospect who excels at operating the pick-and-roll.
He's got a smooth handle and reads defenses well, setting up lobs to the roller and spraying kick-out passes to teammates stationed beyond the arc.
There's also another trait he weaponizes: Proctor has elite agility. At the combine, he scored a 10.75 in the lane agility drill. That placed fourth among guards.
Where he needs to improve stems from spending more time in the weight room. The 21-year-old has a lean frame and weighed in at 183 pounds at the combine.
Adding muscle is certainly an achievable goal. It's also paramount to Proctor's becoming more impactful on drives and finishing at the rim. But Sam Hauser is a testament to being impactful despite a low volume of shots at the rim, especially on drives.
This side of the ball is not where Proctor putting on muscle will matter most.
Tyrese Proctor's defensive profile
The former Blue Devil is a versatile perimeter defender. He's agile, as previously noted, and has a wingspan stretching over six-foot-seven. That lends itself to being disruptive. As does his processing speed.
But just as his lack of strength can pose a problem against stronger defenders, it can make life challenging when trying to contain players at the other end.
Proctor's quick and crafty, but the need to add muscle makes him vulnerable. That's not exclusive to defending drives. It's also a problem when navigating screens. That will become increasingly difficult to deal with at the next level.
There's also the reality that if Proctor's forced to switch onto a four or a five and becomes tasked with keeping that individual from an offensive rebound, it's an uphill battle.
Tyrese Proctor warrants consideration for the Celtics at pick No. 32
The Minnesota Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, said their organization doesn't see much separation between prospects in the range of 17 to 31. That's per Dane Moore, who covers the Timberwolves and hosts the Dane Moore NBA Podcast.
Just because pundits aren't projecting Proctor to go until after the Celtics make their second-round pick doesn't mean he isn't on par with the names slightly above him in these simulations.
So, to reiterate, Boston could probably engineer a trade to move back and select the former Duke sharpshooter. However, even if the team stands pat and adds him at pick No. 32, he's an excellent system fit.
He may not go rep for rep with Jaylen Brown in the weight room, but even Brandon Ingram added muscle over time. Proctor will get stronger to help address the root of his primary concerns.
While doing so, he can immediately give the Celtics or whoever drafts him another dynamic shooter with the ability to play-make for his teammates.