Only one of the top two projected picks in the 2017 NBA Draft has expressed serious interest in joining the Boston Celtics — and it’s not Lonzo Ball.
Markelle Fultz has had several conversations with Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge in recent weeks and hopes to go No. 1 overall in June’s draft, the former Washington point guard told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman on Tuesday.
“I’ve talked to Danny a few times, and they want to get me to come out there for a visit,” Fultz said. “They just want to get a chance to know me better as a person.”
The Celtics, of course, own the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and Fultz appears determined to convince them he’s worthy of that selection.
“I want to be the No. 1 pick really bad,” Fultz added. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid, and I feel like I would fit well in Boston.”
This isn’t the first time Fultz has spoken highly of the C’s. The 19-year-old has said several times he’d love to share the backcourt with Isaiah Thomas, who also played at Washington, despite the two playing the same position. Fultz admitted he’s stayed in touch with Thomas, as well.
“We can both play on or off the ball,” Fultz said. “We can both score and also pass. I think we’d be great together. When we’ve talked since the (NBA Draft) lottery, we haven’t really talked about basketball much. He’s been through a lot lately.”
Fultz’s enthusiasm about Boston stands in pretty sharp contrast to Ball, who declined to work out with the C’s prior to the draft and appears destined to go to the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 2 pick. Judging by how things are playing out, Ainge and Co. might be just fine with that development.
Thumbnail photo via James Snook/USA TODAY Sports Images
