The Celtics actually made a pick in the NBA draft, and he seems to be the perfect fit for the franchise.
Boston on Wednesday selected Baylor Scheierman with the No. 30 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. It was the first time the C’s used a first-round pick since 2020, the year before Brad Stevens took over as president of basketball operations.
The 23-year-old was delighted to join a team coming off an NBA championship, and there was positive consensus among fans and analysts over the pick.
Scheierman, who turns 24 in September, was a standout in college, and he had an intriguing draft profile. It’s worth noting that the five-year college player was fairly known by scouts having attended the G League Elite Camp in 2022 and withdrawing from the draft process the same year and the year after.
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The Nebraska native entered the pre-draft process as a fringe first-round pick, but he had a strong showing at the NBA combine where ESPN’s Jonathan Givony called him one of the best players on the floor on Day 2.
What’s clear from scouts is that Scheierman was one of the best shooters in the draft. He led the Big East with 110 3-pointers and made 38% of them last season. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton highlighted his rebounding at Creighton, which was why he ranked the guard No. 21 on his top 30 prospects with a 1.3 WARP projection. ESPN’s big board had Scheierman at No. 27.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor described Scheierman as someone who is “shades of a big Brandin Podziemski.” O’Connor highlighted Scheierman’s feel for the game and his pick-and-roll skills that should give him added value in the NBA. However, O’Connor doesn’t view the Celtics draft pick as a great athlete and fears he might be limited defensively with his ” heavy feet moving laterally.” O’Connor and Givony had the Creighton product going 27th in their final mock drafts.
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Sam Vecenie of The Athletic was higher on Scheierman than consensus at No. 22 on his big board but had similar questions about his ability to be a reliable role player.
“His defense is the big question,” Vecenie wrote in his analysis of the Celtics’ pick. “Can he consistently chase and play in help? Can he defend on the ball? It’ll all be about maximizing his frame and body and getting the absolute most out of his quickness. I have a clear first-round grade on him, though, given the importance of shooting at size in today’s NBA.”
Stevens made it clear this week that anyone who gets drafted by Boston likely wouldn’t crack the rotation given the lack of holes on the roster. But Scheierman could develop his game in Maine and end up becoming a value pick in the future.
Featured image via Kyle Ross/USA TODAY Sports Images
