What Celtics Expect Of First-Rounder During G League Assignment

Baylor Scheierman’s first experience of NBA basketball has been challenging, but expected once the Creighton product was selected in the first round by the Boston Celtics in this past summer’s draft.

Scheierman joined a loaded Celtics roster fresh off a championship and hungry for a repeat. Nearly everyone — besides Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk — returned for the re-run, leaving little-knowns like Scheierman in the backseat. Boston initially assigned Scheierman to its G League affiliate in Maine on Nov. 5, where the 24-year-old has the opportunity to play consistently, grow and develop.

Granted, it’s not an easy journey and the team understands that.

“I think the hardest thing for young guys is having an understanding of playing every night,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said during Friday’s team practice, per CLNS Media. “I think that’s the thing that’s underestimated for younger players is the vets and the guys; the Jayson’s, the Jaylen’s, the Jrue’s, Al’s, Derrick’s. You have to bring it every night. It’s not just a once a week or something like that.

“So getting on the G League schedule having to peform every single night, having to compete every single night. Just getting those reps of like, ‘I did it last night. I gotta do it again.’ And that can be really hard so just good to see him do that and then obviously continue to execute the things on both ends of the floor that are important for Celtics basketball.”

Scheierman has already logged two G League appearances, so far, averaging 28.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting 57.1% from the floor and 52.2% on 3-pointers — attempting 11.5 per game. During Maine’s season opener, Scheierman dropped 31 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field, including 6-of-10 from three. He followed up that debut performance by draining a 60-foot buzzer beater to end the third quarter, finishing up with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on Monday night.

Jordan Walsh, a first-rounder two seasons ago, underwent the same path Scheierman’s currently on. Walsh’s rookie appearances with the Celtics scattered randomly, but the Arkansas product spent most of 2023-24 in Maine, given the freedom to re-tool before getting a chance to now contribute night-to-night with Boston’s squad.

Mazzulla already has outside shooting specialists Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser working in tandem off the bench, leaving little room for Scheierman to showcase himself. It doesn’t mean Boston doesn’t envision Scheierman carving out a role in the near future, but like Hauser, Walsh, Neemias Queta and JD Davison, it takes time.

If Scheierman maintains his impressive offensive output in Maine, perhaps the wait won’t be too long for the southpaw snipper.