In the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics picked Gonzaga forward Anton Watson without making any trades.
At a news conference on Thursday, Brad Stevens, the president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, stated of Watson, “I really like him.” “Anton has a possibility to develop into one of these large, powerful, hybrid forwards that can switch and guard a lot of guys with to his size and lateral foot movement.
“I believe he’s a better shooter than he sometimes believes he is, so I want him to come in here thinking he’s going to let it fly like he’s never let it fly before. Therefore, I’m excited to welcome him in around eight days.”
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound wing shot 41.8 percent from three-point range (on only 1.5 tries per game) and finished the previous season with an average of 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Although Watson can score the ball effectively, his greatest abilities are on the defensive end of the court, where he spent five seasons at Gonzaga as a lockdown versatile defender. He feels at ease covering several spots.
From a defensive perspective, Watson should be an excellent match for the Celtics because of their versatility and ability to switch almost any pick-and-roll.
In addition, he comes from a successful program and was well-coached by the late great Mark Few. Among the second-round choices selected on Thursday, he is also one of the best prepared for the NBA thanks to his five years of Gonzaga experience.
How do analysts feel about the Celtics’ selection in the second round? This is a summary of the grades.
