The tedious, eager-filled means of incomes a company’s belief lies on the forefront of each rookie’s record of challenges entering into the NBA. Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez, nevertheless, is among the many most ready.
He’s already weathered the grind of taking part in behind a revolving door of elite expertise, together with teammates with NBA pedigrees. Gonzalez wasn’t even legally sufficiently old to drink when he debuted as knowledgeable hooper for Actual Madrid within the Liga ACB at simply 16 years outdated. Because the fourth-youngest participant to ever swimsuit up for the staff, Gonzalez scraped collectively solely 4 appearances, averaging lower than two minutes an evening.
Now, there aren’t many conditions the 19-year-old can’t navigate round Boston’s rewarding — and generally unforgiving — ambiance.
Boston chosen Gonzalez with its lone first-round choice in June’s 2025 NBA Draft at No. 28. The 6-foot-6 wing was contemporary off driving the continual wave of sporadic taking part in time for Actual Madrid, however the flashes have been deemed sufficient for Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens.
“He’s powerful, he’s hard-playing, he cuts, he goes after the ball, he competes,” Stevens stated on Draft Evening, per NBC Sports activities Boston. “He’s bought all of the intangibles of a profitable basketball participant. There’s issues he can get higher at, similar to everyone else at that age, however competitiveness is at a excessive stage.”
Stevens continued: “If you end up that age, in that scenario (with Actual Madrid), you gotta earn your stripes. Once we took our staff (to Spain) years in the past within the preseason, we performed towards a 16-year-old (Luka) Dončić that hardly bought in, proper? Hugo’s a little bit bit older, and I’m not evaluating him to Dončić, however I’ll say it’s nice while you get to play for these groups. If you placed on a Actual Madrid jersey, you placed on a accountability just like right here, and I feel that that’s a very good factor.”
Sharing the ground with skilled NBA veterans Serge Ibaka, Facundo Campazzo, Dennis Smith Jr., and Bruno Fernando, Gonzalez averaged simply 3.1 factors and 1.7 rebounds whereas capturing 40.8% from the ground. The hustle-first sparkplug logged 10.2 minutes by means of 69 video games, however Gonzalez’s persistence and unseen work ethic launched themselves as soon as the chance arrived at his doorstep.
Gonzalez wasted no time showcasing his heady instincts when known as upon by coach Matt Reynolds in Summer time League again in July. He corralled an offensive rebound off a missed Baylor Scheierman 3-pointer, sprinting from the highest of the important thing to beat out three Memphis Grizzlies earlier than scoring a putback layup. It was Gonzalez’s first standout spotlight in his first Summer time League look, validating Stevens’ evaluation of the younger prospect. He completed with 12 factors, 4 rebounds and 5 assists en path to a 92-78 victory over Memphis.
And whereas most followers tuning in have been too busy Googling Gonzalez’s abroad stats and scouting stories, these inside the Celtics locker room knew what to anticipate from the rookie.
“He performs arduous — actually arduous,” Jordan Walsh stated three days earlier than the Summer time League opener, per CLNS Media. “So, followers are gonna love that. He performs arduous. He dives on the ground. He’s a defensive menace, after which he assaults the rim with pressure. I feel everybody is aware of that, but it surely was my first time seeing him play and be capable to watch it and go towards it.”
Gonzalez performed 26 minutes a recreation throughout 4 Summer time League contests for the Celtics, averaging 10.8 factors, 4.5 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists on 30.2% capturing from the sector and 30.4% capturing from three. His Las Vegas spotlight reel confirmed promise. Gonzalez was continuously engaged on each ends of the ground, making performs left and proper with an Energizer Bunny-like motor whereas additionally pulling down an occasional 3-pointer — certainly one thing that caught head coach Joe Mazzulla’s eye.
There isn’t a assured position awaiting Gonzalez’s TD Backyard arrival — and that’s tremendous. Circumstances relationship again to Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles tendon within the staff’s Jap Convention semifinals, coupled with an offseason yard sale, assist crack open a priceless window of alternative. Boston wants depth, and that requires Mazzulla to get artistic to maximise the staff’s depleted roster, which ought to favor Gonzalez, equally to when Scheierman grew to become a sparkplug sensation amid his career-best 20-point efficiency final season towards the Brooklyn Nets.
Picture by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe through Getty Pictures
With out Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Vacation, the Celtics are going to must squeeze each ounce of juice attainable out of the roster, and Gonzalez’s make-up is well-suited to assist make that occur. Boston has a eager eye for recognizing late first-rounders able to delivering an influence that goes under-appreciated within the field rating, similar to final season’s Sixth Man of the 12 months Payton Pritchard — the twenty sixth total choose in 2020.
Gonzalez isn’t strolling right into a scenario the place expertise is overflowing and minute distribution is up for critical debate. Past Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Anfernee Simons and Pritchard, the remainder of the crew is basically a clean canvas for Mazzulla and the teaching employees to form. Due to this fact, no matter what Gonzalez’s position seems to be like on Opening Evening, it shouldn’t be interpreted as a definitive measure for position or potential. At simply 19, he’s again to being too younger to drink (in Spain, the authorized consuming age is eighteen), but he’s already amassed years of expertise taking part in with and towards professionals — together with former NBA gamers — together with traits which have traditionally assisted gamers of all calibers to thrive in a Celtics uniform.
These intangibles alone, which drew the eye of Stevens and Boston’s brass, are certain to guide Gonzalez each minutes and applause from TD Backyard’s crowd all through the season.
“We’re fairly, fairly excited,” Gonzalez stated, per team-provided video. “Particularly being drafted by a extremely good franchise, a extremely good scenario. Being drafted by Boston was actually good and new for me, and I’m excited for it.”
Teammates, together with Walsh and Scheierman, have already provided their praises to Gonzalez after receiving only a glimpse of what the Celtics may have on their palms within the coming years. The roster may be in flux, however one factor is obvious: Gonzalez is intriguing and value keeping track of. He’s younger, energetic, prepared to simply accept the ebbs and flows that include growing as a professional, and is off to a head begin on leaving a robust first impression amongst these inside the group.
If that every one interprets as soon as it’s time to hit the parquet, Gonzalez may mould right into a sneaky shock for Boston.
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