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Brad Stevens explains why C’s drafted Baylor Scheierman, Anton Watson originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, and it was a unique experience for Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
His selection of Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman at 30th overall marked his first time using a first-round pick since taking over as Boston’s front-office leader in 2021.
“My son texted me yesterday, ‘I’m not staying up to see you trade back, am I?'” Stevens told reporters during his post-draft press conference.
In Round 2, Stevens and the C’s selected Gonzaga forward Anton Watson with the 54th overall pick. Both Scheierman and Watson are 23-year-olds with five collegiate seasons and plenty of NCAA Tournament experience under their belts.
Stevens was asked whether their maturity and experience is what put them on the Celtics’ radar.
“I think you’re looking at what’s available when you draft,” he said. “In the first round, we all thought really highly of Baylor and were excited that he dropped to 30. And in the second round, a similar thing with Anton. Those guys both are winning players. They’ve played in a lot of big moments and a lot of big games and big environments. They know how to play on both ends of the floor. They’ve been really well-coached.
“At these picks, when you’re not picking top five in the draft, you’re probably not weighing that stuff quite as strongly, right? You’re looking for best fit, best player, who can come in and accentuate your team and who can grow within your group. They’re both young enough they can do that too.”
Scheierman averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range last season. He’s an outstanding shooter who made nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers on 5.6 attempts per game over his collegiate career.
Along with his shooting, Scheierman impressed Stevens with his physical development in recent years.
“He’s done a good job with his body. He has done a good job in the weight room,” Stevens said. “He’s always been super skilled, super smart, and super tough. Like, he’s a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/brad-stevens-explains-why-cs-234837664.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-06-28 07:23:37
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