The Celtics do not have a first-round pick for what will be their third consecutive draft pick Boston boss Brad Stevens has prioritized winning for the time being. This is natural given that the Celtics have been the best team in basketball this season – and they have a great chance of returning to the NBA Finals.
But the C’s have three second-round draft picks for the upcoming 2023 NBA draft. Boston ripped off its 2023 first-round pick to Indiana in a trade for Malcolm Brogdon, Which sounds great considering Brogdon’s production. If the Celtics finish with the best record in basketball, they will have broken away with only the 30th overall pick.
Of course, the regular season is still ongoing, which means the draft order is still moving in certain parts based on a team’s record. The draft lottery is still months away as bottom teams try to capture the French phenomenon Victor Wimbanyama. The Celtics won’t be anywhere near these sweepstakes, as they aim for another big playoff run this summer.
But there are still some interesting names that have come up during the draft process. Boston coined One and done Alabama prospect JD Davison with the 53rd pick Last season, his only pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
Here’s a look at mock drafts from the past few weeks that showcase some of the college names known to be drafted for the Celtics. (Any difference in draft order is based on when the mock draft exists and where the teams are in the standings.)
Thirty-fourth General Choice: Reiki Council IV, 21, 6-foot-6
2022-23 Stats: 17.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 34.9 minutes per game for Arkansas.
41st General Choice: Jordan Walsh, 18, 6ft-7
2022-23 Stats: 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 23.6 minutes per game for Arkansas.
58th overall pick: Zack Eddy, 20 years old, 7-foot-4
2022-23 Stats: 22.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists in 31.4 minutes per game for Purdue.
Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman
Thirty-third general selection: Leonard Miller, 19, 6-foot-10
2022-23 Stats: 15.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists in 24.3 minutes per game for G-League Ignite.
48th overall pick: Azulas Toples, 20, 6ft-11
2022-23 Stats: 20.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 30.5 minutes per game for Arizona.
60th overall pick: Trace Jackson Davis, 22, 6-foot-9
2022-23 stats: 19.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists in 32.1 minutes per game for Indiana.
Public pick #44: Jaylen Clark, 21, 6-foot-5
2022-23 Stats: 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 30.4 minutes per game for UCLA.
Fifty-second general selection: James Nnaji, 18, 6ft-10
2022-23 Stats: 5.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 12.8 minutes per game for FC Barcelona.
58th overall pick: Jalen Pickett, 23, 6-foot-4
2022-23 Stats: 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists in 35.5 minutes per game for Penn State.
43rd General Choice: Tristan Vukcevic, 19, 6-foot-10
2022-23 stats: 9.1 rebounds, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 16.8 minutes per game for KK Partizan in Serbia.
49th overall pick: Reese Beckman, 21, 6-foot-3
2022-23 Stats: 9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists in 30.2 minutes per game for Virginia.
60th overall pick: Drew Timm, 22, 6-foot-10
2022-23 stats: 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists in 32.7 minutes per game for Gonzaga.
42nd General Choice: Marcus Sasser, 22, 6-foot-2
2022-23 Stats: 16.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists in 30.7 minutes per game for Houston.
Public pick #51: Harrison Ingram, 20, 6-foot-7
2022-23 Stats: 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists in 26.6 minutes per game for Stanford.
58th overall pick: Matthew Cleveland, 20 years old, 6ft-7
2022-23 Stats: 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists in 34.3 minutes per game for Florida State.