The Boston Celtics are among teams in the NBA that have leaned harder on their G League affiliate to find homegrown talent able to help the parent club. So it did not turn heads when the Celtics elected to take guard JD Davison with the 53rd overall selection in the 2022 NBA draft with the intention of having him develop with the (Portland) Maine Celtics.
In a report from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, Davison was named Boston’s best G League prospect in a recent survey of such players around the NBA. According to the B/R analyst, the former Alabama standout fell out of lottery range and to the Celtics because of “poor shooting and decision-making.”
“Both weaknesses have been evident in the G League, but they’re also improvable, while his athleticism and playmaking aren’t as teachable,” he explains, likely invoking Boston’s thinking on the matter to begin with.
The Hall of Fame Celtic started out hating the sport he’d become famous for playing. https://t.co/DffKqF60DU
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) February 4, 2023
“Averaging 12 assists over his last five games with the Maine Celtics, Davison should be interesting … for his ability to set up teammates,” suggests Wasserman. “He should also offer enough open-floor finishing and some more in ball-screen situations, but the scoring will mostly be a bonus.”
“He’ll have a chance to carve out an NBA role by raising his shooting-threat level a notch and cutting down on unforced turnovers.”
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