Boston Celtics fan favorite and in-house gym rat Semi Ojeleye will have his contract guaranteed for the 2019-20 season, per the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. Ojeleye, who Celtics head coach Brad Stevens considered to be arguably the improved player on Boston’s roster last season, was drafted by the Celtics with the 37th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
A muscular forward who has earned nicknamed like “Muscle Jesus,” “The Ox” and “The Ojeleye Factory” due to his affinity for lifting weights and a jacked 6-foot-7, 241 pound frame, Ojeleye has mostly been deployed as a situational defensive stopper in his time with Boston.
His most notable tasks to date have been to slow down Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo — the 2019 NBA MVP — and with his blend of strength, athleticism and defensive technique, the SMU product has performed admirably in those matchups. He hasn’t stopped Antetokounmpo, of course, but he certainly makes the Greek Freak’s job more difficult.
Interestingly enough, Ojeleye is a player who can get it done on the offensive end too, having averaged 19.0 points per game in his third and final college season. However, he’s rarely had an opportunity or even displayed a desire to showcase his scoring skill. Capable of scoring from the outside or creating his own shot to get into the lane, that could change for Ojeleye next season.
Aside from rookie point guard Carsen Edwards and veteran forward Gordon Hayward, the Celtics second unit could use some help in the scoring department. The versatile Ojeleye could provide the boost that the bench needs.
