With his expected appearance at NBA Summer League looming and legal issues that could force the Celtics to pay a buyout to his Israeli team, Boston’s 2020 draft pick Yam Madar has been in the headlines over the past month.
The 20-year-old point guard was one of the biggest unknowns in the 2020 NBA draft when the Celtics used the 47th overall pick on him, but he has blossomed for Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League.
In a recent piece by Chris Grenham of Forbes, Grenham spoke with Madar’s longtime trainer Yogev Berdugo about his journey in professional basketball and his game. Not only did Berdugo describe Madar as a, “wizard in the pick-and-roll game,” but he also compared him to a former Celtic master of the pick-and-roll.
“He can give you 25 points, but that’s not his M.O. If he has seven, eight and nine, he’s happy,” Berdugo said of Madar. “There was another point guard who played the same way that helped bring Boston a championship. His name is Rajon Rondo. I love to make that comparison because he is that.”
If Madar can be anywhere near the player Rondo was in Celtic green, then Boston found itself an all-time steal late in Round 2. To this point in his career, Berdugo feels that the Israeli guard has proven to be one thing above all else: a winner.
“He’s a competitor. He’s a winner. He plays to win the game. He’s not chasing stats; the stats chase him because he’s a winner,” Berdugo said. “He’s a great team guy. He plays with soul and passion. He’s fun and entertaining. That’s Yam. I believe that he is going to captivate Celtics fans and NBA fans. I think Yam Madar was born to do this.”
Hopefully NBA Summer League is the beginning of Madar showing Celtics fans that he can be part of the long term solution at point guard.
