The Celtics selected Arkansas freshman Jordan Walsh with the No. 38 overall pick after trading back three times and dealing the No. 39 overall selection to Atlanta, netting four future second-rounders. Walsh, a 19-year-old forward from near Dallas, Texas, brings elite physical qualities to Boston with a likely long road to playing.
Walsh thrived as a defender in the SEC, utilizing his 7-2 frame and athleticism to hound offensive players. He fouled often, 4.8 times per 100 minutes, but drew frequent charges, won numerous battles to loose balls and played well within a team system on that end of the floor. A rougher offensive skillset dropped him to the second round. His defensive tools and instincts could make him one of this draft’s best defenders. He’ll need to get on the floor to show them.
Without a reliable jump shot, creation abilities and even struggling to finish at the rim, Walsh will struggle to get on the floor as a rookie in Joe Mazzulla’s spacing-oriented offense that stresses spacing. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.9 assists and 1.0 turnovers per game, shooting 43.3% from the field, 27.8% from three on 72 attempts and converted 71.2% at the free throw line. Arkansas moved him to the bench for the team’s run into the NCAA Tournament on a team that featured fellow draft prospects Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr.
Walsh measured 6-6 without shoes and an 8-11 standing reach and wingspan that both measured 11th among the players assessed at the NBA combine. He weighed in at a strong 204 pounds for his size. Evaluators projected he could potentially guard every position on the floor, a good fit for Boston’s propensity to switch, especially after trading their most versatile defender in Marcus Smart. The Celtics believed in Walsh’s ability for his offense to eventually catch up to his defense.
“He’s a good prospect, he’s young,” Brad Stevens said. “We don’t expect him to come in and take the world on fire in the first couple of months, summer league, first year. He has a special ability laterally, and with his wingspan to swallow people up defensively. He really creates havoc with his arms and with his energy and with his ability to move his feet. He’s a better shooter, and we had him in twice for workouts. He’s just getting better and better, and I’ve always thought his touch looked good, but he looked hesitant at times. I think, over time, he’ll become a really good shooter who has the athleticism to finish and drive closeouts. He’ll be ahead on the defensive end to start.”
Believers in Walsh credit his feel for the game, sensing when to cut and where to move on the floor to maintain spacing in spite of his poor shooting. The Celtics may improve his release, which doesn’t enter the league completely broken. Sam Vecenie noted poor finishing numbers, 45.1% in the half court and 52.3% overall, diminishing his one translatable offensive skill. A 25.8% mark on catch-and-shoot threes won’t help, no will a nearly nonexistent passing game. He’ll need to find his pockets on rolls and in transition initially, more likely than not spending time in the G-League.
Boston arrived at No. 38 overall by trading out of the first round, sending No. 25 to Detroit (Marcus Sasser) for No. 31, then later trading that (James Nnaji) to Charlotte for No. 34 and No. 39, trading back again with Sacramento (Colby Jones) to 38 Walsh. The Celtics sent the 39th pick (Mouhamed Gueye) to Atlanta for a 2027 second-round pick. Boston also received a 2025 second, (likely the better of GSW or WAS), a 2026 second-rounder (the best of NYK, MIN, POR, NOLA) and a 2024 Dallas second-rounder. Stevens aimed to replenish increasingly valuable second round selections, who are expected to receive an exception in the new CBA.
“We had a list of guys that we were really comfortable with,” Stevens said. “The guy we ended up getting was on that list. For us, it was about, when offers came in, to continue to build up our assets and restock some of those that we had lost over the years that made some sense. We were excited we were able to get out of tonight with more picks to use in a variety of ways, and a good player in Jordan.”
Picking Walsh instead of a first-round pick kept the Celtics in play to utilize their mid-level exception by not crossing the second apron threshold. The guaranteed money for a No. 25 overall pick would’ve thrust Boston too close to that line, which Stevens alluded to the team potentially still potentially forgoing.
The Celtics expect to introduce Walsh and Kristaps Porzingis, whose arrival with the team became official on Friday morning.
