HugoMania, Sophomore Scheierman and more to watch at Celtics Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics begin a two-week stay in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon with their NBA Summer League opener against the Memphis Grizzlies (4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston). The Summer C’s will play at least five games on the campus of UNLV, giving us an extended glimpse at this collection of recent draftees and roster hopefuls.
Set to be without five of their top nine players from last season — Jayson Tatum is rehabbing from Achilles surgery, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded away, Luke Kornet signed with the Spurs, and Al Horford is pondering a Boston-less future — the Celtics have minutes available to anyone willing to kick down the playing-time door.
Roster returnees Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman headline a roster that also features 2025 NBA Draft picks Hugo Gonzalez (28th overall), Amari Williams (46th), and Max Shulga (57th). Two-way forward Miles Norris is with the summer squad as well.
So, what will we be looking for from this group? Here are five storylines we’re monitoring.
1. Will HugoMania be running wild?
Walsh already set the Hugo Hype Train in motion.
After the Summer C’s wrapped their mini training camp in Brighton, Walsh said of Gonzalez: “He plays hard. Really hard. Fans are gonna love that. He plays hard, he dives on the floor, he’s a defensive menace, and he attacks the rim with force.”
Gonzalez, the highest draft pick of Brad Stevens’ tenure, is a bit of an international man of mystery. He saw limited floor time with veteran-laden Real Madrid squad last season but was projected as a lottery pick before the season. The highlight reel suggests a player who operates as if his foot is glued to the gas pedal.
All Gonzalez has to do is hit the floor for a loose ball or show some defensive tenacity and Celtics fans will swoon.
Boston could benefit from someone who cuts hard and attacks the rim with purpose. Even if it’s just Summer League, it will be interesting to see how Gonzalez holds up against other NBA hopefuls and what stat lines he puts up in extended minutes. Still a teenager, he’s got plenty of runway.
2. Third time’s a charm for Walsh?
Walsh had a forgettable 2024 Vegas visit. He missed the first 22 3-pointers he hoisted at last year’s event and didn’t look comfortable until Boston’s finale. Now it’s time to show all the progress he made in the aftermath.
Despite the lackluster summer, Walsh made a strong case for a role early in the 2024-25 season before his minutes evaporated. After he appeared in 52 games for the Celtics last season, it’s time for Walsh to show he’s a cut above the players gathered in Vegas.
What’s wild is that Walsh is still the second-youngest player on Boston’s summer roster, ahead of only Gonzalez. Walsh won’t turn 22 until March 2026. With the Celtics chock-full of young wings, Walsh should yearn to make a strong summer impression with hopes of building off that when camp opens in October.
3. No sophomore slump for Scheierman
Joe Mazzulla admittedly doesn’t love playing rookies, and Scheierman logged just 74 minutes before the All-Star break last season. But the Creighton product fully embraced the bigger opportunity that came in the second half of his first pro season, including showcasing some flashy playmaking and steady 3-point shooting.
Before departing for Vegas, Scheierman promised to do all the same stuff that endeared him late last season: Diving on the floor for loose balls, hitting 3s, and blowing kisses to the crowd.
It doesn’t feel like a stretch to suggest that Scheierman is the early favorite to carve out a real role with the parent team next season. But he doesn’t have quite the same luxury of time as Gonzalez and Walsh. Scheierman will turn 25 before the Celtics huddle for the start of training camp.
4. When the moon hits your eye … that’s Amari!
To say there’s a void in the Celtics’ frontcourt would be an understatement.
With the departures of Porzingis, Horford, and Kornet, the Celtics are losing 4,230 minutes of frontcourt playing time from last season. Neemias Queta is the team’s most experienced returning big, at least with Xavier Tillman Sr. playing sparingly last season.
Williams has a monster frame (7 feet tall, 7-foot-5 wingspan) and the scouting reports suggest someone with defensive prowess, rebounding chops, and playmaking potential. How Williams plays in Vegas will give us some clues about whether he might be able to log some time in Boston on a two-way contract next season.
Other summer centers, like former NBA big man Kenny Lofton Jr., will get every opportunity to show they deserve a training camp invite.
5. Any hints on how the 2025-26 Celtics might play?
We found it interesting when Stevens noted earlier this week that the Celtics’ coaching staff will be “trying a bunch of stuff out there now with our Summer League team that we haven’t done in the past, that I think will be good experimentation, at the very least.”
Stevens’ offseason moves suggest a preference for players who compete hard and embrace off-the-ball movement. We’re interested to see Boston’s pickup points on defense, how fast they get into sets on the offensive end, and the general pace displayed at Summer League.
Given their loss of talent, might the Celtics try to make up for that by tweaking their play style in 2025-26? Summer League might give us an idea of what’s being prioritized.
HugoMania, Sophomore Scheierman and more to watch at Celtics Summer League
Who can make a name for themselves in Vegas?
The Boston Celtics begin a two-week stay in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon with their NBA Summer League opener against the Memphis Grizzlies (4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston). The Summer C’s will play at least five games on the campus of UNLV, giving us an extended glimpse at this collection of recent draftees and roster hopefuls.
Set to be without five of their top nine players from last season — Jayson Tatum is rehabbing from Achilles surgery, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded away, Luke Kornet signed with the Spurs, and Al Horford is pondering a Boston-less future — the Celtics have minutes available to anyone willing to kick down the playing-time door.
Roster returnees Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman headline a roster that also features 2025 NBA Draft picks Hugo Gonzalez (28th overall), Amari Williams (46th), and Max Shulga (57th). Two-way forward Miles Norris is with the summer squad as well.
SIGN UP HERE So, what will we be looking for from this group? Here are five storylines we’re monitoring.
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1. Will HugoMania be running wild?
Walsh already set the Hugo Hype Train in motion.
After the Summer C’s wrapped their mini training camp in Brighton, Walsh said of Gonzalez: “He plays hard. Really hard. Fans are gonna love that. He plays hard, he dives on the floor, he’s a defensive menace, and he attacks the rim with force.”
Gonzalez, the highest draft pick of Brad Stevens’ tenure, is a bit of an international man of mystery. He saw limited floor time with veteran-laden Real Madrid squad last season but was projected as a lottery pick before the season. The highlight reel suggests a player who operates as if his foot is glued to the gas pedal.
All Gonzalez has to do is hit the floor for a loose ball or show some defensive tenacity and Celtics fans will swoon.
Boston could benefit from someone who cuts hard and attacks the rim with purpose. Even if it’s just Summer League, it will be interesting to see how Gonzalez holds up against other NBA hopefuls and what stat lines he puts up in extended minutes. Still a teenager, he’s got plenty of runway.
2. Third time’s a charm for Walsh?
Walsh had a forgettable 2024 Vegas visit. He missed the first 22 3-pointers he hoisted at last year’s event and didn’t look comfortable until Boston’s finale. Now it’s time to show all the progress he made in the aftermath.
Despite the lackluster summer, Walsh made a strong case for a role early in the 2024-25 season before his minutes evaporated. After he appeared in 52 games for the Celtics last season, it’s time for Walsh to show he’s a cut above the players gathered in Vegas.
What’s wild is that Walsh is still the second-youngest player on Boston’s summer roster, ahead of only Gonzalez. Walsh won’t turn 22 until March 2026. With the Celtics chock-full of young wings, Walsh should yearn to make a strong summer impression with hopes of building off that when camp opens in October.
3. No sophomore slump for Scheierman
Joe Mazzulla admittedly doesn’t love playing rookies, and Scheierman logged just 74 minutes before the All-Star break last season. But the Creighton product fully embraced the bigger opportunity that came in the second half of his first pro season, including showcasing some flashy playmaking and steady 3-point shooting.
Before departing for Vegas, Scheierman promised to do all the same stuff that endeared him late last season: Diving on the floor for loose balls, hitting 3s, and blowing kisses to the crowd.
It doesn’t feel like a stretch to suggest that Scheierman is the early favorite to carve out a real role with the parent team next season. But he doesn’t have quite the same luxury of time as Gonzalez and Walsh. Scheierman will turn 25 before the Celtics huddle for the start of training camp.
4. When the moon hits your eye … that’s Amari!
To say there’s a void in the Celtics’ frontcourt would be an understatement.
With the departures of Porzingis, Horford, and Kornet, the Celtics are losing 4,230 minutes of frontcourt playing time from last season. Neemias Queta is the team’s most experienced returning big, at least with Xavier Tillman Sr. playing sparingly last season.
Williams has a monster frame (7 feet tall, 7-foot-5 wingspan) and the scouting reports suggest someone with defensive prowess, rebounding chops, and playmaking potential. How Williams plays in Vegas will give us some clues about whether he might be able to log some time in Boston on a two-way contract next season.
Other summer centers, like former NBA big man Kenny Lofton Jr., will get every opportunity to show they deserve a training camp invite.
5. Any hints on how the 2025-26 Celtics might play?
We found it interesting when Stevens noted earlier this week that the Celtics’ coaching staff will be “trying a bunch of stuff out there now with our Summer League team that we haven’t done in the past, that I think will be good experimentation, at the very least.”
Stevens’ offseason moves suggest a preference for players who compete hard and embrace off-the-ball movement. We’re interested to see Boston’s pickup points on defense, how fast they get into sets on the offensive end, and the general pace displayed at Summer League.
Given their loss of talent, might the Celtics try to make up for that by tweaking their play style in 2025-26? Summer League might give us an idea of what’s being prioritized.
