The Boston Celtics addressed the frontcourt with Chris Cenac Jr. on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, they turned their attention to the wing.
Boston selected St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, adding an athletic, defensive-minded player who has been on the organization’s radar far longer than most second-round selections typically are.
The pick was not a last-minute decision. It was the result of a scouting trail that stretched back nearly four years.
Celtics Draft Athletic Forward
The connection started in November 2022. Celtics vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren traveled to Texas to scout a Longhorns game against Gonzaga.
Mitchell was a freshman playing his third career college game. He grabbed nine rebounds that night and showed the kind of explosiveness off the floor that stays with a scout long after the final buzzer.
Mitchell was raw then. The skill set was limited. But the physical tools were impossible to ignore.
He spent another year at Texas before transferring to Cincinnati for his junior season. This past year, he landed at St. John’s under Rick Pitino, and the development Zarren had been waiting on finally arrived. Mitchell turned himself into an elite perimeter defender, earned a spot on the Big East All-Defensive team, and added a passing element to his game that had not been there before.
The front office was high enough on him that it looked into moving up in the draft order to guarantee the selection. When it became clear he would likely fall to 40, they held their position. Mitchell is a Celtic.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: Dillon Mitchell #1 of the St. John’s Red Storm dribbles during the second half of the 2026 Big East Men’s Tournament Championship game against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2026 in New York City. The Red Storm won 72-52. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
What Mitchell Brings to Boston
Mitchell stands 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. The athleticism is the headliner.
He is explosive off the floor, covers ground quickly in transition, and plays with the kind of energy that translates immediately at the next level.
Across 37 games in his senior season, Mitchell averaged 8.3 points, seven rebounds, and three assists for the Red Storm. His value showed up most on the defensive end, where his length and mobility allowed him to guard multiple positions and disrupt passing lanes.
The offensive game needs work. Mitchell connected on just one of his 15 three-point attempts during his senior year and converted 48.8 percent of his free throws across his college career. The Celtics believe the mechanics can be rebuilt, but that process will define his early development in Boston.
What he can do right now is defend, rebound, run the floor, and make reads as a passer. For a second-round pick, that foundation gives the coaching staff something real to build on. The tools are there. The shot is the project.
Final Word for the Celtics
ESPN projected Mitchell at 38. The Ringer had him at 39. The Celtics had been tracking him since he was a freshman.
The shooting needs work. But the physical profile, the defensive pedigree, and a scouting investment that predates three of Mitchell’s four college stops suggest Boston sees something worth the wait.
The draft is done. Two picks, two projects, two players built around length, athleticism, and effort. The Celtics are betting on upside. Now the real work begins.
Celtics Land Explosive 6-Foot-8 Defender in 2026 NBA Draft