Earlier this summer, the Boston Celtics selected Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th pick in the NBA Draft.
Heading into draft night, Cenac was widely expected to go in the late teens or early twenties. The fact that he was still on the board by the time Brad Stevens was on the clock undoubtedly came as a surprise.
Nevertheless, Cenac’s former collegiate coach, Kelvin Sampson, is pleased that Cenac fell into Boston’s lap.
“I said, ‘Chris, I’m glad those teams didn’t take you,’ ” Sampson told the Boston Globe. “Then when Boston took him, I said, ‘They believe in you, Chris. You went to the right team.’ Brad Stevens is one of the best basketball people in the world, and I’ve been so impressed with [coach] Joe Mazzulla.”
Boston has developed a strong reputation for player development in recent years. Multiple draft late first-round draft picks have carved out a role within Mazzulla’s rotation, including Payton Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman.
“I don’t know that [Payton] Pritchard would be a great player everywhere, but he made it in Boston, and I don’t think it was a coincidence that it was in Boston,” Sampson said. “Jayson Tatum is going to be good everywhere, but some of those other guys might not be. I think Chris can develop there.”
Cenac will undoubtedly get his opportunities to impress in the coming season. However, he faces stiff competition for playing time. As such, most of his development could occur behind the scenes, which in turn would reduce the pressure he faces.
Sampson Praises Celtics Culture
Since Brad Stevens moved into the Celtics front office, there has been a clear focus on team culture from the top down. It’s that culture that has impressed Sampson as he watches from afar.
“There’s a reason why the best organizations have the best cultures, because things like that matter,” Sampson said. “Little things like that are big things when it comes to work ethic and getting better.
After a tumultuous summer that saw the Celtics part ways with Jaylen Brown in a controversial trade, Boston will need to lean into that culture to begin the season. Because, for the first time in a long time, the Celtics aren’t coming into the campaign as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
Sampson Has High Hopes For Chris Cenac
Cenac enters the NBA as an elite-level athlete who can run the floor, rebound and hit some shots from the field. However, Sampson believes the Celtics’ new rookie is only scratching the surface of his potential, especially in terms of his shooting ability.
“Chris is going to be a 37-39 percent shooter. He’s got a great release, and the ball comes off his fingertips with a good rotation and a good arc, and he’s a worker,” he said. “He’s not like a guard who has been shooting threes his whole life.”
While Sampson’s hopes for Cenac may be a little high, the Houston Cougars head coach believes that Cenac will surprise some people, primarily due to his work ethic.
“He’d just say, ‘My fault, Coach. My fault. I’ll try to do better,’ ” Sampson said. “He said that for 10 months . . . He’s one of the players I wish I could have coached a little longer. But I’m happy he’s having this opportunity, because he deserves it.”
Celtics fans will certainly be excited to see Cenac in action next season. However, given the amount of talent ahead of him in the rotation, it would likely be wise to have realistic expectations.
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