Boston Celtics draft pick Jordan Walsh has an autoimmune disease called Alopecia, which causes hair loss in various body areas. Walsh admitted to Jared Weiss and Mike Vorkunov that he struggled with fans mocking him for his disease but shouted out former NBA player Charlie Villanueva – who also had alopecia – for helping him out.
“(Villanueva) was really helpful, more than anything off the court,” Walsh said of Villanueva. “Just with my head, my confidence, just stuff like that, because he understands what I’ve been through. I can tell him everything, and he’s been through the same thing. He’s got great advice.”
Villanueva himself revealed to Weiss and Vorkunov what he told Walsh to help him persevere.
“One thing I told him is to make sure that you have Alopecia and Alopecia doesn’t have you,” Villanueva said. “He’s got to have control of this disease, regardless if your hair is coming back or not. Stay positive and use it as motivation to get to where you want.”
Villanueva was the no. 7 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, originally selected by the Toronto Raptors. From 2005 to 2016, Villanueva played for the Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Dallas Mavericks.
Villanueva has career averages of 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 43.5% from the field and 34.1% from three.
Jordan Walsh Aspires to be Herb Jones
While talking with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Walsh talked about how he always believed his skillset could translate to the NBA.
“After high school, everything starts over,” Walsh told Scotto. “It’s a clean slate for everybody. It no longer matters if you were a five-star recruit, No. 1 in the class, or the last person in the class. It’s all about the production you bring to the team and organization. I felt like whether I was Top 10 or Top 100, I felt like I could rest my hat on playing defense and being able to guard one through four. Even in the NBA now, I feel like that’s my identity.”
Walsh admitted that he wants to be like New Orleans Pelicans‘ wing Herb Jones.
“A guy like Herb Jones was also a second-round pick who could guard one through four and does a lot of little things to win, is a guy I can relate to and am modeling myself after. At one point, I can become more of a point-forward type of player for an organization. It all starts with defense, and that’ll help me earn my stripes in the league.”
Jordan Walsh Preparing to Play With Jayson Tatum
After his first summer league game with the Celtics, Walsh talked about approaching the game like he was playing with Jayson Tatum.
“Obviously, I wanted to play sort of like a role that I would if I was playing with a guy like Jayson Tatum. Just being ready to hit those open shots and make easy plays,” Walsh said per Jay King of The Athletic.
Jordan Walsh said he just wanted to do whatever he could today to impact winning: “Obviously I wanted to play sort of like a role that I would if I was playing with a guy like Jayson Tatum. Just being ready to hit those open shots and make easy plays.”
While admitting that he wanted Tatum to notice him, Walsh said he enjoys watching the Celtics star play.
“I looked at him a couple of times. He didn’t look back at me. But I looked over there like, ‘Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.’ But it’s respect, though. I love watching him play.”
Jayson Tatum was watching the Celtics today courtside.
Jordan Walsh: “I looked at him a couple of times. He didn’t look back at me. But I looked over there like, ‘Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.’ But it’s respect though. I love watching him play.”
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Celtics Draft Pick Jordan Walsh Shouts Out Former No. 7 Pick