Getty Celtics Draft Pick Jordan Walsh
In his Summer League debut for the Boston Celtics, Jordan Walsh impressed the masses, scoring 18 points on four-for-six shooting from three shooting while providing good energy when he took the floor against the Miami Heat.
Jordan Walsh with 18 points on 55% shooting in his first Summer League game. The defensive talent is obviously there, but his offensive upside is scary
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After the game, Walsh singled out Celtics star Jayson Tatum when talking about how he approached his game.
“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.”
Walsh then praised Tatum, who was watching him and the Celtics on the sideline.
“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.”
Walsh added that the Celtics have emphasized him shooting the ball from three, adding that the Celtics “force him to shoot it.”
Jordan Walsh on the Celtics desire for him to shoot: “Not only do they encourage me — they force me to shoot it.”
Though Walsh was known for being a high-energy player in college, he was not known as a floor-spacer, shooting 27.8% from distance during his lone year at Arkansas. Proving himself as a floor-spacer could help him carve out a role for the Celtics.
Jordan Walsh States ‘Everything Affects Winning’
While talking with King, Walsh talked about how important winning is no matter what role he would have with the Celtics.
“I learned my first day going into Boston that everything affects winning. Whether you’re on the bench, whether you’re just walking around in the street, maybe you’re just eating food, whatever you’re doing, everything affects winning. So I want to take real responsibility and real pride in everything that I do affects the team in a positive way, affects the organization in a positive way to get another banner. And that’s been my focus since Boston called my name to to get me on their team,” Walsh said, per King.
Jordan Walsh: “Whether you’re on the bench, whether you’re just walking around in the street, maybe you’re just eating food, whatever you’re doing, everything affects winning.”
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Following the departure of Grant Williams, Walsh may be given the opportunity to make the Celtics rotation this season. He is the first draft pick the Celtics have signed to a standard NBA contract since Payton Pritchard, though JD Davison, who was on a two-way contract last season, could also be signed to the same contract.
Jordan Walsh Singles Out Celtics for Support
After their first Summer League practice, Walsh talked about how comfortable he is with making mistakes because he knows he still has Celtics’ brass backing him.
“I know I’m not a perfect player,” Walsh said per MassLive’s Souichi Terada. “I know I’m going to miss shots and mess up. But the fact that I can mess up like that and still be here and have the support of the staff and people like Brad believed in me and gave me the chance to be here, that’s the biggest part. So I’m gonna keep living through those moments and working through those moments to get better.”
Walsh added what was most important to him in the Summer League.
“Win every game for sure,” Walsh said. “I just want to be able to dominate every single game and for the team to get a W.”