NBA Draft: Right here’s who the Celtics are predicted to draft at No. 25

Celtics

Boston acquired the first-round decide from Memphis in trade for Marcus Sensible.

Colby Jones checks his name plate as he waits for the media during the 2023 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago.
Colby Jones began in 82 video games throughout three years at Xavier College. AP Photograph/Nam Y. Huh

Following the reported commerce that may ship Marcus Sensible to the Grizzlies and the No. 25 decide to the Celtics, The Athletic and ESPN launched up to date mock drafts.

In The Athletic’s mock, Zach Harper has Boston taking Xavier guard Colby Jones with its new decide.

Jones, who simply accomplished his junior yr with the Musketeers, will present some backcourt depth for the Celtics.

The 21-year-old has loads of expertise, beginning in 82 of his 86 video games over his three-year faculty profession.

The 6-foot-5-inch guard impressed as a jack of all trades at Xavier.

Every season he’s proven stable ability as a wing defender together with his 6-foot-8-inch wingspan. In faculty, Jones averaged at the very least 1.3 steals per sport yearly. He’s additionally persistently flexed his playmaking, averaging 3.6 assists per sport for his profession.

Even his rebounding numbers have been spectacular for a guard, averaging 6.2 a sport in his three seasons.

Right here’s why Harper thinks Boston might take him.

“He’s a troublesome defender who can sort of shoot the ball,” Harper wrote. “It’s robust to know if Jones lastly mounted his exterior capturing, however he’s a fairly good playmaker out of the wing. He can rating the ball, and he can play everywhere in the ground. Pairing him with guys like Derrick White or Malcolm Brogdon will solely assist him stand up to hurry as a rookie.”

For ESPN, Jonathan Givony predicted the Celtics will take French wing Rayan Rupert at No. 25.

The 19-year-old Rupert performed professionally final season for the New Zealand Breakers.

The wing stands at 6-feet-6-inches and has a 7-foot-3-inch wingspan.

That is how Givony defended the decide for the Celtics.

“After dropping some depth within the Sensible commerce, the group might be available in the market for a wing with the flexibility to defend level guards, because it has fairly a little bit of shot creation already with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White,” Givony wrote. “Rupert’s capacity to wreak havoc together with his 7-foot-2 wingspan and excessive depth stage might be fascinating at this stage of the draft.”

Givony additionally talked about the opportunity of Boston taking a former prime prospect who has fallen down boards as a result of damage considerations, like Dariq Whitehead or Brice Sensabaugh.