Ducks Digest

Oregon Basketball's Payton Pritchard: NBA Champion

The Boston Celtics and former Oregon Duck Payton Pritchard won Game 5 and wrapped up the NBA Finals on their homecourt in the TD Garden with a victory over the Dallas Mavericks, 106-88. This is Boston's 18th NBA championship in franchise history which is now the most all-time passing the Los Angeles Lakers who have 17.

Arden Cravalho

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates with forward Jayson Tatum (0) after a three point shot in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates with forward Jayson Tatum (0) after a three point shot in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Just a kid from West Linn.

Oregon legend Payton Pritchard can now add NBA champion to his already impressive resume as the Boston Celtics took care of business in front of their home crowd in Game 5 over the Dallas Mavericks. The former Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year has always just found a way to win as he went to the Final Four in 2020 and never missed the playoffs in his NBA career.

Pritchard may have only played one minute in Game 5 but he hit maybe the most important shot of the game as he was subbed in for the closing seconds before halftime and hit yet another half court buzzer beater. In the spirt of ESPN's Max Kellerman: Of everyone on Boston, open shot, the fate of the universe on the line, the Martians have the death beam pointed at Earth, I want Payton Pritchard.

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates with forward Jayson Tatum (0)
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates with forward Jayson Tatum (0) after a three point shot in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Payton Pritchard's halftime buzzer beater was 50-feet out. That was the longest shot in the NBA Finals in the play-by-play era (since 1997-1998). No one can get more clutch than the former Duck.

"Comes in the game, ain't been in the game and just drains one from half court. That dude is a... he's a f***ing legend, man. Shoutout to Payton Pritchard."

- Jaylen Brown via NBA

In the 2023-2024 postseason, Pritchard averaged 6.4 points per game on 41.9 field goal percentage and 38.3 three-point percentage to go along with 2.1 assists per game and 1.9 rebounds per game.

Pritchard is the fifth former Duck to win an NBA title. He joins Jim Loscutoff (Celtics 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964), Greg Ballard (Bullets 1978), Jordan Bell (Warriors 2018), and Chris Boucher (Raptors - 2019).

The exciting offseason now begins for the NBA champion as he will also be getting married this summer. Congrats, Payton!

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Arden Cravalho
ARDEN CRAVALHO

Arden Cravalho has been covering Oregon football and basketball for Sports Illustrated's Oregon site since June 2024. Arden has been writing extensively about college athletics beginning in 2018. His other work can be seen on "The Slipper Still Fits" at SB Nation. Arden is a graduate of Gonzaga University and brings a deep understanding of college sports to his writing. Residing in San Francisco, CA, Arden continues to follow his passion for college sports with a focus on the Ducks. His experience and dedication to covering Oregon's athletic programs are evident in his insightful articles and analysis

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