Inside The Celtics

Baylor Scheierman Details Pre-Draft Workouts, Celtics' Feedback Before Selecting Him: 'Impact Winning'

Bobby Krivitsky

Mar 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) shoots against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) shoots against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Celtics capped the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by selecting Baylor Scheierman with the 30th overall pick.

The former Creighton Bluejay has parking lot range and converted on 38.1% of the 8.3 threes he attempted last season. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and nearly a steal per game.

The six-foot-six sharpshooter is a unanimous First Team All-Big East selection. He became the first men's player in Division 1 history with at least 2,000 points (2,233), 1,000 rebounds (1,256), 500 steals (580), and 300 made threes (356). His 1140 defensive rebounds are more than any player in the last 25 seasons.

On Thursday, speaking with the local media for the first time, Scheierman shared, "When I went through the NBA Draft process a couple (of) years ago coming out of South Dakota State, I actually worked out for Boston. And then I also worked out for them this year, going through the process, and I really enjoyed both times I worked out there.

"Obviously, meeting the organization and the staff, and I really enjoyed the workouts as well, and the city. (I) thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and obviously, I felt like I put a good step forward in those workouts. And I'm just really excited to, obviously, have this opportunity in Boston, and (I'm) excited to get to work."

As for what his workouts with the Celtics consisted of, Scheierman explained, "A lot of three-on-three, a lot of shooting, tried to show my competitive nature and how much I like to compete; dive on the floor for loose balls, kind of impact winning in a positive way and anyway I can really and that's really what I tried to show in these workouts."

While the Nebraska native impressed his new organization when he first worked out for them a couple of years ago, applying their feedback to him when he arrived from South Dakota State helped him develop into a first-round selection.

"The first time coming through obviously was a couple (of) years ago and they really liked my game, just my ability to kind of impact the game in different ways, whether that be shooting, passing dribbling, or just my IQ," said Scheierman.

"And they felt like I could get a little stronger, a little quicker, a little more explosive a couple (of) years go and that's kind of what I really tried to improve on these last two years at Creighton, and I feel like I did that, which kind of put me in the position to be where I am right now."

He also shared that along with Brad Stevens, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Joe Mazzulla are among those who reached out to him after the Celtics drafted him on Wednesday night.

"That meant a lot to me," voiced Scheierman. "I'm obviously really excited to get there and meet everybody and my new teammates and really just try to be a sponge and learn from everybody, and try to intake as much information as I can that will help me grow as a player in the NBA."

Before starring at Creighton or reaching basketball's highest level, Scheierman also shined on the gridiron. He led Aurora High School to a Nebraska State Class C1 State Football championship in 2018, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and a state-record 59 touchdowns.

He told Inside The Celtics of the role that his time as a quarterback played in his growth as a facilitator on the court, "Yeah, I think it plays a big part. Obviously, the quarterback in football, you have to know everything that's going on, on the field. You have to know what routes your receivers are running, you have to know what the defense is in, you have to know what routes beat certain defenses, and I think you have to know it all and it happens so fast. And I think basketball, obviously, it's kind of the same thing.

"And in terms of my playmaking, my ability to see the court and kind of anticipate things before it happens and then obviously my ability to deliver the ball on time and on target. And I think me playing football, it definitely helped me continue to develop that on the basketball court, for sure."

Scheierman also has a message for Celtics fans, letting them know what he'll bring to Boston.

"I'm a hard worker, I like to work, and I like to compete. I like to impact the game in any way I can. I like to impact winning, whether that's diving on the floor, making threes, or blocking shots, whatever that might be, and I like to have fun while doing it. I think basketball obviously is a game that's meant to be enjoyed and so when I'm out there on the court, I like to have a lot of fun and like to compete."

Further Reading

Baylor Scheierman Shares What He Hopes to Bring to the Celtics

Celtics Keep 30th Pick, Select Baylor Scheierman

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player

Jayson Tatum, an NBA Champion Entering Peak of His Powers

Jaylen Brown Caps Career Year with NBA Finals MVP: 'Can't Even Put it into Words'

Tatum and Brown Reach NBA Summit, Lead Celtics to Banner 18

Dependable Xavier Tillman Discusses Learning to 'Be a Star in Your Own Role'

Celtics Detail Keys to Perhaps Their Best Quarter This Postseason

Sports Doctor Details Challenges, Risks of Kristaps Porzingis Playing in NBA Finals

Published |Modified
Bobby Krivitsky

BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

Home/Top Stories