Jordan Walsh's Preseason Debut a Reminder Not to Succumb to Impatience

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 5, 2024

Feb 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh (27) passes the ball during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Summer League didn't go as Jordan Walsh envisioned. The 20-year-old wing struggled from the field and let misses get the best of him for much of his stay in Las Vegas.

However, those struggles offered Walsh a valuable lesson that left Sin City with him.

"I felt like my focus was at the wrong thing," he told Boston Celtics on SI while in Las Vegas. "I feel like I should have focused more on playing how I would play if (Jayson) Tatum was now on the floor. I feel like I was thinking (that) I was the only guy on the floor, not in a selfish way, but as a way of like, 'I want to get my shots' and stuff like that, and I feel like I put too much on making shots."

Learning to put more stock in his preparation and process than whether the ball's tickling the twine after he lets it fly, Joe Mazzulla conveyed, "Jordan's been good," when asked for his assessment of how training camp's gone for Walsh entering his second year in the Association.

"Can he execute defensively? Can he guard 1-5? Can he execute our coverages? On the offensive end, can he move the ball? Can he read 2-on-1s? Can he make open shots? Can he crash and get offensive rebounds? We're just looking for simple details to be done over and over again (and) that's top to bottom."

In Friday's 107-103 win over the Nuggets in the Celtics' preseason opener, the six-foot-seven wing made the most of his opportunities to check those boxes while more closely resembling the collegiate prospect that enticed Boston to select him with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The former Arkansas Razorback was a defensive menace, regularly disrupting Denver's actions. He also blocked three shots, a game-high.

At the other end of the floor at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Walsh produced nine points. He knocked down two of the six threes he hoisted and delivered an emphatic two-handed flush after retrieving one of his three offensive rebounds.

Jordan from D33P 🎯 pic.twitter.com/FmlNFqiVJQ

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 4, 2024

GET 🆙💪 pic.twitter.com/X95MrP7IJi

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 4, 2024

The now second-year wing, who snagged four boards in total, also screened effectively, including creating an open look at a three for Payton Pritchard. And he delivered a dime from above the break to Neemias Queta for two points at the rim on one of his four assists.

Chris Forsberg 1-on-1 with Jordan Walsh after the Celtics get the W in Abu Dhabi

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— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 4, 2024

"Just a little taste. A little something. A little teaser" said Walsh after his encouraging performance on Friday. "I'm just hoping to be a better, well-rounded player, and everything I did today, I felt like was a part of that (and) was contributing to that."

When asked how it felt to showcase his ability to have an all-around impact while helping the reigning NBA champions, Walsh conveyed, "I feel like it's big, but I also feel like I've got a long way to go. I feel like it's super important to, of course, stay in the lanes of what the team wants from you. But also be able to get out and show that you can still play, you can shoot, (and) you can do other things."

Just as this author cautioned against overreacting to Walsh's performance at Summer League, it's a mistake to get carried away about his play in the Celtics' preseason opener.

However, it was a welcome indicator that he's properly applying the lessons he took from Las Vegas, utilizing them to help convert his two-way potential into production.