Summer League Struggles Offer Valuable Lessons to Jordan Walsh: 'Let That Be the Main Goal'

Bobby Krivitsky | Jul 21, 2024

Jul 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jordan Walsh (27) competes against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Writing off Jordan Walsh after one week at Summer League is a mistake. There's no telling how he responds to his Sin City struggles, but the underlying cause should make clear what approach works best for him.

"I felt like my focus was at the wrong thing," Walsh told Inside The Celtics on the heels of a 1/8 performance in which he picked up six fouls, a testament to him letting his frustration get the better of him, in Boston's 119-114 loss to the Heat in its Summer League opener.

"I feel like I should have focused more on playing how I would play if 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."

It's understandable that after a year spent mostly in the G League, where he stuck to the role he projects to fill in the NBA, helping lead the Maine Celtics to the Finals, last year's 38th overall pick arrived in Las Vegas wanting to display more of what he's capable of offensively.

The 20-year-old wing also deserves credit for quickly course-correcting after that approach backfired against Miami.

But while his play improved in Boston's final three tilts, he finished Summer League 9/41 (22 percent) from the field and went 0/22 from beyond the arc. That includes faring 0/10 in Friday's 101-90 loss to the Mavericks.

Asked Jordan Walsh if he felt like he entered this Summer League with more pressure this summer:

“I guess that’s kind of what slumped me in the beginning, just kind of going in with that mentality, not going in with the right mentality of ‘I got to go in and play as hard as I… pic.twitter.com/TONiYj0xAR

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) July 19, 2024

"I guess that's kind of what slumped me in the beginning, just kind of going in with that mentality, not going in with the right mentality of, 'I got to go in and play as hard as I can, the result's the result.' Now I'm trying to switch to that, and let that be the main goal, and see how it goes."

The six-foot-seven forward has much to prove, including at the defensive end of the floor, where he's still working to become the menacing defender he was at Arkansas, applying air-tight on-ball pressure and jumping passing lanes to generate turnovers.

But it was encouraging to see him keep fighting throughout his stay in Sin City, including in the second half of Friday's defeat to Dallas. Walsh was more comfortable collegiately attacking off the dribble than operating as a spot-up shooter. He produced eight of his 12 points in the final two frames of this pseudo-NBA Finals rematch, beating defenders off the bounce to get to the rim.

attack mode 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/4OBzGkwpjw

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 19, 2024

While it's paramount for him to develop as a shooter, returning to his comfort zone offensively helped him settle down on Friday.

He also displayed his best offensive attribute while competing in the SEC, dishing out four assists, the second most on the Celtics. That includes coming off a screen above the break, keeping his defender on his hip, then getting deep into the paint, and drawing the help defender down low on the weak side, which freed Jaelen House for an open three from the corner.

The former Razorback also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, and his two steals matched A.J. Lawson and Jazian Gortman for the most in the matchup.

Furthermore, Walsh only committed two turnovers while receiving more opportunities to have the ball in his hands with perimeter players JD Davison, Jaden Springer, Drew Peterson, and Jahmi'us Ramsey sitting out.

Even with those bright spots, Walsh will walk away disappointed by his Summer League stint. But that should convert into fuel for him as he prepares for training camp and his second professional season.

To borrow one of Jaylen Brown's favorite quotes, "When you don't get what you want, what you got was experience."

Knowing the approach and mentality to adhere to for Walsh to perform at his best, including playing as hard as he can and living with the results, should also prove beneficial.

So, while some may look at four games in July as enough evidence to deliver a final verdict on a career still in its early stages, what comes next is unknown. He has the tools to become an impactful NBA player and just went through a trial that, as frustrating as it was, if properly harnessed, will help him reach that destination.

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