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NBA Mock Draft: Boston Celtics Make Calculated First-Round Selection
The 2024 NBA Draft is right around the corner and with the final projections being put on this class in Derek Parker's latest NBA Mock Draft he has the Boston Celtics making a calculated decision at the end of the first round.
Coming fresh off an NBA Championship, the Celtics will soon be very expensive - needing to bank on business decisions and gaining cost-controlled talent in the draft, nabbing a pro-ready prospect with the final selection of day one seems like a good bet.
Parker has the Boston Celtics grabbing Kansas Jayhawks wing Kevin McCullar Jr. A four-year college player who split his career between Texas Tech and Kansas. The 6-foot-5 206 pound wing can switch to a multitude of positions defensively while playing a play-finishing off-ball style on offense.
"Offers some of the best defense in this class, but has a ways to go on offense. Still, I can't shake the feeling McCullar can still be a legit contributor in the NBA if he can just refine his game in a few more places, mainly the jumper," Parker said.
The draft expert compared McCullar's usage in Boston to Payton Pritchard. While Pritchard is used as more of a spark offensively, McCullar can come in situationally to give the Celtics a boost on defense.
A high-floor, low-ceiling move is one worth making if you are the Celtics to nearly lock in at minimum an NBA role player for cheap as you pay the literal price of winning a championship.
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RYLAN STILES
Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is lead beat writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network.