Second-round picks have increased in value over the last couple years, and the Boston Celtics own one of the most valuable of these selections in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The C’s have the No. 35 overall pick — the fifth selection of the second round. They acquired it as part of the Enes Freedom trade in November of 2020 that included the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Which players might the Celtics target with this pick? Do they pursue a freshman with upside or a player who stayed in college a few years and is more NBA-ready?
Here are three players often linked to the Celtics in 2023 NBA mock drafts.
Julian Phillips, Tennessee
Age: 19
Position: Wing
2022-23 Stats: 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists per game
Wing defenders are quite valuable in the modern NBA, and Phillips projects to be a very good defensive player at the next level with his impressive athleticism, length (6-foot-11 wingspan), size (6-foot-8, 200 pounds) and agility. He’s able to contain and contest without fouling. His offensive skill set is a work in progress, especially from the 3-point line (23.9 percent shooting as a freshman), but there’s no question he’s an NBA-ready perimeter defender who embraces the challenge on that end of the court.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Age: 22
Position: Guard
2022-23 Stats: 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 rebounds per game
Jaquez played four years at UCLA and had an impressive career that included a 2022-23 Pac-12 Player of the Year award, three All-Pac-12 team selections and two Pac-12 all-defensive selections.
Jaquez has a high basketball IQ and he can score, rebound and defend at a high level. That kind of all-around skill set is exactly what the Celtics need with this No. 35 overall pick. They have to get a player who can be part of the rotation and give them some meaningful minutes off the bench. Jaquez doesn’t have the high potential as the other two players on this list, but he’s probably more ready to step into the NBA and contribute right away. He also played in a bunch of NCAA Tournament games — one trip to the Final Four and three Sweet 16 appearances for the Bruins — so he’s played in plenty of pressure situations.
Gregory Jackson II, South Carolina
Age: 18
Position: Power forward
2022-23 Stats: 15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds per game
Jackson is a pretty good shot creator. He’s able to drive to the basket and score, he can pull up from mid-range and he showed some potential as a 3-point shooter (almost two makes per game) during his freshman season. He was one of the best players on a bad South Carolina team competing in a tough conference and still put up 15.4 points per game.
Jackson is much more of a scorer than a playmaker right now, and he definitely needs to become a better passer, but you don’t often see freshmen with his level of shot creation. His offensive game has loads of potential, but he’ll need plenty of development, making him more of a long-term gamble in the late first round or early second round. He’s also the youngest player in this draft class.