Late in the second round of this year’s NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics were on the clock at pick 53 and selected Alabama Guard JD Davison. Davison was Boston’s only selection of the night. The Celtics’ original first-rounder was sent to San Antonio to acquire Derrick White halfway through the NBA season. For Davison, the Celtics are in win-now mode, and he could find himself very useful if he is willing to do the work. Before we get into expectations, let’s dive into who JD Davison is.
JD Davison: High School & College
Like many NBA Players, JD Davison was an absolute unit in High School. According to 247 Sports, Davison was a five-star recruit and the 13th-best player in the class of 2021. In his Senior season, JD Davison averaged a monstrous 32.4 Points, 10.8 Rebounds, 4.9 Assists, and 3.6 Steals a game. Simply a man amongst boys on the floor. With stats like these, JD Davison ran away with the most prestigious awards in high school basketball. He was named 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year, 2020-2021 Alabama Mr. Basketball, 2021 McDonald’s All-American, and 2021 Jordan Brand Classic. Davison chose to stay home and play for the Crimson Tide during his one-year stay in college.
JD DAVISON TO THE CELTICS LETSSSS GOOOOOO ? pic.twitter.com/67RNlS7zJM
— Overtime (@overtime) June 24, 2022
Davison averaged 8.5 Points, 4.8 Rebounds, and 4.3 Assists coming off the bench for the Tide majority of the season. Davison’s biggest knock at Alabama was his turnover issues with 2.9 a game and a struggling three-ball shooting only 30.1 percent from three on 2.5 attempts a game. He is still very young and a raw prospect at best, but there is an upside. He is not afraid to shoot the three, which is something to improve on. Combine that with the small guard’s ridiculous athleticism, and you have a well-rounded scorer.
What to Expect in Year One
Alabama Vs. Auburn Men S Basketball
JD Davison could easily find himself sitting right outside the main rotation. He plays with a lot of tenacity, and the Celtics aren’t that deep with the current roster. He and Aaron Nesmith could very well be the first two guys outside the normal rotation. JD Davison will have eyes on him during Summer League this year to see if he can contribute early as Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams have. No pressure as a second-round pick, but he can help this team out in big ways with his athleticism and fearless behavior.
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