Making the leap to the professionals is tough for any NBA rookie. The gamers are higher, the sport quicker, the ideas typically extra complicated.
Hugo Gonzalez is going through all of these challenges in his first Celtics coaching camp — and doing in order a 19-year-old who’s new to American basketball and studying Boston’s system in his second language.
Gonzalez, a Spanish wing who came to visit from Actual Madrid after the Celtics drafted him twenty eighth general in June, mentioned mastering the crew’s verbiage has been his largest problem to this point.
“I feel that most likely the language and the phrases that we’ve acquired,” he mentioned after Saturday’s follow on the Auerbach Middle. “We’ve acquired a variety of phrases that confer with various things, particularly defensively, that we’d like a variety of communication. We’re engaged on it. So principally, because it’s in English, I’m engaged on it.”
Boston’s coaches have been affected person with him by means of this course of, Gonzalez mentioned.
“They attempt to communicate Spanish,” he mentioned. “… They advised me if they’ve to clarify it twice, that’s no drawback. Additionally, on my facet, I’ve to place a variety of effort, greater than anyone that speaks English. I’ve acquired to be extra attentive.”
(Gonzalez later clarified his feedback after they had been picked up by a European basketball outlet, writing in a translated post on X: “I actually mentioned that the particular terminology of the ideas is difficult for everybody to grasp as a result of it’s new, however a bit extra for me because it’s in English.”)
The Celtics’ new emphasis on pushing the tempo — a said aim this season as they transfer ahead with out departed rotation gamers Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet, and the injured Jayson Tatum — additionally has been an adjustment for Gonzalez.
“We wish to play tremendous quick in comparison with Madrid; that was somewhat bit totally different,” he mentioned. “In Europe, they play with possession, somewhat extra calm.”
Gonzalez, who climbed the ladder from Real Madrid’s youth teams to its senior side earlier than getting into the NBA draft, was a depth participant on a loaded Madrid squad final season, averaging 4.5 factors and fewer than quarter-hour per recreation within the Liga ACB and 1.9 factors and fewer than eight minutes in EuroLeague play.
Taking part in alongside ex-NBAers Mario Hezonja, Serge Ibaka, Facundo Campazzo and Bruno Fernando, Gonzalez confirmed sufficient in his restricted motion for the Celtics to pick him late within the first spherical, making him the franchise’s highest-drafted participant who didn’t play school basketball since Guerschon Yabusele in 2016.
“I feel they play a really bodily recreation (in Spain),” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “There’s clearly the professionalism that they’ve there. So I feel there’s a variety of stuff on and off the court docket that his atmosphere has ready him for. On the identical time, it’s a special language, there’s totally different schemes, there’s totally different guidelines, the court docket is totally different, and so that you simply must get used to taking part in these. However he’s acquired an open thoughts, and he’s taking part in with effort, in order that’s all that issues proper now.”
Days after the draft — which occurred hours after Actual Madrid’s home season ended — Gonzalez was in Boston making ready for NBA Summer season League. He made his unofficial NBA debut for the Summer season Celtics and lived as much as his scouting report, taking pictures the ball erratically (30.2%; 30.4% from 3-point vary) however making an impression as a cutter, offensive rebounder and high-motor defender.
Now just a few months into his Celtics tenure, Gonzalez mentioned he’s felt his consolation degree enhance as he faces a better degree of competitors and depth in coaching camp.
“In fact, it’s totally different from Summer season League,” he mentioned. “I’ve already been right here for like two months. I’d say that it’s roughly somewhat bit higher. The opposite factor is that I’m taking part in with totally different folks, you realize? However now that I do know loads of the stuff (and) I do know what they need from me, it’s method simpler.”
Celtics practices are closed to the media, so the one glimpses of Gonzalez on the court docket this fall have come from temporary clips shared by the membership’s content material crew. {The teenager} has introduced the kind of power that drew Boston to him as a draft prospect, in line with teammates, however he’s nonetheless within the early phases of his growth.
“He performs very arduous,” guard Payton Pritchard mentioned. “Positively going to be a extremely good participant finally, nevertheless it takes time for younger gamers. I imply, he’s what, 19 years outdated? So this 12 months and, I imply, day-after-day, it’s nearly him simply taking a step (towards) development. Maintain getting higher and higher. You by no means know what you may develop into.”
The important thing phrase there: “finally.” Boston could have extra minutes accessible to youthful and unproven gamers this season after dropping roughly half of their championship-winning veterans this summer season, however Gonzalez possible will want extra seasoning in follow, rubbish time and probably the G League earlier than he can contend for a spot in Mazzulla’s rotation.
Regardless, Gonzalez shall be a participant to observe when the Celtics open their preseason schedule Wednesday evening in Memphis.
“No matter they ask me to do, I’ll do it,” he mentioned. “That’s for positive. In the event that they ask me to be a high-energy man, that’s on my hand. I can management it. These sorts of issues, I’ll attempt to do the very best I can.”
Mazzulla added: “He’s doing every part he’s requested of thus far and simply has to proceed to get higher.”
Walsh rising up
Mazzulla mentioned he’s seen a heightened degree of maturity in camp from Boston’s second-youngest participant, 21-year-old Jordan Walsh.
“That’s an important phrase, maturity,” the Celtics coach mentioned Saturday. “I feel it comes from self-awareness, comes from understanding the atmosphere, what it seems to be wish to be impactful, efficient. What the crew wants, not essentially what you suppose you’re good at.”
Walsh, who performed sparingly in every of his first two NBA seasons, mentioned he labored this offseason to enhance his “role player IQ.” The 2023 second-round draft decide is aware of he received’t be the Celtics’ high possibility, even after their roster revamp, so he needs to show he can thrive in a “connector” position, organising Jaylen Brown and Boston’s different major playmakers.
“(He has) a degree of understanding of what success seems to be like on this league and the way he’s ready to do this,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I assumed (Saturday) was his greatest day of follow, and it was due to the exercise and the power to get us additional possessions and the physicality. It’s a troublesome job, since you’ve acquired to do it each evening, however he had an understanding and simply acquired a maturity about what he must do. It’s only a matter of executing.”
Walsh noticed motion in 52 video games final season, averaging 7.8 minutes, 1.6 factors and 1.3 rebounds per look.
The highway forward
The Celtics are scheduled to carry only one follow this week: Monday morning on the Auerbach Middle. Then, it’s on to the preseason, with exhibition video games set for Wednesday on the Grizzlies, Friday in Toronto and Sunday at house towards the Cleveland Cavaliers (and journey days in between).
Boston will play its closing preseason contest subsequent Wednesday towards the Raptors at TD Backyard earlier than opening the season at house towards the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
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