Celtics Draft Oregon Guard Payton Pritchard At No. 26; Trade 30th Pick To Memphis
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics added some guard depth with the team's second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, taking Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard with the 26th overall selection.
Pritchard was a four-year starter for the Oregon Ducks, and averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 assists per game as a senior in 2020. He hit 47 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three-point range.
He was the Pac-12 Player of the Year, a First-Team All American and won The Bob Cousy Award as the nation's best point guard last season. The kid can make shots and create plays for his teammates:
Like Boston's first pick -- Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith at No. 14 -- Pritchard could have a chance to make his mark off the Boston bench as a rookie. He gives Brad Stevens a little more depth at the position behind Kemba Walker.
"I'm just excited to be part of this organization, be a part of a winning culture," Pritchard told reporters Wednesday night. "Wherever I've been, in high school and college, it's always been about winning and competing.
"I just want to bring a sense of toughness," he added.. "A guy that can really spread the floor, make plays, but just really toughness, competitiveness and try to help a team try to go win a ring and a championship."
Boston also had the 30th overall pick on Wednesday night, but traded that selection to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future selection. Memphis drafted TCU shooting guard Desmond Bane with the pick.
The Celtics reportedly received a pair of future second-round selections for the 30th pick.
The Celtics already had a crowded roster before making a pair of selections on Wednesday, so they were expected to deal their final first-round pick after selecting Pritchard. Adding Poirier to that deal would further help that roster crunch.
