LAS VEGAS — Many of the gamers on the Boston Celtics Summer season League staff have little to no NBA expertise. A number of in all probability received’t ever signal an NBA contract.
However, all the gamers who made the journey to Las Vegas with a Summer season League roster achieve this with the hope of sooner or later making it within the NBA, even when that hope is farfetched. Some are proper there — Scheierman and Walsh performed NBA minutes final yr, and Hugo Gonzalez will inevitably get alternatives subsequent season. Some are additional away, and are mulling abroad choices for subsequent season.
At Summer season League, I requested 4 Celtics gamers — two former first spherical picks and two second spherical picks from this yr’s class — which NBA gamers they’re at present modelling their recreation after.
Right here’s whose movie Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Amari Williams, and Max Shulga are at present watching.
Jordan Walsh — Jaden McDaniels, Aaron Nesmith
Coming into his third season, Jordan Walsh is eyeing his first actual NBA rotation alternative subsequent season. The 21-year-old ahead, who was chosen with the thirty eighth general decide in 2023, has had a standout Summer season League with the Celtics, averaging 15 factors per recreation on 46.3% capturing and 38.9% from the three-point line.
Whereas Walsh has drawn lots from his Celtics teammates over time — he’s ceaselessly named Jrue Vacation as a defender he’s studied — he named two gamers across the NBA he’s watched movie of: Minnesota Timberwolves ahead Jaden McDaniels and Indiana Pacers ahead Aaron Nesmith.
“These are guys that I’m , that I’ve had comparisons to, who’re enjoying a job on championship-level groups,” Walsh mentioned. “I’ve a bunch of their movie, highlights, and stuff on my cellphone, on my iPad.
McDaniels is without doubt one of the NBA’s elite wing defenders and can be somebody who can house the ground. Final yr, he averaged 12.2 factors per recreation and shot 47.7% from the sector. Nesmith emerged as one of many league’s most dependable three-point shooters for the Pacers final yr, hitting 43.1% from past the arc.
Amari Williams — Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis
Celtics’ forty sixth decide Amari Williams is thought for his passing and courtroom imaginative and prescient, so it’s no shock that he at present research two of the NBA’s finest playmaking bigs: Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis.
Williams mentioned earlier than he hit his progress spurt, his favourite NBA participant rising up was Derrick Rose. However when he obtained older (and taller), his inspiration grew to become the 2 playmaking European bigs.
“[I’m] simply seeing how he reads the ground — learn the sport by his eyes, see what he sees,” Williams mentioned of Jokic. “A number of of the European bigs — [Domantas] Sabonis, he’s a lefty as nicely. The strikes he did, I attempted to take.”
Amari Williams mentioned Nikola Jokic change into considered one of his inspirations as soon as he hit his progress spurt, and that he’s watched quite a lot of his movie
Again when he was some extent guard, it was Derrick Rose pic.twitter.com/16HkNqKbDL
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) July 16, 2025
Max Shulga — Donte Divincenzo
Max Shulga is more likely to spend a while within the G League as a two-way participant with the Maine Celtics earlier than becoming a member of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics’ No. 57th decide is at present modeling his recreation after Minnesota Timberwolves ahead Donte DiVincenzo.
“He knocks down open threes, performs protection, disrupts on the defensive finish, and when it’s wanted, he can get on the ball — playmake, create his personal shot, create for his teammates,” Shulga mentioned. “I’ve been watching quite a lot of him.”
Max Shulga mentioned he’s trying to carve out a Donte Divincenzo function within the NBA, and that he’s been watching quite a lot of his movie:
“He knocks down open threes, performs protection, disrupts on the defensive finish, and when it’s wanted, he can get on the ball.” pic.twitter.com/hm77b1aq7s
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) July 16, 2025
Baylor Scheierman — Mike Conley, Duncan Robinson, Luka Doncic
Baylor Scheierman has extra NBA expertise than any present participant on the Celtics’ Summer season League roster. Scheierman, who was drafted thirtieth in 2024 after a standout profession at Creighton, has struggled along with his shot as of late. He’s averaging 12.3 factors per recreation however capturing simply 20.5% from three, whereas additionally tallying 6.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds an evening.
At 24 years outdated, Scheierman seems to be a probable candidate to enter the rotation if he can discover his footing offensively. Final season, he spent the primary half of the yr in Maine earlier than becoming a member of the mother or father membership for the remainder of the yr.
Scheierman mentioned he doesn’t have one NBA participant he’s at present modeling his recreation after; as an alternative, he’s drawing totally different expertise from totally different gamers.
“I don’t suppose it’s essentially one man,” Scheierman mentioned. “I’m watching Mike Conley as a result of he’s obtained a terrific floater. [I] watch Luka Doncic as a result of he performs with good tempo, performs off two toes, and [has] good passing, Duncan Robinson flying off threes. It’s simply taking bits and items from different guys that they do nicely, and making an attempt to implement that into my recreation.”
