Player profile: Gabe Pruitt
This is the second in a series of profiles for all 16 players on the current Celtics roster. We’ll profile at least one player each day leading up to the season opener. Gabe Pruitt
Continuing our point guard theme, today we profile the man the Celtics are grooming to someday back up Rajon Rondo.
 Gabe Pruitt holds up his jersey during an introductory press conference following the 2007 draft. (David Kamerman/Globe Staff) |
Born
: April 19, 1986
Height: 6 feet 4 inches … Weight: 170
College: USC
Years pro: 1
Acquired: Drafted No. 32 by Boston in 2007.
2008/2009 salary: $711,517.00
Signed through: 2008-2009 (team option for following season)
Last year’s numbers: 2.1 ppg, 0.9 apg, 0.5 rpg.
Strengths: Pruitt has great size for a point guard. It’s hard to get a sense of what he can do in such limited playing time (he appeared in 15 games last season), but the USC product has a nice jump shot and decent poise for a young player. He also possesses that “pest”quality on defense, using his lanky frame to annoy opponents in the same way Rondo does.
Weaknesses: There are reasons Pruitt didn’t break into the regular rotation last season. He’s the same age as Rondo, but he lacks assertiveness in his play. He can work on his ball handling, and like Rondo, his decision-making needs improvement. He’s also in danger of being one of those in-between guys, not quite a scorer, not quite a true point guard.
What to expect: The Celtics can afford to give Pruitt time to grow. A team with title aspirations once again, Boston is likely to be in more than a few laughers this season, allowing Pruitt some mop-up minutes at the point. Eddie House should still see the bulk of the minutes to spell Rondo, but if Pruitt shows the coaches something in limited action, there may be a bigger role for him after this season (possibly as Rondo’s full-time backup). If not, the Celtics will know they need to go in another direction.
Check back tomorrow for another player profile, and give us your expectations for Pruitt in our comments section.
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