Celtics select Romeo Langford with 14th pick in 2019 NBA Draft
"I know what I'm capable of doing."
With the 14th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Indiana Hoosiers guard Romeo Langford.
“He can do a lot of things on the basketball court,” coach Brad Stevens said Thursday night at the Auerbach Center. “He’s a guy that we think has a lot of things that translate to the NBA. He’s a long, versatile, athletic wing; he can play multiple positions; he can handle the ball; [and] he can play in pick and roll.”
Langford played one season at Indiana, where he started 32 games and averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. The campaign earned him All-Big Ten second-team honors, and he was named to the conference’s all-freshman team. The 19-year-old also attended high school in Indiana — the home state of Stevens — garnering several accolades, including Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year.
“He’s been a good player for a long time,” Stevens said. “He’s a guy that, as far as the state of Indiana high school basketball, was probably as followed as anybody in the last 15 years.”
“I know what I’m capable of doing,” Langford told ESPN’s Maria Taylor after walking across the stage at the Barclays Center. “I’ve been doing it for a long time.”
In April, Langford — who measures 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan — had surgery on his thumb to repair a torn ligament suffered in late November. He played through the injury for the remainder of the year, which likely impacted his shooting numbers. Langford shot 44.8 percent from the field and just 27.2 percent from three last season.
Stevens identified shooting as an area of improvement for Langford but noted: “All indications are that he will get better.”
“He’s a better shooter than he shot this year,” Stevens said.
As a result of the injury, Stevens said he is unsure about Langford’s availability for Summer League, which begins July 5. Langford was not cleared when the team interviewed him at the combine in May, and he confirmed in a conference call Thursday night he is still waiting to be cleared. Once he is fully recovered, it sounds like working on his jump shot will be a priority.
“I feel like that will really open up my game and be a big asset to helping the team win games,” Langford said.
Related: Celtics select Grant Williams with 22nd pick in 2019 NBA Draft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v46t3pvLN8Q
