Here’s who the latest mock drafts project the Celtics will take with pick No. 35
The Celtics could go in a number of different directions with their second-round pick.
The Celtics only have one pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Boston sent its first-round pick to Indiana as part of the Malcolm Brogdon trade last summer.
So barring a trade, the Celtics will have to wait until the No. 35 pick to make their selection in Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
There are many different thoughts on what the Celtics should do with the pick.
With the draft less than a week away, here are some options that have been floated in recent mock drafts.
Amari Bailey
Position: Guard
School: UCLA
Mock draft: Krysten Peek, Yahoo Sports!
Quotes and notes: “Bailey helped himself during the NBA Draft Combine after showing NBA scouts and executives how productive he can be as a facilitator and not just as an offensive weapon off the ball. His outside jump shot still needs improvement, but he’s worked out well for teams and has a competitive edge with how hard he plays every time he hits the court and his burst in transition.” -Peek
The former five-star recruit averaged 11.2 points per game, shooting an efficient 49.5 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-pt range. The Pac-12 All-Freshman team selection is a 6-foot-5, 185-pound shooting guard whose athleticism helped him earn a five-star ranking in high school.
Noah Clowney
Position: Forward
School: Alabama
Mock draft: Kyle Boone, CBS Sports
Quotes and notes: “It’d be a stunner to see Clowney fall out of the first — much less to No. 35 — particularly in a class short on bigs. But in this mock he does indeed slip to No. 35, where Boston scoops him up as a developmental piece with room to grow behind Robert Williams.” -Boone
Clowney averaged 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds en route to an SEC All-Freshman team selection. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward’s shot-blocking ability and rebounding helped the Crimson Tide reach the Sweet 16.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Position: Guard
School: Connecticut
Mock draft: Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer. Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report.
Quotes and notes: “While teams acknowledge Jackson’s shooting woes, scouts have still found a way to love his athleticism, passing and intangibles for a unique two-way playmaker role.”
Jackson was a key part of UConn’s national championship run, averaging 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists during his junior season. He’s a bigger guard at 6-foot-6, 210-pounds. He went 28 percent from 3-point range last season but has shown that he can impact the game in a variety of ways.
Gregory Jackson II
Position: Forward
School: South Carolina
Mock draft: Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN.
Quotes and notes: Jackson was the top overall player in the 2023 high school basketball class according to 247Sports, but opted to attend college a year early. He averaged 15.4 points and made the SEC All-Freshman team this season. As a 6-foot-9, 215-pound power forward, he’s an athletic, lengthy big who can stretch the floor with his shooting.
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Position: Forward
School: Indiana
Mock draft: Sean Deveney, Heavy.com
Quotes and notes: The 6-foot-9, 245-pound power forward is Indiana’s all-time leader in career rebounds and blocks. He’s also third on Indiana’s all-time list in points. Indiana’s first consensus All-American since 2013 averaged 20.9 points and 10.8 rebounds this season.
“Polished, pure power forward who could give the Celtics minutes off the bench in the short term.”- Deveney
Julian Phillips
Position: Guard
School: Tennessee
Mock draft: Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
Quotes and notes: A former McDonald’s all-American, Phillips averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds as a freshman at Tennessee this season, helping the Vols reach the Sweet 16.
Julian Strawther
Position: Guard
School: Gonzaga
Mock draft: Kyle Irving, Sporting News
Scouting notes: The First-Team All-WCC selection shot 40.8 percent from the field, and 77.6 percent from the free-throw line, averaging 15.2 points. He’s got plenty of size for a wing, at 6-foot-7, 205 pounds.
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