The Celtics have selected forward Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th pick in the draft. Cenac is a 6’11 forward who averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his freshman season at Houston. He’ll immediately bolster the team’s frontcourt depth, which is currently headlined by Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and last year’s second-round selection, Amari Williams.
Cenac, who is 19 years old, was widely seen as one of the frontcourt players with the highest ceilings in this draft class, albeit a more developmental prospect. He has a 7’5 wingspan and is particularly known for his prowess on the glass.
“He’s just a good young player, energetic, plays hard, excellent athlete, long, fits a position of need,” Brad Stevens said shortly after the pick was made. “[He brings] some things that we were a little short on this year from an athletic perspective, I think, with his size and his length.”
Cenac shot 48.5% from the field and 33.3% from three last year. ESPN’s Malika Andrews noted on the broadcast that his college coach, Kalvin Sampson, routinely praised his body language and work ethic.
“When you play in the program he’s played for, he’s been taught well and been held to a high standard,” Stevens said. “And so I like that, and he will undoubtedly come here and be eager to jump into it. He’s a good worker, he’s a good person, and he’s got a lot to learn, but we’re excited about starting that process with him.”
Stevens also noted that he doesn’t necessarily expect Cenac to see much on-court action during his rookie season, but that he felt the same about Hugo Gonzalez last year, who went on to average nearly 15 minutes per game.
“When I watched him play live several times this year, he didn’t always play well, but I never walked out of the gym thinking he didn’t play hard, and he didn’t really, really, really go after it, and so I think that’s a good place to start,” Stevens said.
Chris Cenac Jr. joins a Celtics program that is known for player development
The Celtics have Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, Luka Garza, and Baylor Scheierman under contract next season (though trades could certainly be made between now and Opening Night).
Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., Amari Williams, and Max Shulga all have team options and are extension eligible. Pritchard (October) and Brown (July) are also both extension eligible.
The Celtics also have the 40th overall pick, which they’ll select on Wednesday night on night two of the NBA Draft.
