Boston Celtics 2025 NBA Draft grades for every pick
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics went across the pond during the 2025 NBA Draft, using all of their picks on international players. Although they started with two draft spots, No. 28 and No. 32, Boston traded the latter to the Orlando Magic in return for No. 46 and No. 57 and a pair of future second-rounders.
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Following the conclusion of the draft on Thursday night, the Celtics have amassed 10 second-round picks through 2032, giving them plenty of ammo for a future trade under the new, rigid CBA.
But before delving into potential deals that could take place down the line, let's look at what the C's have right now. Here are grades for every one of the Celtics' selections in the 2025 NBA Draft.
No. 28 – Hugo González
In somewhat of a surprise, the Celtics took small forward Hugo González with the 28th pick. He's the highest first-round selection they've made since 2020, when current Indiana Pacers playoff hero Aaron Nesmith and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard came to Boston via the 14th and 26th picks, respectively.
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Boston would be thrilled to find similar value with González, who turned 19 in February. The Madrid native never came overseas to play college ball in the United States, as he's been a professional since his official debut with Real Madrid Baloncesto in 2022.
Seeing González play for one of the biggest basketball clubs in the world made an impression on Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens.
'[We] followed his year with a great Real Madrid organization and team closely,' Stevens revealed during a Wednesday night press conference. 'Just a big fan of how he plays. He's tough. He's hard-playing. He cuts. He goes after the ball. He competes, like he's got all the intangibles of a winning basketball player, and there are things he can get better at, just like everybody else at that age, but the competitiveness is at a high level.'
Despite González being notably younger than Boston's 2024 draftees —who were both 23 when they heard their name called — Stevens said the Spanish youngster's experience has aged him. González has competed across Europe against seasoned vets and former NBA players since he was 16 years old.
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'I think he's a young guy, but a little bit of an old soul,' Stevens said. 'He's played with adults for a long time. He's playing on a team full of experienced former NBA players and high, high-level pros from all over the world. This guy has been around it at a high level. Been coached really well. When you talk about years overall, yes, he's young. But years of basketball experience, the things that we think are important, it's probably pretty high.'
Real Madrid's 2024-25 roster was packed with ex-NBAers, explaining why González rode the bench and averaged around seven minutes per game over the course of the season. When the 6-foot-6 Spaniard was in, he gave it his all, looking comfortable in the pick-and-roll and using speedy slashes to attack the rim or get open around the basket.
His shooting isn't remarkable, but he can continue to work on that when he arrives in Boston. González isn't a draft-and-stash guy, so Celtics fans should see him sooner rather than later. Whether that's in the G League or on the bench remains to be seen, yet the Madridista has no qualms with a slower developmental process.
'It's really clear that he's about the team, and he accepts and is willing to play any role it takes,' Stevens stated. 'That's not a learned trait for everybody that's in the draft because most of these guys have never sat. And with that comes a humility and also an understanding that you've got to invest every day just to take advantage of whatever opportunity you get.'
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Given González's high upside and effort level on both sides of the ball, there's reason for excitement with this pick. However, it could've been prudent for the Celtics to address an area of need (like at the five spot) in the first round rather than go for a player who probably won't make an immediate impact.
Grade: B
No. 46 – Amari Williams
Amari Williams is the first center the Celtics have drafted since 2018, and his basketball career has been all about leaps.
The 7-footer grew up in England and lived there for the majority of his life before taking the leap to the NCAA. He spent his first four seasons of college hoops with the Drexel Dragons, going from a bench big to a full-time starter by his junior year. After becoming the three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Williams took another leap.
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For his fifth year, he joined the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC, a powerhouse conference with much more talent than the CAA. That didn't stop Williams from starting in every game and averaging 10.9 points (on 56.1% shooting), 8.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per outing. The Brit also produced 3.2 assists per game, which was the third-best rate of any center in D-I last year.
That certainly caught the eye of Celtics Vice President of Basketball Operations Mike Zarren.
'He's one of the best passing big men in college,' he praised during a Zoom presser. 'He's an elite rebounder, he's a great guy… had a wonderful career at Drexel, and then stepped it up another level at Kentucky. When you meet him, you'll see he's got just an enormous, enormous wingspan, and as you'll see on the court, if you haven't seen already, he's got incredible vision. And those things are just key abilities in the modern NBA, your big guys have to be able to do all sorts of things.'
The C's could use a talented center, as they no longer roster 2018 All-Star Kristaps Porzingis after sending him to the Atlanta Hawks. Additionally, Boston big men Al Horford and Luke Kornet are free agents at the moment, leaving just one true center, Neemias Queta.
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Returning Horford and Kornet is a priority for the front office, however, the Celtics must prepare for a future without them. Horford will need to retire soon, Kornet will turn 30 in July, and Queta might not be ready for a full-time starting role.
Williams won't be either, but he's a good fit and can learn under Horford and company in the meantime. He's shown he's comfortable with taking big leaps, so his journey from the NCAA to the NBA might not seem as daunting.
Grade: A
No. 57 – Max Shulga
Just two picks before the end of the draft, the Celtics nabbed guard Max Shulga with the 57th pick.
Like González and Williams, Shulga has European roots. He was born in Ukraine, spent his teenage years in Spain, and then went to the United States to play for the Utah State Aggies.
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After turning into a starter in Utah, and even teaming up there with Queta for a season, Shulga headed east to spend his last two years of eligibility with the VCU Rams. Entering the transfer portal paid off, as the 23-year-old averaged career-highs across the board during his fifth year with 15 points, 5.9 rebounds, four assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
He capped off his college career by leading the Rams to 18 wins in their last 20 games, culminating in a March Madness berth for VCU and A-10 Player of the Year honors for Shulga.
'Max is a tough guy who can handle and shoot and, you know, [has] elite toughness,' Zarren described. 'He he's been all over the world. He moved to Spain when he was 13 to play basketball…He's just a winner.'
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If Shulga has a calling card, it's his shooting. He shot about 44% from the field and 39% from 3-point land over the course of five seasons. Percentages like that, especially from deep, will go far in a Celtics system that prioritizes winning the 3-point battle.
While he isn't an elite defender with insane athleticism, there's still room for Shulga in the NBA. Pritchard heard some of the same critiques when he entered the league and he's now a champion with more hardware than most players.
Overall, the Celtics don't necessarily need another guard, so Shulga will have to fight to move up the depth chart. He seems capable of doing so, yet Boston could've also tried for a second big man instead.
Grade: B-
Related: Orlando Magic's Jase Richardson headlines 5 biggest steals of 2025 NBA Draft Round 1
Related: Celtics' Jayson Tatum shares Cooper Flagg photo after NBA Draft
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