ESPN analyst calls Boston Celtics pick ‘one of the biggest steals' of draft
The Celtics could have gone a number of different ways as Wednesday's first round unfolded in the 2025 NBA Draft. There were murmurs that they could have traded up for specific guys or they could have instead chosen to trade back if they wanted to save a few extra bucks.
Instead, Boston president Brad Stevens and his front office stayed put, selecting Hugo Gonzalez from Real Madrid at 28th overall. ESPN's Jonathan Givony praised the Celtics' pick as most fans hadn't heard much about the prospect.
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'I love this pick for the Boston Celtics,' Givony said. 'NBA teams love the intensity and frenetic energy that Hugo Gonzalez brings every moment he's on the court. Think of a Christian Braun or a Jaime Jaquez-type. He defends point guards and power forwards and makes highlight-reel plays, chasing down blocks and getting in passing lanes. He has strong court vision, he's a transition scorer and he's a tremendous athlete. The Boston Celtics got one of the biggest steals in the draft in my view.'
Stevens confirmed that Gonzalez will come stateside to Boston starting next season, so there's no draft-and-stash plans with the pick. Some teams like to select overseas players and let them continue to develop internationally before they get to the NBA. But the Celtics want Gonzalez over immediately, though it's unclear at this point if he'll suit up for Summer League in a few weeks.
While the general public doesn't know as much about Gonzalez, Stevens said they've been watching him for years. Stevens called the draft pick an 'old soul' even though he's still 19 because he plays professionally for a loaded Real Madrid team. There's experience that comes with being around adults consistently, he added. And, most importantly, Stevens said 'he's got all the intangibles of a winning basketball player.'
Gonzalez played this past season on a loaded Real Madrid squad, so playing time was relatively scare. He didn't get an opportunity to see the court as much compared to his fellow draft prospects who were stars in the college game. But according to Stevens, he actually liked that aspect of the newest Celtics wing.
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'When you put on a Real Madrid jersey, you put on the responsibility similar to here,' Stevens said. 'And I think that that's a good thing. When we interviewed Hugo a couple weeks ago on Zoom, it's really clear that he's about the team and he accepts and is willing to play any role it takes. That's not an earned 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 gotta invest every day just to take advantage of whatever opportunity you get.'
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