Boston Celtics pick up Jared Sullinger with 21st overall pick on draft night – NBA Update
The Boston Celtics made a potential steal on draft night with the acquisition of the highly rated sophomore Jared Sullinger. The Celtics took the Ohio State power forward with the 21st pick, although just some time ago that did not seem a possibility.
Sullinger, who could have opted to declare for the draft last year, was a sure shot lottery pick not long ago but NBA doctors red flagged him for back issues. The forward did miss sometime in the season with back spasms and NBA teams backed off the productive
player in a hurry.
With memories of Greg Oden and Brandon Roy, both potential stars for Portland Trail Blazers ruined via longstanding injuries, fresh in the memory, no team with a high pick was going to touch Sullinger. That left the field open for the Celtics, who are so
short of bodies on the roster, and so desperate for some new talent, that they didn’t think twice when Sullinger was still available at the 21st.
Celtics President Danny Ainge made the final decision and head coach Doc Rivers couldn’t have been happier.
"The fact that Jared Sullinger fell to us is just fortunate," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told Boston.com. "He gives us a rebounder, a high IQ player, great shooter from the outside. ... I'm hoping that the projections on him before the season were right.”
At 6-foot-9, Jared isn’t the typical power forward. He isn’t the most athletic of players, he has an inside game but that could suffer against taller players in the NBA. What will stay with him is his ability to make a mid range jumper, his toughness and
rebounding.
"Boston will be getting a quality person and a tremendous basketball player," OSU coach Thad Matta said in a statement. "Jared was an integral part of our success the last two years and I suspect he will be equally successful in the years to come."
Sullinger averaged 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds for Ohio State and was a centre piece of the team for two years. The Celtics would be hoping he can ease off the pressure on veteran power forward Kevin Garnett, if of course Garnett signs an extension.
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