Forget the official calendar, because when the Celtics hit the Auerbach Center on Tuesday for the start of training camp, it already felt like they were weeks into things. Laughter and serious intensity filled the air, and it was clear from the jump that this wasn’t some awkward first day for the squad.
No Rookie Jitters Here, Just Straight Ball
You had Mike Conley and Payton Pritchard kicking off with synchronized dribbling drills, while Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman were already practicing corner three-pointers through contact like it was mid-season. Even Mitchell Robinson and Amari Williams were locked in, working on form shooting and push-shots. General Manager Brad Stevens was right there courtside, soaking in the roster he built all offseason already looking cohesive. Seriously, when Baylor Scheierman playfully shoved Mike Conley like they were longtime teammates, you just knew these guys weren’t meeting for the first time. That kind of camaraderie doesn’t just happen overnight.
LA Was the Real Training Camp
Turns out, the real secret sauce was cooked up on the West Coast! Jayson Tatum, the man, extended an open invite to the team to join him in Los Angeles for offseason workouts. And a “critical mass” of players answered the call! We’re talking Tatum himself, Paul George, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Mike Conley, and even rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell. Hauser spilled the beans, saying, “JT hit the group chat, invited us all out, and most of us were able to make it work with our schedule.” He added, “So it was cool to get a bunch of guys out there earlier and get acclimated and get used to being around each other.” They weren’t just grinding on the court either. Hauser mentioned they “played some golf, had some dinners. It was a lot of fun.” Jordan Walsh, fresh off signing a new three-year deal, made it clear just how serious those LA sessions were, saying the intensity “It’s been really, really competitive.”
This kind of offseason dedication, with players already clicking, feels like the perfect kickoff for a season that needs to erase that May exit to the Philadelphia 76ers. Brad Stevens has to be loving what he sees. If this is just Day One energy, what’s this crew gonna bring when the real games start? Get ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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