Celtics rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell absolutely exploded onto the scene in their preseason debuts against the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday night, turning heads with their raw talent and relentless energy. These guys aren’t just showing up, they’re showing out, and their performance is already the talk of the team.
Rookie Motors Running on Max
Seriously, you gotta look at these numbers! Cenac Jr., the 27th overall pick, dropped 7 points, snagged 8 rebounds (four of those on offense, mind you!), threw up 4 blocks, and dished out an assist in only 24 minutes. That’s efficiency! Then there’s Mitchell, the 40th overall pick, who put up 10 points, a whopping 9 rebounds (five offensive!), 4 assists, and 2 steals in just 28 minutes. Talk about stuffing the stat sheet! Celtics assistant coach DJ MacLeay, who was calling the shots for the second half, singled out this duo instantly. He specifically praised Cenac’s “ability to protect the rim” and his rebounding, saying he “did a really good job of that.” For Mitchell, MacLeay loved the “great energy.” Both rookies, he said, “really, really brought it from a motor perspective, and that was great.” You love to hear that kind of praise right out of the gate.
Veterans Can’t Stop Praising These Young Guns
It’s not just the coaching staff taking notice. Even the veterans are seriously impressed. At Saturday morning’s shootaround, Payton Pritchard, now the second-longest-tenured Celtic, was buzzing about Cenac and Mitchell. He said they’ve been doing a “tremendous job coming in with their work ethic” and believes that should be their “only focus right now , just working on their craft, finding a way, staying ready, finding a way to get on the court.” Pritchard knows what it takes, emphasizing that it “starts defensively for them , rebounding, doing the little things.” And if you want to talk about pure athleticism, Baylor Scheierman is “in awe” of what he’s seen. Scheierman straight up said, “Dillon can jump through the roof… It’s absolutely insane how he can jump.” And get this, he added, “Same with Chris, honestly.” These guys are flying around the court, and their teammates are genuinely blown away. Plus, they’re already putting in the work on their offense. Celtics director of player development Craig Luschenat has been grinding with both rookies on their shot at every single practice and shootaround. Cenac feels good about it, saying it’s “really just getting reps” since he “had a pretty good jump shot in college and high school,” so Luschenat isn’t trying to mess with his natural form. Mitchell, for his part, is all-in on the player development program, calling it “the best I could say I’ve been a part of for sure.”
These young guns are making a statement early, showing that their work ethic and raw talent are no joke. Fans are gonna want to keep a very close eye on Cenac and Mitchell as this preseason rolls on. If their debuts are any indication, we’re in for some serious excitement every time they hit the court!
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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