Jordan Walsh made an impact as the Boston Celtics overcame the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The third-year forward, who was drafted with the 38th pick in 2023, appears to have dislodged Chris Boucher in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation.
With 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics holding a one-possession lead, Walsh hit a timely three to put Boston up by five. That bucket is arguably the most important shot of his NBA career thus far and has quickly reminded everyone why he has been deemed an encouraging prospect, despite his slow development.
During his postgame news conference, Mazzulla praised Walsh’s performance and pinpointed his work ethic as a key reason why he’s part of the rotation.
“You have to have that type of sense of urgency,” Mazzulla said, via CLNS Media. “He’s turned it on and he’s had that sense of urgency as if he’s playing like his basketball life is on the line. One of the reasons I trusted him and went with him is because of his work ethic behind the scenes. His body language and work ethic never changed when he wasn’t playing…He’s done a great job of just doing it. He’s gotta keep it up.”
The Celtics hold a team option for the final year of Walsh’s contract and have yet to pick it up. So, it’s understandable why his effort levels have been high, as he fights for his spot and for his future, both with the franchise and potentially in the league.
Interestingly, Walsh shares a lot of similarities with offseason addition Josh Minott, who has cemented himself as part of Boston’s starting lineup. If the forwards can continue to improve and provide competition for each other, the Celtics will have two athletic, defensively minded forwards to anchor the bench unit in future years.
Walsh has suited up for seven games so far this season, averaging 3.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 50% from the field and 50% from 3-point range during those outings.
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