Boston Celtics rookie point guard Payton Pritchard is as ready as one can be for the rapid jump from college to the pros, and for a team which will need his services while starter Kemba Walker recuperates from a stem cell injection in his knee, that’s excellent news indeed.
The Oregon product spoke with the media for a second time since being drafted by the Celtics in November, answering questions about how he was feeling about the rapid turnaround and whether he was feeling any pressure.
“No, if my number’s called for me to step up and help this team, I’m going to be ready and compete and play hard and try to help a team win,” he suggested.
WATCH: Payton Pritchard shares how he makes recovery smoothies https://t.co/UVjF7r80s9
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 29, 2020
Somewhere, Danny Ainge is breathing a sigh of relief as he hears the former Duck sounding confident of his role jumping from collegiate frying pan into NBA fire.
“It’s definitely difficult, because you’ve got to come in [and] learn the playbook right away. You’ve got to learn the defensive schemes. But for me, experiencing what I went through in college and picking up things like that, I tried to pick up things right away, tried to get the playbook down before practice started, defensive schemes and all that. I had my mind wrapped around it before I even started so it wasn’t just coming at me so fast.”
“I tried to get a head start on things and that’s how I try to approach it,” he added.
CLAB 22: Talking Kemba’s knee, media week and All-Time All-Stars with John Karalis https://t.co/4kVR48rrao
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 5, 2020
While Boston fans ought to not worry too much if the speed, athleticism and talent of the NBA game prove a bit more than Pritchard can handle to start, he sounds like he’s at least comfortable with the situation he’s about to walk into, which in truth is much of the battle.
With a little luck and as much practice as the team can squeeze in before games start counting for the team on Dec. 23, the Celtics injury-inuduced lack of floor general depth may well prove less of concern that we initially worried.
Particularly if Pritchard’s on-court product is anything like the confidence he exuded about his role with the team.
[jwplayer gGabj0xN]
[lawrence-related id=43989,43778,43744,43721]
[listicle id=44028]