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BOSTON, MA – The Boston Celtics selected guard Romeo Langford (14th) and forward Grant Williams (22nd) in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, and drafted a pair of players – guard Carsen Edwards (33rd) and guard Tremont Waters (51st) – in the second round to cap off their four-player draft class.
Romeo Langford (Round 1, Pick 14)
A 2018-19 All-Big Ten selection in his lone season at Indiana University, Langford (6-6, 215 lbs.) produced a team-high 16.5 points (44.8% FG, 72.2% FT), 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 34.1 minutes in 32 games (all starts). The Indiana native led the Big Ten and ranked sixth nationally in freshman scoring en route to being recognized on the 2018-19 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. His 26 blocked shots ranked second amongst all Hoosiers.
Langford, 19, scored at least 20 points on 11 occasions, including a career-high 28 points twice. He recorded 22 points on 40.0% shooting, 10 rebounds and a season-high five assists at Arkansas on Nov. 18 for one of two double-doubles on the season.
A four-year standout at New Albany High School (IN), Langford finished his high school career ranked fourth all-time among points scored in Indiana boys’ basketball history (3,002 points).
Grant Williams (Round 1, Pick 22)
Entering the NBA as the reigning two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year (2017-18, 2018-19), Williams (6-7, 236 lbs.) increased his scoring in each of his three seasons at the University of Tennessee. His 18.8 points led all SEC competitors, while his 56.5% shooting mark ranked second. He recorded 7.5 rebounds (6th in SEC), 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.5 blocked shots, and 31.9 minutes played in 37 games played (all starts) during his final collegiate season.
In addition to being a consensus 2018-19 All-America First Team selection, Williams was also a finalist for the 2018-19 Wooden Award – given to the most outstanding men’s and women’s college basketball players.
In three collegiate seasons at Tennessee, Williams, 20, averaged 15.7 points (51.6% FG, 75.8% FT), 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 104 games (101 starts). His 160 blocked shots rank third on Tennessee’s all-time leaderboard.
Carsen Edwards (Round 2, Pick 33)
Edwards capped off his three-year career at Purdue University with a majestic junior season in 2018-19, finishing ninth in the nation in scoring at 24.3 points. His 874 points scored ranked third in school history for points tallied in a single season, while his 135 3-point field goals set Purdue and Big Ten records for most threes in a single season.
One of 10 finalists for the 2018-19 Naismith Trophy for the NCAA’s National Player of the Year, Edwards averaged 17.8 points (41.2% FG, 36.8% 3-PT, 81.7% FT), 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 29.4 minutes in 108 collegiate games (94 starts) in his three seasons at Purdue.
Tremont Waters (Round 2, Pick 51)
In two collegiate seasons at Louisiana State University, Waters averaged 15.6 points (42.3% FG, 80.7% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.5 steals and 32.7 minutes over 66 games. He finished his sophomore season in 2018-19 as one of five finalists for the 2018-19 Bob Cousy Award, honoring the nation’s top point guard.
The Connecticut native earned All-SEC First Team honors in 2018-19, along with All-Defensive recognition. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman team in 2017-18.
The Celtics are currently in discussions to trade the draft rights to Ty Jerome and will have no further comments regarding him until after trade discussions are complete, most likely after the moratorium ends on July 6.