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Full Celtics Draft History During the Brad Stevens Era

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

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It’s Draft Day in the NBA. No one knows what is going to happen tonight, but everyone knows a lot will go down before the final pick is renounced.

With all of these unknowns, we thought it would be a great time to take a look back at what we do know about Boston’s recent draft picks. The Celtics own tonight’s No. 27 pick, but here’s a rundown of all of their picks since 2013, and where those players are now.

2018 NBA Draft

No. 3 pick – Jayson Tatum

Boston won the lottery but flipped the top pick to Philadelphia in exchange for the rights to the No. 3 pick and a future first-rounder. The C’s went on to select Jayson Tatum and all he did was go on to put together one of the most incredible postseason runs by a rookie in NBA history, averaging a team-best 18.5 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting for a team that reached the brink of the Finals. He is now considered by many to be a future superstar who is untouchable on the trade market.

No. 37 pick – Semi Ojeleye

Semi Ojeleye, who began his collegiate career at Duke and finished it at SMU, fell to the C’s at No. 37 and Boston couldn’t be any happier. As a rookie on a title contender, Ojeleye carved out a role as a 3-and-D player with his versatile defensive skill set and his respectable 3-point shot. He should have a role in the league for a long time.

No. 53 pick – Kadeem Allen

The Celtics chose to invest the 53rd overall pick in Kadeem Allen, a defensive-minded guard out of Arizona. Allen is now a two-way player for Boston.

No. 56 pick – Jabari Bird

Jabari Bird signed a two-way contract with Boston and appeared in 13 games, including one during the first week of the season in Philadelphia when his 13-plus minutes of action helped to spark the team’s first win of the season.

2017 NBA Draft

No. 3 pick – Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown has quickly garnered attention from around the league as a potential future All-Star. After contributing as a rookie off the bench with his elite athleticism, he stepped into the starting lineup as a sophomore and bumped his scoring average from 6.6 PPG to 14.5 PPG, and his 3-point shooting from 34.1 percent to 39.5 percent. He is everything a team could hope for out of a No. 3 pick.

No. 16 pick – Guerschon Yabusele

With eight picks and not enough room on the roster for all of them, Boston prioritized draft-and-stash players. Guerschon Yabusele was the first selection. He played the following season in China before joining the C’s for the 2017-18 season. The C’s are still working to develop him.

No. 23 pick – Ante Zizic

Ante Zizic was the second draft-and-stash player who played overseas for a season after being drafted. A 7-footer from Croatia, Zizic played well for Boston’s 2017 Summer League team before being included in the team’s trade for Kyrie Irving. Zizic was an end-of-bench player for the Cavaliers this season.

Nos. 31 and 35 picks – Devonta Davis and Rade Zagorac

These players were drafted and immediately traded by Boston to Memphis for a future 2019 first-round pick (via the LA Clippers).

No. 51 pick – Ben Bentil

The Celtics waived Ben Bentil four months after drafting him. He went on to sign with the Pacers, and then the Mavericks, but is now playing overseas.

No. 58 pick – Abdel Nader

Abdel Nader spent his first year with Boston’s G-League team, the Maine Red Claws, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors, all before joining the Celtics for the 2017-18 season. He appeared in 48 games and showed promise as an offensive threat.

2016 NBA Draft

No. 16 pick – Terry Rozier

Danny Ainge surprised many by drafting Terry Rozier as high as he did, but Rozier has consistently improved and was Boston’s starting point guard throughout this year’s postseason run to Game 7 of the Eastern Finals. He is now regarded as a starter-level point guard in the league.

No. 28 pick – R.J. Hunter

R.J. Hunter spent his first season with Boston before being waived the following offseason. Hunter most recently played on a two-way contract for the Houston Rockets this season.

No. 33 pick – Jordan Mickey

Boston drafted Jordan Mickey and quickly gave him a record-breaking deal for a second-round pick. He played a small role in Boston for two seasons before being waived in the summer of 2017 to create roster space. He then signed on with the Miami Heat and started three games for them this season.

No. 45 pick – Marcus Thornton

Marcus Thornton played on two of Boston’s Summer League teams but has never appeared in the NBA. He played this past season for the Canton Charge of the G-League.

2014 NBA Draft

No. 6 pick – Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart has proven himself to be a top-notch defender in the NBA whose energy can alter the course of games. He has also improved his offensive playmaking abilities. He is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and many teams – including Boston – will be interested in his services.

No. 17 pick – James Young

James Young spent his first three seasons with the Celtics before the team chose not to pick up the final year of his rookie contract. He since signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers but was waived by both teams before the end of this season.

2013 NBA Draft

No. 16 pick – Lucas Nogueira for Kelly Olynyk

Boston traded the rights to Lucas Nogueira and two second-rounders to Dallas for the rights No. 13 overall pick Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk played four strong seasons with the C’s, including a clutch 26-point performance during Game 7 of the Conference Semifinals in 2017. He since signed a four-year, $50-million deal with Miami as a playmaking, 3-point shooting big.