Smeff10 wrote:Why was this guy drafted so low? Physically he looks like the real deal. Dunks with authority too.
The "official" story seems to be that he doesn't have much offensive game, or at least too poor a 3pt shooter to warrant a higher pick.
In Walsh's words, the handcuffs are now off (from Razorback system where he was more of a 3/4th option), so we'll see how it goes. He looks like he can move with the ball and pass quite well.
On a more superficial level, I can't help but think -- after reading comments about the pick on RealGm and Twitter -- that people just have some ignorant bias against Walsh because of the way he looks. All the Charlie Villanueva comments, for example. He has alopecia. He's thin, gangly, and kind of nerdy. He was out in Brandon, MO working on his game and is more of an introvert off the court in a league where young players are continually trying to build their brand and get personal recognition.
Look at the green room scene at the draft -- a fashion show. Jordan stayed home with his family. Would he have shown up wearing his knit cap and cotton sweatshirt if he was invited?
We might think, "certainly the league GM's are concerned with character and talent", well sure, to a certain degree. But it's also a popularity contest. G-League highlights can often trump college sacrifice and team play.
The Celtics had this guy in for two workouts. He wanted to come back. They saw something in him. I had some of the same bias when I first saw the clips, but then dug in more and was increasingly sold on the pick.
This dude is going to be awesome for us. We'll see it in real time.
I'm having fun, rant almost over. Three predictions by end of Walsh's second season:
1. About 20 NBA GM's in the league are going to be slapping their foreheads, "What was I thinking"? (if they still have jobs, that is)
2. Jordan Walsh is going to make some of these guys (I see you, Grady Dick) wish they had spent more time in the gym than in the wardrobe closet once Walsh starts shutting down their fashion show.
3. The Celtic fanbase is going to be enamored with Walsh. He's going to quickly transform from a curiosity into one of the classic Celtic fan favorites. Teammates will feel the same.
Extra credit prediction: When fans and influencers are all shouting to get the rookie extension done asap, Brad Stevens is going to quietly stand there, as usual, arms folded with that **** eating grin on his face. He knew it all along, folks.
