IT WAS a solid outing for the Boston Celtics at the 2025 NBA Draft, making the most of their picks and finding value players that should slot into their system nicely in what may just be a tough 12 months ahead.

The Celtics were the most active team heading into the draft, trading NBA Champions Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to move back under the second apron in the salary cap. With Jayson Tatum set to miss most of the season with a torn Achilles, it was looming as a difficult 2025/26 season regardless, so Boston looked to get on the front foot.

The Celtics took three picks into the 2025 NBA Draft, and added a trio of pieces that could be useful in the coming 12 months, and although their next campaign may be tumultuous at times, accelerating the development of their draftees will be a massive positive.

Boston Celtics

Drafted Players

Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, Max Shulga

The Celtics made the most of their three selections at the 2025 intake, and getting playing time into these guys will be crucial when the team looks to contend upon the return of Tatum in the season after next.

They kicked things off by selecting Gonzalez with the 28th pick of the first round, in their sole selection on the opening night of proceedings. The wing is an ideal fit within the team for the future, given how hard he plays and the amount of effort he brings on the basketball court, and will fit in with the Celtics culture in coming years.

He is a slasher on the offensive end, and a tremendous defensive weapon, able to guard multiple positions and plays with a high motor. Once his jumper develops and he becomes more of a threat on the scoring front, he will be a central starting piece for the Celtics in the future.

In the second round, Boston found a value selection in Williams, who is one of the best passing big men in the draft class. He will slot into the Celtics system given how much they like to move the ball, and he can be a connective passer in the frontcourt. He has a lot to offer defensively as well as a paint protector, and if he can improve his ability to guard out on the perimeter, he will be a two-way threat for Boston.

The Celtics’ final selection was used on Shulga, who is a mature aged prospect who can play multiple positions at NBA level. If he is to forge out a career in the NBA, he will need to lock down his value as a perimeter shooter, which seems an achievable task given he has shot over 40 per cent in multiple campaigns in the past.

The Celtics did an impressive job to add three players who can all play valuable minutes in the coming years, and with Tatum set to be sidelined as well as the loss of Holiday and Porzingis, there will be plenty of minutes up for grabs in Boston for the 2025/26 season.