On Friday night 2023, Brad Stevens made a plethora of deals, yet he only added one player to the Celtics’ roster: centre Jordan Walsh from Arkansas.
Walsh should be well-known to college basketball fans because the Razorbacks advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Given the zeal with which he plays whenever he is on the floor, it was difficult to overlook him on the court.
He is now moving on to the NBA, where he might play a significant role off the bench for Boston. Walsh was selected by Boston in the second round with the 38th overall pick, and he was even prepared with a Celtics cap.
Here is some information on Walsh, one of the Boston Celtics’ newest players, for those who are unfamiliar.
Measurements
Walsh, 19, is 6 feet 7 inches tall and 204 pounds. Additionally, he has a huge 7-foot-3 wingspan, which makes him a threat on defence.
The Numbers
Walsh only played one season at Arkansas after becoming a McDonald’s All-American in 2022 and a five-star recruit out of high school. For the rookie, it was a rollercoaster ride as he tried to find his place on a Razorbacks team that was stacked with talent.
Walsh started out as a starter during his time in college but eventually switched to the bench in the midst of the season.
Walsh scored 7.1 points per game over 36 games on 43 percent shooting with six fewer attempts attempted each game. Even though he averaged only two three-pointers a game, the most of his damage occurred in transition and close to the basket. Walsh’s poor 3-point shooting of only 27.8 percent was the cause of it.
For Arkansas, Walsh also added 1.1 steals and 3.9 rebounds per game. His finest offensive performance came against Bradley in the middle of December, when he finished with 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting (with Walsh making his lone 3-point attempt) over 28 minutes. He had more time to do more harm, but after 28 minutes, he was fouled out.
He is Capable of Defence
Walsh is a total sparkplug on the defensive end of the court, despite his offensive game being very raw. Last season, he was a main defender and only allowed 34 percent shooting. He also had eight games with at least two steals and four games with three or more.
But Walsh’s tremendous energy sometimes gets the better of him. In eight of his 36 games from the previous season, he fouled out.
Walsh Has Done A Lot To Increase Alopecia Awareness
Walsh has struggled with alopecia, a disorder that causes hair loss when the immune system assaults the hair follicles. He has utilised his position as a collegiate athlete to advocate for the illness and support people who also suffer from it.
When Tracy Peterson’s book “Beanies, Ball Caps and Being Bald: Different Isn’t Bad, Different Is Just Different” came out last year, Walsh and Arkansas women’s basketball player Rylee Langerman (who also has alopecia) worked together to celebrate its publication. The book tells the tale of an Arkansas boy who has alopecia.
With assistance from former NBA big Charlie Villanueva, who also has alopecia, Walsh has helped kids learn to manage the stress that comes with the disease. Villanueva also has alopecia. Walsh has said that Villanueva serves as a mentor to him.
Ayanna Pressley, a Massachusetts lawmaker who also has the disease, is likely to team up with Walsh.
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