BOSTON — Brad Stevens made several trades on Draft Night 2023, but he only drafted one player on the Celtics roster: Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh.
College hoops fans should be familiar with Walsh, after the Razorbacks reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. Seeing the energy with which he plays whenever he is on the court, it was hard to miss him on the court.
Now he’s headed to the NBA where he could become a key role player off the Boston bench. Walsh also had his Celtics cap ready when Boston drafted him in the second round, 38th overall:
For those who aren’t familiar with Walsh, here’s everything you need to know about one of the newest members of the Boston Celtics.
measurement
The 19-year-old Walsh is 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 204 pounds. He also has a massive 7-foot-3-inch wingspan that helps him become a threat on the defensive side.
statistics
After being a five-star recruit in high school and a McDonald’s All-American in 2022, Walsh spent only one season at Arkansas. It was a roller-coaster ride for the freshman as he struggled to carve out a role on a heavily loaded Razorbacks squad.
Walsh began his collegiate career as a starter but eventually moved to the bench midway through the campaign. Although his numbers may not show it, Walsh has become a key reserve for Arkansas.
Over 36 games, Walsh averaged 7.1 points per game on 43 percent shooting, attempting only six shots per game. Most of his damage occurred in transition and around the basket, averaging just three pairs per contest. He had a reason; Walsh only shot 27.8 percent on his attempts from downtown.
Walsh averaged 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for Arkansas. His best offensive game was against Bradley in mid-December, when he scored 18 points in 28 minutes on 7-for-7 shooting (which included Walsh’s only 3-point attempt). He could have done more damage, but he was fouled after 28 minutes.
he can defend
While Walsh is extremely raw on the offensive end, he is an absolute sparkplug on the defensive end of the floor. He allowed only 34 percent shooting as the primary point guard last season, and had eight games with at least two steals and four games with three or more swipes.
But sometimes, Walsh’s fast motor gets the better of him. Last season, he fouled in eight of his 36 games.
Walsh has done a lot to raise awareness of alopecia
Walsh has dealt with alopecia all her life, a condition where one’s immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. He has used his platform as a college athlete to raise awareness of the condition and help those who share this suffering.
Last year, Walsh teamed up with Arkansas women’s basketball player Rylee Langerman (who also has alopecia areata) to celebrate the release of Tracy Peterson’s book “Beanies, Ball Caps and Being Bald: Different Is Not Bad, Different Is Just Different”. Shake Hands, which details the story of a boy from Arkansas who is battling alopecia.
Walsh has helped children learn to deal with the stress that comes with the condition, a lesson she once received from former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva, who also suffers from alopecia. Walsh has said that he views Villanueva as a mentor.
Walsh is expected to join forces with Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley, who also has the same condition.
WBZ-News Staff
