Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Hugo Gonzalez is only 19 years old and still getting used to playing against other rookies and talented youngsters, let alone competing stateside.
Just two games into his NBA Summer League career, however, the Spaniard has earned positive reviews from multiple coaches and teammates.
Ahead of the team’s Summer League tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, Isaiah Wong praised Gonzalez for his maturity.
Wong is a 24-year-old shooting guard who played in one game with the Indiana Pacers during the 2023-24 campaign and 20 contests with the Charlotte Hornets last season. The 2022-23 ACC Player of the Year joined Boston’s Summer League roster this month.
“As for Wong’s evaluation of what he’s seen from Hugo Gonzalez on the court so far, he tells me: ‘He’s an aggressive player. I was surprised how he transitioned to the NBA so quickly from overseas. So it was a surprise that he’s doing all this. And he’s playing like an NBA player right now,” Celtics writer Bobby Krivitsky posted on Bluesky.
Story continues below advertisement
Gonzalez helped the Celtics defeat the Memphis Grizzlies in the group’s Summer League opener last week, finishing with 12 points and a game-high five assists in 28 minutes. Gonzalez shot 4-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, but went just 1-for-5 from the free throw line.
The 28th overall pick sat out the team’s second exhibition contest against the New York Knicks and returned to action vs. the Miami Heat this week and recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
