Boston Celtics select Dillon Mitchell in second round of NBA Draft
The Boston Celtics selected forward Dillion Mitchell from St. John's in the second round of the NBA Draft Wednesday night.
Mitchell, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, went 40th overall.
He played at Texas, Cincinnati and St. John's in college. He's an aggressive defender who was named to the Big East All-Defensive team in his senior season. But he isn't a big-time scorer, which may make it difficult for him to compete for a roster spot next season.
Mitchell played in 37 games at St. John's. He averaged 8.3 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists a game.
"He's still a prospect he's got some work to do but man his athleticism and leaping abilities are really, really impressive in addition to his defensive instincts. He's got a hell of a future ahead of him," Celtics' vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren told reporters Wednesday night.
Mitchell, 22, is from Tampa, Florida. He was a McDonald's All-American in high school in 2022.
CBS Sports NBA writer Cameron Salerno graded the Celtics pick as a "B."
"Mitchell, after four years of college, can be a plug-and-play defender at the NBA level. His shot is a work in progress, however," Salerno said.
The Celtics chose 19-year-old Chris Cenac Jr., a freshman out of Houston, with the 27th pick of the NBA Draft Tuesday.
