JD Davison will not be rookie of the year.

[ozgod]

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/07/four-takeaways-from-celtics-88-78-loss-to-heat-to-open-summer-league-play-young-players-impress.html


"Pro debut: All eyes were on Davison, and not just because of his hair. The Alabama product was the Celtics’ lone draft pick this season at No. 53. He got some good news pregame after signing a two-way contract with the team. He showed flashes, and while he was just 3-for-11 from the field, still showed off some composed play. Davison finished with 10 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks. Davison looked like he tweaked an injury late, but he said postgame it wasn’t anything serious."

Washburn had an article about his debut in the Globe, more on the human side of long shot draftees making it in the NBA and what it means to them, as opposed to looking at them as a commodity and how useful they will be to the team. Some snippets from his article.

LAS VEGAS — It’s easy to take these summer league games for granted as the years pass. Las Vegas has become the home of the NBA’s offseason convention, a collection of current and former players, coaches, executives and rookies and journeymen intermingled in the hottest place on earth.

Yet, for JD Davison, this is a big deal. The 19-year-old Celtics rookie played his first professional game Saturday, against the Miami Heat, and to celebrate, 15 family members from his hometown of Letohatchee, Ala., attended the Celtics’ 88-78 loss at Cox Pavilion.

Davison, 19, was the Celtics’ lone draft pick last month, 53rd overall and the first, he says proudly, to be drafted out of Lowndes County, Ala. Letohatchee is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County.

When asked how many of the Davisons were in Las Vegas, he said, “Uh, I can’t exactly guess. I could say 15-plus.”

Just imagine how many Davisons head to TD Garden for JD’s first game in Boston. Just imagine how monumental of a moment that will be for the kid from small-town Alabama.

“It felt great man, the environment was crazy, everything I dreamed of, just come out there and be on that court,” he said of Saturday. “It felt great for me to get my feet wet.”

The journey so far has been a celebratory one for Davison, despite falling to the 53rd pick. Most one-and-dones envision going in the draft lottery or first round. Even the ones who aren’t projected to go in the first round have delusions of stardom because the league is filled with one-and-done players.

“I just wanted to get drafted; coming from where I’m from, maybe 100, 200 people in my town it was a big deal for me to get drafted,” he said. “I told my family no matter where I go, it’s a blessing. That was my thing, just go out there and get drafted and my mama is going to be proud, my family is going to be proud and I’m very proud of myself and hear my name being called.”

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/09/sports/summer-league-game-was-very-big-deal-celtics-jd-davison/

[Birdman]

Cut the hair & might shoot better

[jambr380]

For those saying that he should have waited another year, there is no guarantee things would have gone better for him as a sophomore. And they absolutely need to for any player staying more than one college season in order for teams to still be interested in the potential.

It should also be noted that two-way players now get paid a lot more than they used to - half the amount of a rookie contract (around $500K). As ozgod pointed out, this was a huge deal for Davison and his family. And $500K is a legitimate amount of money to accept compared to the uncertainty of going back to college and hoping he improves enough to go in the 1st round.

Looking forward to seeing his development - there is certainly a lot of potential there and he seemingly knows what a great opportunity this is.

[celticinorlando]

He’s a G league prospect. Nothing more.

[Alleyoopster]

He’s a G league prospect. Nothing more.

The good news is that he's more athletic than Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters.

[liam]

He’s a G league prospect. Nothing more.

The good news is that he's more athletic than Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters.

He's way bigger than those guys too.

[Roy H.]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

[hwangjini_1]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

perhaps, but with higher BBIQ.

[libermaniac]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

I’m thinking Terry Rozier. It’s not out of the question that he can develop to be as good as Terry Rozier. It took Terry 3 years to become a contributor on the team.

[Roy H.]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

perhaps, but with higher BBIQ.

Time will tell. 

Banks:

Career Summer League: 6 G, 32.6 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 47.1 3P%, 75.0 FT%

[liam]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

perhaps, but with higher BBIQ.

Time will tell. 

Banks:

Career Summer League: 6 G, 32.6 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 47.1 3P%, 75.0 FT%

He resembles Westbrook more than Banks. Not that I'm projecting him to be either of those guys. He moves more like Westbrook.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW6VP48fc-g


Needs to finish better...

[terra haute]

I didn't see a whole lot honestly. If I were a 19 YO 53 pick first thing I'd do after signing for 500k is get a haircut and look like I took things more seriously perhaps? Won't make him play better but just a thought about growing up and responsibility.

[liam]

I didn't see a whole lot honestly. If I were a 19 YO 53 pick first thing I'd do after signing for 500k is get a haircut and look like I took things more seriously perhaps? Won't make him play better but just a thought about growing up and responsibility.

Do you think short hair makes you more responsible?

[Who]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

perhaps, but with higher BBIQ.

Time will tell. 

Banks:

Career Summer League: 6 G, 32.6 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 47.1 3P%, 75.0 FT%

He resembles Westbrook more than Banks. Not that I'm projecting him to be either of those guys. He moves more like Westbrook.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW6VP48fc-g


Needs to finish better...

Watching his highlights .... he reminds me more of an unpolished Derrick White. Okay but not great PG skills. Bad shooter. Not really a scorer. Disruptive defender who uses his length well to create turnovers. Active, competitive. Willing to work hard. A gamer.

[liam]

The guy that JD reminds me of right now:  Marcus Banks.

perhaps, but with higher BBIQ.

Time will tell. 

Banks:

Career Summer League: 6 G, 32.6 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 47.1 3P%, 75.0 FT%

He resembles Westbrook more than Banks. Not that I'm projecting him to be either of those guys. He moves more like Westbrook.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW6VP48fc-g


Needs to finish better...

Watching his highlights .... he reminds me more of an unpolished Derrick White. Okay but not great PG skills. Bad shooter. Not really a scorer. Disruptive defender who uses his length well to create turnovers. Active, competitive. Willing to work hard. A gamer.

Seems more athletic than White.