Hugo Gonzalez enjoyed a strong preseason debut for the Boston Celtics in their Oct. 8 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Gonzalez joined the Celtics via the 2025 NBA draft as the 28th overall pick. He ended his first outing for the franchise with 8 points, three rebounds, three blocks, a steal and an assist. His energy levels and commitment to playing with force and physicality will quickly endear him to the Celtics fanbase.
When speaking to the media on Thursday, Oct. 9, head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Goanzlez’s professionalism and approach to improving his game since moving to the States in the summer.
“He’s been coached by some great coaches and has been a part of a great organization for a long time,” Mazzulla said of Gonzalez. “So he knows how to play, he’s smart, and he holds himself to a high standard. I enjoy coaching him because he listens and he wants to get better, and he learns and he pushes himself. Just any communication to help him just kind of figure it out, and it does make some big plays. for us. So, I just enjoy coaching him because of his personality, how he carries himself.”
Gonzalez spent the past two seasons with Real Madrid, where he slowly earned himself a spot in their rotation last season.
Gonzalez On Mazzulla’s Sideline Messaging
During the win over Memphis, Mazzulla could be seen giving Gonzalez instructions from the sidelines. When speaking to the media, the rookie forward explained Mazzulla’s messaging and what was being shared with him while on the court.
âBasically correcting things that obviously, as a 19-year-old that is playing his 1st game in the NBA,” Gonzalez said. “â¦I got a lot of things to direct and he was just trying to give me live feedback from things that I need to improve.â
Gonzalez projects to be part of the Celtics’ bench rotation in the upcoming season. And, given his overall upside and style of play, he can likely expect Mazzulla to continue coaching him from the sidelines whenever he takes to the court.
Gonzalez Will Face Compeition For Playing Time
Gonzalez isn’t the only young forward on Boston’s rotation. Josh Minott and Jordan Walsh are also expected to be fighting for rotation minutes this season. And, while there’s scope for two of that trio to earn consistent minutes, it’s likely that one of them will find themselves glued to the bench.
Mazzulla has a difficult task this season. Rather than trying to lead the team toward a championship, he must work on developing the wealth of younger talent at his disposal. The hard part will also come in being competitive enough to keep the likes of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard happy and engaged.
The Celtics are retooling this season, regardless of whether Jayson Tatum returns from injury or not. The young players who pop and make an impact will likely become part of the rotation for the long term. At the same time, those who struggle could find themselves being dangled in trade talks.
Fortunately for the Celtics, most of the young talents made a strong impression on Wednesday. And now, they must continue to build on that showing as they look to establish themselves in the NBA.
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