5 things to know about new Celtics draft pick Jordan Walsh

Celtics Walsh was a five-star recruit who showcased plenty of promise at Arkansas.

After doing his best impression of Bill Belichick by way of multiple trade-downs in the NBA Draft, Brad Stevens finally stuck with one of Boston’s second-round picks on Thursday night.

With the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Arkansas wing Jordan Walsh.

Walsh, 19, was a five-star recruit out of Dallas before trudging through an up-and-down freshman season with the Razorbacks.

Even though Walsh is a raw prospect, his strengths on the court could see him develop into an effective role player at the next level.

Here are five things to know about Boston’s latest draft pick:

Walsh should provide energy and stout defensive play in the NBA ranks.

Walsh might need to polish his overall game before he takes the next step as a regular contributor in Boston’s rotation.

But his energy and defensive intensity stood out throughout his freshman season at Arkansas. With a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 6-foot-7 frame, Walsh is a versatile defender who flies all over the court, slows down players on the perimeter, and is not afraid to scrap in the paint.

????️ Let's watch some Jordan Walsh defense vs Illinois

One of the best defenders in college, Walsh was extraordinary at getting Matthew Mayer out of rhythm (he went for 2pts on 0-6FG). Chases him, takes away the post entry, forces the pass and swipes at the Hawkins drive

(????1/7) pic.twitter.com/MNF8yRVvfQ

— António Dias (@antoniodias_pt) March 17, 2023

During ESPN’s broadcast on Thursday, college basketball analyst Jay Bilas noted that Walsh only allowed 34% percent shooting as a primary defender in college. 

So long as the rest of his game rounds out, Walsh should establish himself as a tireless defender and spark plug off the bench who makes winning plays for his team thanks to a high motor, second-effort sequences and scrappy play.

Remind you of anyone? 

Walsh needs to work on his offensive game. 

Walsh’s defensive capabilities will make him a menace in the pro ranks. But he’ll only carve out dependable minutes for himself if he becomes a more effective threat on offense.

He did plenty of damage in transition in college, but those easy lobs and layups will be much harder to come by in Maine and Boston.

Walsh has a sound shooting form, but that didn’t lead to tangible results at Arkansas. He averaged just 7.1 points per game in his lone collegiate campaign, sinking just 27.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Walsh’s sound mechanics offer hope that he can develop into a dependable 3-and-D threat for the Celtics in the coming years.

The Ringer’s draft profile on Walsh even tabbed him as having shades of a “supercharged Jae Crowder”. 

But a smooth shooting form doesn’t mean all that much if you don’t consistently sink your shots from deep.

Impressive game last night from Jordan Walsh on Arkansas- 13 points on 4/4 shooting with an incredible block (first clip). I still am holding my stock on him as a glue guy at the next level. Nice floater (2 clips in this video) and just is often at the right spot @ the right time pic.twitter.com/TorISRAzSL

— Mavs/Magic Draft (@MavsDraft) February 8, 2023

Walsh struggled to find his role at Arkansas,

A highly touted prospect coming out of Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, Walsh spent the majority of his freshman campaign trying to settle into a defined spot on a talented Razorbacks squad.

On an Arkansas team that also featured first-round picks in Anthony Black (No. 6 overall – Orlando) and Nick Smith Jr. (No. 27 overall – Charlotte), Walsh logged the sixth-most minutes on the team, starting 22 of his team’s 35 games.

With players like Black and Ricky Council IV shouldering most of the scoring burden for Arkansas, Walsh had to reshuffle his game in the college ranks — a far cry from the role he took on as a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American in 2022.

Still, Walsh played a key role in his team’s run to the Sweet 16 in the 2023 NCAA tournament, including an upset win over No. 1 Kansas.

With Arkansas undergoing plenty of turnover this year, Walsh likely could have put himself in the conversation as a first-round target in 2024 if he returned to the Razorbacks in a featured spot as a sophomore.

Instead, Walsh will build his game within the Celtics’ organization, be it with Boston or up in the G League with the Maine Celtics.

Walsh’s energy on the court did lead to bad habits.

Walsh’s nonstop motor often paid dividends for the Razorbacks, with the wing routinely winning 50-50 balls with diving plays and scraps for offensive rebounds.

But that high-octane energy also got him in foul trouble with Arkansas. Of his 35 games last season, he fouled out of eight of them.

Harnessing that defensive intensity without racking up reach-in fouls and other infractions will be one of the many learning curves that Walsh will need to adjust to moving forward in his young career.

Walsh has raised awareness about alopecia. 

From an early age, Walsh has dealt with alopecia — a condition in which an individual’s immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. It causes patches of hair to fall out and not grow back.

Walsh is one of many pro athletes who have dealt with alopecia, including former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva and Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier.

But Walsh has not let the condition define him, and has served as a resource for others who are dealing with it.

Back in October, Walsh and Arkansas women’s basketball guard Rylee Langerman (who also has alopecia) helped celebrate the release of “Beanies, Ball Caps, and Being Bald,” a book that details the story of a boy from Arkansas dealing with alopecia.