Yam Madar might be the most popular Boston Celtic who’s not actually a member of the Boston Celtics. Whenever I do a Q&A of any kind, here or on my podcast, I invariably get at least one question about the young Israeli point guard.
Madar is now working out with the team in Boston and is expected to participate in the summer league for the Celtics. He can do so without being signed for next season, so don’t take this as a sign that he’s staying for good.
It’s also not a sign, either. Madar clearly isn’t just one of those late-round Euro picks whose rights get traded over and over in salary-clearing deals when something that is technically of value needs to be included. The Celtics want to get a look at where he is in his development.
He’s an intriguing guy, to say the least. One draft analyst told me Madar is the Israeli Patrick Beverley, an agitator who will drive other teams crazy but whose home fans will love. That name was also bestowed on him before he seemingly answered questions about his shaky shooting.
The 6’3” Madar shot 40.9% on 3-pointers for Hapoel Tel Aviv, hitting 54 of his 132 attempts. He shot 46.9% in the Israeli Super League and 82.8% from the line. Considering free throw shooting is a stronger bellwether for the quality of shooter, the overall shooting numbers have become incredibly encouraging.
However, it’s very important to note the drop in talent between the NBA and Israel’s pro league. It’s still good basketball, but it doesn’t compare to what Madar would face on a nightly basis. Also, overseas basketball isn’t nearly the grind that NBA basketball is, so it’s fair to wonder how his shooting will fare as the NBA season marches on for a high-energy guy.
This is where the Beverly comparison is more apt. Madar is a high-energy guy who has no problem getting into an opponent’s personal space to make him uncomfortable. He’s more than willing to do the dirty defensive work and then lead the break in the other direction.
“Flashy” is a good way to describe his offense. His intensity shows on both ends of the floor, and his highlight reel is full of fancy pocket passes and assists that draw a rise out of the announcers.
So Madar obviously has a good feel for the game and he works his butt off on both ends. At 6’3”, he’s got good enough size that he could be an intriguing option for the Celtics.
Again, we have to go back to the questions about the competition he faced. Anyone can beat 2K on rookie mode, but let’s pop that difficulty up to Hall of Fame and see what’s what. The speed and the physicality of the NBA game is at another level than even the best European basketball. Sure, Luka Doncic was a Euroleague MVP, but so were Nemanja Bjelica, Nando de Colo, Sergio Llull, and Jan Vesely over the past six years.
The NBA is full of former MVPs of some league overseas who came over to assume small roles. Bran Wanamaker’s non-NBA pro resume is incredibly impressive. He made the All-Star game twice in two leagues, was an MVP, a Finals MVP twice, and a four-time champion, and he’s fighting to hang on in the NBA.
That’s what makes this summer league very interesting for Boston and Madar. Summer league doesn’t always tell us much, but it could give us a little glimpse into who he is as an NBA player. We’ll get to see where his fundamentals are, and how much of those highlight reels really edited out.
Anyone can look great for five minutes on YouTube. How great can he look for 35 minutes of an NBA game?
We might not be able to get the full story out of one week in August, but the Celtics are already seeing a lot more than we are right now. They may see him as ready to compete this season, or maybe an extra year away (or more). If the Celtics are to stash him overseas again, they could get an even better look at his development in a new league.
Israel’s Sport 5 reports Serbian club Partizan Belgrade is interested in Madar’s services for next season. The tougher league, which boasts alums like Nikola Jokic, Milos Teodosic, and Boban Marjanovic, could be a better training ground for Madar and serve as a sort of basketball halfway house to Madar closer to readiness for the NBA.
After that, we would likely see Madar in summer league again and then a decision will be made from there. This would also allow Madar to make more money and get more playing time as he continues to hone his skills.
We don’t know yet who Madar will be as an NBA player, or if he’ll even be one at all. He could be Marcus Smart’s replacement next season, or he could just be a guy I get asked about until 2028. He’s an intriguing guy and his highlight reels look great. Soon we’ll see if the IRL skills match.
