BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics’ new rookie class has arrived. And they were welcomed with a tour of the city… alongside lots of local youth as part of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation’s ‘First Assist’ event.
Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell enjoyed a guided tour of the city, highlighting the history and culture, all with a splash of Celtics chronology to go alongside it.
“It was a lot of fun. That was very welcoming,” Cenac said at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center after the tour concluded. “Just being around the kids and the community. They’re pretty funny. They’re great people to be around. So, it was a lot of fun going around the city, touring the city with them.”
The history stood out to Mitchell, who got to experience Boston for the first time.
“I think just seeing all the murals that are around. All the different artwork,” Mitchell said. “Seeing the Martin Luther King artwork, and all these other artworks. So, just the history. Especially not having been here before, so just learning about all the history and the culture in Boston.”
But that wasn’t the only thing that surprised him. He also enjoyed the heat – it was around 85 degrees in Boston on Tuesday – though he reluctantly admitted he knows what’s coming.
“It’s amazing. Just never being out here before, coming out, exploring, touring around,” Mitchell said. “Good weather for right now. We’ll see. I’ve heard it’s going to change. But nah, it’s been fun just meeting everybody and being out here.”
Both rookies have enjoyed warm welcomes from the Celtics since being drafted.
Cenac spent one year at Houston after committing there as the No. 6 high school prospect in the country. Boston selected him with the No. 27 pick in the first round.
Mitchell was the No. 40 pick in Round 2. He was a four-year college player, wrapping things up with a single season at St. John’s last year.
As soon as he was selected, he immediately got a massive welcome.
“Jayson Tatum was the first one to reach out, just say congratulations,” Mitchell said. “Derrick White. Jordan Walsh, who I’ve known for a little bit, just from high school days. Same class. Yeah, and honestly, just getting here, meeting with everybody, getting to work.”
And head coach Joe Mazzulla is already in both of their ears.
“He’s already been giving me some tips coming in,” Cenac said. “So, just learning from him as a great coach and coming in and helping the team.”
“He talked about rebounding and defense,” Mitchell said. “Offensive rebounding, crashing the glass, defense. And that’s one of the main things we talked about. It’s his birthday, so I sent him a little text. That’s what we talked about. Just coming in, working, putting my head down, continue to do things that’s gotten me here to this point.”
Cenac is still just 19 years old. And there’s a reason he was touted so highly as a high school prospect.
Though he didn’t put up crazy numbers under Kelvin Sampson at Houston, he was an elite rebounder. He has the makings of a switchable defender. And the offensive game has promise.
Not only did he show flashes of a 3-point jump shot, but at times, he put the ball on the floor and found mid-range pull-ups and lanes to the basket.
But in the short-term, he knows he can lean on a few specific things as he looks to improve his all-around game.
“Coming in immediately, rebounding, defending, playing hard,” Cenac said. “And then, just working on my all-around game. Just getting better every single day. Just coming in with the right attitude.”
Mitchell was as close to a non-shooter you can get in college. He shot 1-of-5 from deep during his senior season. But he made up for that on the defensive end.
He was one of the best perimeter defenders at the collegiate level, and that’s where he expects to keep hanging his hat. That all starts in Las Vegas.
“I think to continue to do the things I’m doing now,” Mitchell said when asked what he hopes to show off in Summer League. “Be the best defender on the court, show my athleticism, continue to be athletic, and then defensively, like I said, just be the best defensive player on the court.”
And once the regular season comes around, he has some very tough matchups in mind to test his skills.
“All the big-time players. KD, I think, is someone I grew up watching,” Mitchell said when asked who he’s excited to play against. “So, maybe being able to guard him. Really, all of them. I mean, you think about all the greats that are in this game. I think, Payton Pritchard, I’ve heard a lot about, he has a bag to him, and I’ve seen it firsthand. So, being able to guard him will be fun.”
Both rookies are ready to work. They’re excited to be in the NBA, and more importantly, they’re excited to be in Boston.
Celtics fans will get their first look at the two new faces in just over a week when Summer League begins (Boston’s first game is on July 10).
Until then, Cenac and Mitchell are hitting the ground running.
From the moment they stepped off the plane, that’s been the plan.
“Me and Chris landed yesterday at like 3:00, and we went straight to the gym and worked out,” Mitchell said. “We worked out this morning. So, you can tell the type of culture that’s here just by how the first two days have been. Just working out, getting around, meeting everybody.”
© Geoff Burke
Dillon Mitchell
Full quotes from Cenac and Mitchell
Chris Cenac
On what Boston has been like: “It’s been nice. Very welcoming. The fans have been showing a lot of love. The community is showing a lot of love. So yeah, I’m happy to be here.”
On his fit with the Celtics: “Definitely. Just how hard I play. How I’m an everyday guy. I come in with the same attitude, the same energy every single day. And yeah, I’m just going to give it all on the court when I’m roaming the floor.
On playing for a coach like Kelvin Sampson: “It just makes me want to be better. When you’re playing with good players, a great coach, it makes you just want to be better for the team overall.”
On who he's met so far: “I’ve pretty much met everybody. Everybody’s been very welcoming. And yeah, it feels like home already. I’m ready to get to it.”
On fitting in with Celtics: “All around. Just coming in, playing hard, playing to my strengths, and I’ll be good.”
On what he can do immediately vs. long-term improvements: “Coming in immediately, rebounding, defending, playing hard. And then, just working on my all-around game. Just getting better every single day. Just coming in with the right attitude.”
On if/when he knew he'd get drafted by Boston: “Yeah, I mean, with the draft, you could land anywhere. So just open eyes to every single team. Had a great conversation with them during the draft. Had a great conversation with them during the combine. So, yeah, it's been great.”
On what he hopes to show in Summer League: “Everything. Just be aggressive. Play hard. Show everything that I’m capable of doing.”
On who he's looking forward to playing against: “Everyone. I would say everyone in the NBA. Some guys: Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis. But pretty much every player in the league.”
On playing against LeBron James: “A blessing to even be here. But I’m definitely looking forward to playing everyone in the NBA.”
On his reaction to joining the Celtics: “A legendary organization, for sure. First thoughts: Great fit, and I'm looking forward to getting there.”
On what makes someone want to play for a coach like Sampson: “Just being able to take coaching. Being able to take criticism. I think that's the best way to get better. Yeah, that’s what I’d say about that.”
On what allows him to take criticism: “I think that’s just how I am as a person. I’m able to take coaching. I think that’s just how I am personally.”
On what he hopes to learn from Joe Mazzulla: "Everything. He’s already been giving me some tips coming in. So, just learning from him as a great coach and coming in and helping the team.”
On his conversations with Joe Mazzulla: “It was pretty good. We had a good dinner. Talked about a lot of things. Great character. Great person to be around.”
On when he first fell in love with basketball: “I would probably say about middle school. Going into high school. That's when I first fell in love with basketball and getting better at the game.”
On Jordan Walsh, a fellow Link Academy alum: “Nah, I didn’t. But I’m looking forward to talking to him about his experience there for sure.”
On Kelvin Sampson's message about joining the Celtics: “That I’m coming into a great organization and I’m coming into a place that’s a great fit for me.”
On when he knew he had a chance at playing in the NBA: “Probably in my sophomore year of high school, junior year of high school. Realizing when I was competing with the top guys around the country, that I can compete with these guys.”
On who reached out after he got drafted: “Yeah, I mean, I talked to everyone. Everyone’s reached out. All the coaches. I’ve talked to pretty much everyone in the organization.”
On who he models his game after: “Guys like Anthony Davis. A little bit of Jaren Jackson.”
On what he chose for his jersey number: “Yeah, No. 12. I’ll be wearing No. 12. And I think that’s the best number that was available, honestly.”
On his day in Boston with the kids: “Yeah, it was a lot of fun. That was very welcoming. Just being around the kids and the community. They’re pretty funny. They’re great people to be around. So, it was a lot of fun going around the city, touring the city with them.”
On his favorite part of Boston: “Everywhere I’ve been so far. I can’t tell you exactly where, but everywhere I’ve been is really nice.”
On if he's had any fan interactions so far: “I have. I have, definitely. Like I said, just very welcoming, and a great city to be in, for sure.”
On AJ Dybantsa: “Yeah, one of my closest friends. We got a great relationship. So, I’m happy for him. I know he’s the same for me. So, he’s about to be telling me some places to go to out here.”
On if he's gotten any Boston recommendations from Dybnantsa yet: “Nowhere yet, but we’re going to definitely talk about it for sure.”
Dillon Mitchell
On his thoughts on Boston so far: “It’s amazing. Just never being out here before, coming out, exploring, touring around. Good weather for right now. We’ll see. I’ve heard it’s going to change. But nah, it’s been fun just meeting everybody and being out here.”
On his fit with the Celtics: “I think just defense, toughness, do whatever it takes to win, be a glue guy, and just kind of compete. Only thing around here is winning. That’s the only thing my mind is on, that’s the only thing everybody in that facility’s mind is on, is winning.”
On who he studies on defense: “I really like Jarred Vanderbilt. The way he uses his length. Jaden McDaniels was another one, with his athleticism and his length. The way he was already trying to make some type of play on the ball. But I think, for me, it comes down to just scouting. Knowing what the other guy likes to do, and using what you do so great, my length, my athleticism, just try to make plays. It’s about possessions. Just try to get extra possessions.”
On when he got a sense he'd get drafted by Boston: “When I heard my name called, honestly. You never know, going through the whole process. But you get that phone call, it’s a lot of emotions, a lot of excitement. Just being here, being a part of it, and knowing that they believe in me so much, and I felt that since, honestly, when I came to work out during the pre-draft.”
On what the Celtics want to see in the short- and long-term: “Just a winning mindset, like I said. Just coming in, being a glue guy, doing whatever it takes to be done. Defense, scoring around the rim, making plays, being athletic. Continuing to just do what I do, and continuing to be great at it.”
On who reached out when he was drafted: “Jayson Tatum was the first one to reach out, just say congratulations. Derrick White. Jordan Walsh, who I’ve known for a little bit, just from high school days. Same class. Yeah, and honestly, just getting here, meeting with everybody, getting to work. Me and Chris landed yesterday at like 3:00, and we went straight to the gym and worked out. We worked out this morning. So, you can tell the type of culture that’s here just by how the first two days have been. Just working out, getting around, meeting everybody.”
On if he's talked about Rick Pitino about playing in Boston: “I haven’t yet. I haven’t yet.”
On if Providence College fans will have beef with him as a St. John's alum: “I didn’t think about that. Listen, I’m happy to be here. All I care about is the Celtics fans. I don’t know how they feel, but, nah.”
On how St. John's improved his passing: “Oh, I think it came down to, we didn’t really have a true point guard last year. So, in practice, he kind of seen me rebound the ball, push it, try to make plays. I’m a very selfless person. I don’t care about me scoring that much. I care about just winning. So, especially with a team like Boston, you got all these scorers, it’s not about me. It’s about getting other guys going, and doing all the little things. So, I think him seeing me do it at practice so much, making plays, and being very selfless, it was something he really wanted me to show in games, and it helped us as a team.”
On what he wants to show in Summer League: “I think to continue to do the things I’m doing now. Be the best defender on the court, show my athleticism, continue to be athletic, and then defensively, like I said, just be the best defensive player on the court.”
On who he's looking forward to playing against: “I think all my other teammates. I think like Zuby Ejiofor is one. We play him in the Summer League with the Hawks, so I’ll be excited to play him. I think just all the guys that I’ve grown up with. Emmanuel Sharp, Bryce Hopkins, who I’ve known, Bruce Thornton. I think it just comes down to all those guys and the relationships that we have. To now be here in this moment, it’ll be fun.”
On what legends he wants to play against: “I mean, all the big-time players. KD, I think, is someone I grew up watching. So, maybe being able to guard him. Really, all of them. I mean, you think about all the greats that are in this game. I think Payton Pritchard, I’ve heard a lot about [how] he has a bag to him, and I’ve seen it firsthand. So, being able to guard him will be fun.”
On his conversations with Joe Mazzulla: “Yeah, I think he talked about rebounding and defense. Offensive rebounding, crashing the glass, defense. And that’s one of the main things we talked about. It’s his birthday, so I sent him a little text. That’s what we talked about. Just coming in, working, putting my head down, continue to do things that’s gotten me here to this point.”
On dinner, his time since being in Boston: “Yeah, we got a chance to grab dinner with Brad. I haven't met with Coach Joe yet. He was here during my pre-draft workout, so we got to chat a little bit, but now that I'm officially here, like being able to have a conversation with him, and sit down with him, is something I'm looking forward to.”
On his favorite part of Boston: “I think just seeing all the murals that are around. All the different artwork. Seeing the Martin Luther King artwork, and all these other artworks. So, just the history. Especially not having been here before, so just learning about all the history and the culture in Boston. The weather's, like I said, great right now. Sweating, which I was like, I didn't know I was going to sweat in Boston. Yeah I know, so nah, I’m excited.”
On if he knew Chris Cenac before: “No, this is our first time meeting. We’ve been texting here and there. And I just know that he came from Coach Sampson at Houston, so he has the same type of background as me with Coach Pitino. Tough player who can get coached hard, takes criticism the right way, and goes out there and does whatever it takes to win. With those two teams, Rick Pitino and Kelvin Sampson, it’s all about winning. It’s not about you as a player. So, it’s good to know that, even as a young player, he’s came from that type of background. And he’ll be able to adjust and do that for the Celtics.”