Celtics Summer League Notebook: Dillon Mitchell explosion, Coach Derrick White, and more

LAS VEGAS -- By the time the regular season begins, Boston Celtics rookie Dillon Mitchell will be 23 years old. He's on the older side for a rookie. Jordan Walsh, who will be entering his fourth NBA campaign, won't turn 23 until March 3.

The two forwards were in the same high school class. They were All-Americans together. "We was at McDonald's together coming out of high school," Mitchell said. And at one point, they even considered attending college together.

“It's so funny that you call him young guys, because me and Dillon Mitchell were the same class in high school," Walsh said. "Literally, we were talking about going to the same college to play with each other in high school before college. So, it's so weird to hear him call young guys, just because I'm going into my fourth year and he's starting. So, it's just kind of a crazy experience. But obviously, wish him the best. Obviously, I have some history with him, so excited to see his journey.”

"That would have been an athletic team, I tell you that," Mitchell said of him and Walsh potentially playing college ball together. "I don't know where we would have went. Probably, I guess Arkansas; he went to Arkansas. But yeah, that would have definitely been an athletic team. That would have been fun. But we're here now. You know, it all comes around.”

Both guys have come a long way since high school. The only difference is that Walsh was a one-and-done at Arkansas, while Mitchell spent four years bouncing around the NCAA. But just because they're the same age and have a history doesn't mean Mitchell will be receiving any special treatment from Walsh, who was labeled 'Rook' his rookie season in the NBA.

“Yeah, because we go by years. We're not going by age. I'm not going by age," Walsh said with a smile. "But yeah, I'm still the vet. He's still gonna get called Rook, like me, the whole season. So yeah.”

Walsh is an NBA Champion. Last year, he enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him emerge as one of the league's most promising perimeter defenders. Meanwhile, Mitchell has yet to log a single NBA minute. But through two Summer League games, Mitchell has already raised some eyebrows.

After a relatively underwhelming performance against the Toronto Raptors, Mitchell lit the gym on fire on Sunday afternoon. In a blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets, he filled up the stat sheet. Mitchell ended the game with 24 points, eight rebounds (seven offensive), two assists, six steals, and two blocks. He shot 10-of-20 from the field and 2-of-5 from deep range.

Mitchell was a monster. Everywhere he went, chaos followed (in the best way possible). Whether it was soaring in for offensive rebounds or jumping a pass for a steal, Mitchell never stopped moving.

“He was so alive today. He played with such great energy," Amile Jefferson said of Mitchell. "He crashed every time. He had like three different times that he almost had a tip dunk. And so, when he's playing with that kind of pop, he's going to be really good. And then anytime he gets an open three, he should shoot it, and he did that today. He was confident, and so that's all we want. We want our guys to play hard, play confident, and do it together.”

Without Mitchell's offensive rebounding, Boston would have been in a much different position. The Celtics eventually cruised to an 87-75 victory, but Mitchell's game-high seven offensive rebounds helped the Celtics attempt 14 more shots than the Hornets.

“I mean, that's the culture here is to crash the glass and rebound," Mitchell said. "It doesn't matter if you don't score, anything like that. All they look at is if you're going. They don't even care if you get the rebound necessarily. It's just make sure you're going every time.”

That said, the 3-point shot was the most eye-opening part of Mitchell's game. His rebounding was crucial. The defense was elite, but that was his M.O. in college. But last year at St. John's, he shot 1-of-5 from deep range. He made two on Sunday afternoon.

“Just the work that we've been putting in, especially with Coach Craig [Luschenat]," Mitchell said. "Just working on the jump shot and being confident. Confident in it. I mean, Kalkbrenner was guarding me, and he was just playing off. They're looking at me every time, like, bro, shoot the ball. So, I mean, I shot maybe half as many threes I did today than the whole season [at St. John's]. Just going out there and just playing confident, and especially hearing their confidence in me to just shoot the ball, and I know they're going to crash and everything like that. So, just the confidence they instill in us.”

After the Celtics drafted Mitchell, Mike Zarren went on the record stating that he was confident in Mitchell's ability to develop a jump shot. Sunday afternoon was certainly a step in the right direction.

Boston has some options for officially adding Mitchell to the roster. At this point, a two-way deal should be inevitable. The real question is, should he get a standard roster spot? If he keeps playing like this? Maybe. Just maybe.

Mitchell shouted out a very important person in his post-game interview. Craig Luschenat: The head of Boston's Player Development team. He may not get the public credit of Joe Mazzulla, Sam Cassell, Jefferson, or even Matt Reynolds, who is in charge of the Celtics' challenges, but he's an integral figurehead in the organization.

“I think he's [Mitchell] with the best development guy in the entire NBA," Jefferson said. "And so, he's going to get better. His entire game is going to get better. Craig Luschenat is, I think, the best at what he does, and Dillon is lucky to be working with him. I think it's going to show because we get our guys better.”

After the Celtics' practice on Saturday, I watched Luschenat on the floor with Chris Cenac and Mitchell for at least 20 minutes. He had his laptop on his lap, and he just went over film with the rookies.

The day before, after the Celtics' morning shootaround, Luschenat -- along with Celtics assistants Tony Dobbins, Ross McMains, and others -- walked onto the empty court at the Thomas & Mack Center. Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta worked out, but before that, it was just Queta.

McMains and Queta were working together, practicing his post moves and finishing around the rim. Luschenat stood at half-court just observing. He'd get in on the drills when called upon, but he was just watching. Taking in every piece of information he possibly could.

That's what he does every single game. I would get to Celtics games over three hours before tip-off. Every single time, like clockwork, Luschenat would be there. As John Tonje, Amari Williams, and Boston's other two-way guys worked out, Luschenat would stand at half-court watching. He wants to put every single player on a plan that helps develop their specific needs.

“Craig's been amazing," Tonje said on Sunday. "Since the first day I've been in Boston, I sat down with him, I had a conversation, and we kind of set a plan, and just been chipping away at it ever since.”

Luschenat also works very closely with Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Baylor Scheierman. Improving 3-point shots is his specialty. All three of those guys have quickly become some of the most reliable 3-point marksmen on the Celtics and around the league.

But he doesn't do it alone. Alongside him is one of the most impressive player development groups in the association. Da'Sean Butler. God Shammgod Jr. Nana Foulland. Steve Tchiengang. Alex Merg. Tyler Lashbrook. McMains. DJ MacLeay. Dobbins. Reynolds. Jefferson. The entire staff has been carefully crafted, and it's created one of the best player development organizations in the NBA.

“I think it's all about the little things, like you said. Everything's very disciplined, and it's looking at the little things and not trying to look at the big picture of things," Mitchell said. "Taking it one day at a time. Nobody's expecting any of us to just become a whole different player the next day, but just one day at a time, getting better, working on things, and trying to get 1% better every day.”

Luschenat is a local guy. He attended Andover High School in Andover, Massachusetts. And now, he's found a home with his hometown club. Maybe that's where he wants to stay. But if he ever had head-coaching dreams, any team in the league would be making a hire that could transform their organization's future.

A new face may start rising the coaching ranks in Boston, too. Although he'll probably have to finish his playing career first. During Sunday's Summer League game, Derrick White sat on the bench with the Celtics' coaching staff. He even sported the same pink polo.

“He's such a good guy, man," Jefferson said. "Me and him have gotten really close. Love that dude. Obviously, incredible off the court, and more incredible on the court. And me and him have a good relationship. We talked about it. He was like, 'I really wanted to coach a game.' Come on, let's do it. Really good for our guys to see him doing that, to be around him, to share his knowledge with them, and then to just motivate them. That breeds Celtics culture. That's what it's about.”

Throughout the game, White was pulling players to the side and giving them advice. He was in Hugo Gonzalez's ear the most, but he had a message for Mitchell, too.

“Yeah, he told me I can't get tired," Mitchell said. "So, that was the main thing he said to me. You're not allowed to get tired.”

White's presence fit in seamlessly on the sidelines. He blended in perfectly. To the point where I didn't even see him until the second quarter. Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog turned to me and said, 'It's cool Derrick is sitting with the coaches.' I had no idea what she was talking about.

But there he was, planted in the front row of the bench. And he got into it. He was fully committed. And luckily for me and my definitely-not-20-20 vision, I wasn't the only one who failed to spot White at first.

"He blends right in, though. He fits the profile perfectly," Jordan Walsh said. "I was looking around for him, and I saw him on the jumbotron, and I was like, 'What?' Or on the screen, and I was like, 'Huh?' So yeah, he blends in perfectly.”

Walsh, on the other hand, has no plans of entering the coaching world. That's just not his style. “Oh no. I do not want to coach at all," Walsh said with a smile. "I have no intentions of doing that."

Perhaps the future could be there for White. He has a while to go before considering that route. He's still an important piece of the puzzle on the court for Boston. But if the time comes, Jefferson has complete confidence in White.

"He's a natural. If he wanted to be, he'd be a head coach. I truly believe that," Jefferson said. "If he ever wants to do it, he'd be amazing. He just has great feel for people. Obviously, we all know how cerebral he his and his basketball mind, and so he's a natural. He'd be amazing at it.”

Maybe White's presence was what the Celtics needed on Sunday afternoon, because they absolutely obliterated the Hornets after a slow start. After losing the first quarter 21-17, the Celtics won the next three by a combined score of 70-54.

Mitchell's 24 points led the way, and Tonje played a big role, too. He finished the night with 17 points, five rebounds, and one steal while shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from deep range. He's been working hard all summer at improving his game, and now, he's in Vegas to show off that improvement.

“I think just show the work that we've been putting in this summer," Tonje said of the coaches' messaging to him. "Tying to grow on both ends of the floor, and also show a little bit of leadership to the younger guys in here.”

But it hasn't just been about the buckets. Tonje has been a dog on the defensive end. He's pestering ball-handlers, getting strips, and picking up in the backcourt. In Boston's win over the Raptors, he even nabbed a clutch steal in the game's final moments to help seal the win. That side of the ball has not only been a huge point of emphasis for him behind the scenes, but one for the whole team to focus on.

“I think that's just what we're trying to emphasize for the summer," Tonje said. "As a team, we're trying to pressure and really just get after it on the defensive end, and I'm just trying to do my job.”

Tonje ended last season on a two-way deal with the Celtics, though he did earn a 10-day at one point. Now, he's no longer on the roster. Tonje is back to fighting for his place in the NBA.

"Yeah, I mean, I know that's kind of in the back of my mind, but I'm really just focusing on getting better each day," Tonje said. I love to improve, and I love to- I'm blessed to be here, honestly. So, just leading with that, being grateful every day, and just giving everything I have each day, and it'll take care of itself.”

As for the rest of the Celtics, there were some ups and downs. Gonzalez had a pretty slow day, though he made some shots toward the end of the game. The ball-handling wasn't quite as crisp as it was against Toronto, as he threw out just four assists and coughed up five turnovers.

Gonzalez also wasn't as sharp on the defensive end. Guys, particularly Liam McNeely, were getting past him a bit too easily. His five personal fouls were a pretty clear indication of that.

Williams also came back down to earth after a solid showing against the Raptors. He was a turnover machine early in the game, ending with five of his own. His hands weren't strong enough, dropping passes, and his positioning failed him at times, too. He had just six points, five rebounds, and three assists, shooting 2-of-5 from the floor.

Milos Uzan, on the other hand, impressed once again. His defense was solid, pressuring the ball at a high level, and his playmaking stood out for the second game in a row. He had 13 points, four rebounds, and six assists while shooting 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from distance, turning the ball over just twice.

I said this after the last game, but as the Celtics look to fill out their two-way spots, he's definitely a name to watch. When he's on the floor, the Celtics win. It's been as simple as that through two games in Vegas.

Uzan's Houston teammate, Chris Cenac Jr., wasn't quite as great. He had two points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block. The shots just weren't falling in this one. However, his rebounding remained impressive. He has an innate ability to jump and recover for a second jump extremely quickly. It helps him on the glass and on defense.

No one else really stood out except for Tucker DeVries, who, like Uzan, is on an Exhibit 10 with the Celtics. He didn't play against the Raptors, but with Kyle Mangas out with an illness, DeVries logged 18:19 against Charlotte.

He left a little something to be desired on the defensive end, but the 3-point shot was pure. He finished the game with 11 points, one rebound, and two assists while shooting 3-of-7 from 3-point range.

Walsh also got the chance to share some thoughts on the Jaylen Brown trade. He said that it's hard to deal with losing a friend like that, but the business is the business. Oh yeah, and when the Celtics square off against Brown, he's not going to get any special treatment.

"I mean, it's tough. It's really tough, especially when it's a guy like that. Especially when it's a guy you're really close to. It's always hard to have him go," Walsh said. "But there's a side of basketball where it's always something that's bigger than basketball. It's the business of it. And so, the business sometimes dictates how things move, how people move more than the basketball does. 

"That may be the case; it may not be the case, we don't know, but I know that I'm missing a guy who I'm really close with, who's a mentor for me, who's done a lot for me, and obviously, we wish him the best. But if we had to see him on the court, then he's got to get the same treatment.”

Brown stopped by Summer League on Saturday to catch a small portion of the Philadelphia 76ers' game, though he didn't stay long. The stars have been out in Vegas all week, most sitting courtside. But according to Mitchell, the Summer League players have just as much appeal to the public.

"Every time we leave the hotel, everybody wants an autograph from Hugo," Mitchell said with a smile.

Also, as a side note, I have to share a hilarious story from my experience watching the Celtics' game against the Hornets. Josiah Allick may be one of the most entertaining players you've never heard of.

Allick is playing for the Hornets at Summer League, though he only got in for garbage time on Sunday. But that didn't stop him from entertaining all of press row for the entire night.

Donning two massive, puffy ponytails, Allick spent the whole game trash-talking at the end of the bench. 'Let him shoot that!' 'Thank you,' after the Celtics missed a shot.

At one point, Cenac was at the free-throw line, and Allick yelled out, 'This one's hitting back rim, get the rebound!' Lo and behold, Cenac missed off the back rim, and Allick shrugged with an I-told-you-so grin, smirk stretching across his face.

Gonzalez went over to him to chat later in the game. There didn't seem to be any vitriol involved, but I can't imagine it was a particularly fun conversation. It was short-lived.

Allick, who won MVP in the New Zealand NBL in 2025, may never make the NBA. Right now, he's barely playing in Summer League. But he's objectively hilarious. The exact type of player an NBA team -- or even a G League team -- should love to have at the end of their bench. If for no other reason than vibes.