NBA Draft Rumors: Shabazz Napier wants to play for Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics’ head coach Brad Stevens is very familiar with former Connecticut Huskies’ point guard Shabazz Napier.
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When Stevens led the Butler Bulldogs to the 2011 National Championship, Napiers’ Huskies defeated the Bulldogs to win the National Title.
Napier, who has since added another championship ring, winning the 2014 title, is also very familiar with Stevens’ Celtics. He grew up in Roxbury, Massachusetts and was a die-hard fan of the team growing up. On Monday, he returned to Boston for a pre-draft workout.
According to Scott Souza of The MetroWest Daily News, Napier would love to play for the Celtics and it looks like the Celtics are very high on Napier, or at least Stevens is.
#Celtics coach Brad Stevens: Shabazz Napier makes big shots when it matters. That's something that doesn't come across in wing-span measure.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) June 16, 2014
#Celtics Shabazz Napier said he was asked why fans were crying when Pierce was hurt in 08 Finals: That's just Boston. They love their teams.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) June 16, 2014
#Celtics draft prospect Shabazz Napier: Some people try to play it safe. To me, that's the riskiest thing you can do. I'm a competitor.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) June 16, 2014
#Celtics draft prospect Shabazz Napier: I bleed green ... It's Boston. This is the city of champions.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) June 16, 2014
Napier led the Huskies in scoring (18.0 points per game), rebounds (5.9 per game) and assists (4.9 per game) last season. He also recorded 1.8 steals per game and shot 42.9% from the field, 40.5% from beyond the arc and 87.0% from the free throw line. He measured in at 6’1 and 175 lbs. with a wingspan of 6’3.25 at the NBA’s Scouting Combine. He is ranked as the 28th-best prospect in the draft according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.