In the end, the Celtics have signed two-way participant JD Davison to a two-year deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Saturday.
Davison, who was drafted 53rd general by the Celtics in 2022, has spent the final three seasons primarily within the G League and now will get his first actual NBA alternative. He’s recent off his greatest season but, having been named G League MVP after averaging 25.1 factors, 7.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds with the Maine Celtics this previous season. He upped these numbers to an astonishing 34.7 factors and 13.3 assists within the postseason.
From the start of the 12 months, getting an NBA contract was Davison’s major aspiration.
“Coming into Yr 3, I’m simply attempting to construct a special sort of function going into this 12 months,” Davison advised CelticsBlog earlier this fall. “Attempt to get signed — mainly, attempt to get a full contract.”
Now, he’s achieved that objective — which means that he’ll be eligible to swimsuit up within the postseason, unlikely the Celtics’ earlier two playoff runs. This previous season, Davison has appeared in 15 NBA video games, his most-ever as a Celtic. He bought a season-high 17 minutes of run on Wednesday in opposition to the Magic with the Celtics resting their prime six gamers, however struggled from the sphere, taking pictures 0-6.
However, Joe Mazzulla made clear he wasn’t placing an excessive amount of weight into that single recreation, a 96-76 blowout loss.
“One recreation doesn’t do this, [it’s] a complete physique of labor over the course of video games, practices, exercises, movie classes,” he stated. “So, no, there’s not one factor they’ll do tonight that’ll impression what they’ve achieved over the season.”
On Friday evening, Davison bought on the board with a thunderous dunk, his final discipline objective as a two-way participant within the NBA.
Afterwards, Derrick White stated he wasn’t stunned about Davison’s hops.
“I watched the highschool mixtape,” White stated with a smile. “I used to be conscious.”
JD Davison’s Celtics teammates noticed this soar coming
JD Davison’s teammates noticed that he had noticeably improved coming into this season.
“You would inform he took it to a different degree in coaching camp,” Jaylen Brown stated final month. “I believe he’s been capable of be taught from our guys, going in opposition to Payton [Pritchard], going in opposition to Jrue [Holiday] and Derrick [White]. He’s gotten so significantly better, and that’s credit score to him. He’s developed at a excessive fee.”
Jrue Vacation gave maybe the most important endorsement for the younger guard.
“He’s undoubtedly going to be a very good NBA participant,” he stated.
Derrick White has referred to as Davison the workforce’s greatest lob thrower on quite a few events and praised his means to make reads within the pick-and-roll.
Al Horford has been impressed by his work ethic and elevated buy-in over the previous three seasons.
“JD will get it,” Horford advised CelticsBlog final month.
JD Davison has been with the Celtics for this most up-to-date stretch
After the conclusion of the Maine Celtics playoffs on Sunday, Davison rejoined the Celtics on Tuesday at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Brown, an in depth pal of Davison’s, smiled when he noticed the 22-year-old within the Celtics’ locker room in New York Metropolis.
“Nice season, my boy,” he stated to Davison. “Onto larger and higher issues.”
Then, upon studying Davison’s ridiculous postseason averages, the 2024 Finals MVP grinned and jokingly declared, “He discovered that from me!”
However Davison advised CelticsBlog that evening that he wasn’t desirous about subsequent steps simply but — although the last word objective of getting a contract was one he’s referenced many occasions over time.
“Proper now?” Davison stated. “Simply be the place my toes are.”
Now, the Alabama guard will get the long-awaited alternative: a full contract within the NBA.
