The Celtics Blew Up Twitter With Their Head-Scratching Draft Picks
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- As I sat in the loge during the Celtics' NBA Draft party, the optimistic buzz quickly morphed into a palpable outrage once the Celtics not only kept their No. 3 pick without making a trade but used the pick to select forward Jaylen Brown out of Cal.
Despite some scattered excitement over people who "know" about Brown as a player, most fans in the Garden were baffled by the pick. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the toilet flush on the Celtics' offseason.
Things got even worse when the Celtics made what pretty much everyone agrees was a reach of a pick with French forward Guerschon Yabusele. Not only was Yabusele ranked as a second round pick in most experts' mock drafts, his name is one of the hardest to pronounce of all prospects. Shouldn't be an issue with sports talk radio around here!
I can't wait to hear Sports Hub callers attempt to pronounce that last pick's name.
— Ryan Johnston (@Johnston985) June 24, 2016
Can't wait for Tommy Heinsohn to try and say Guerschon Yabusele.
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) June 24, 2016
In case you're wondering how to pronounce the names of the #Celtics' last two first-round draft picks... pic.twitter.com/Y5WhQ94zWl
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) June 24, 2016
Here is a sampling of how others in the Boston area instantly reacted to the pick:
The Celtics just took the 7th pick in the draft at no. 3 and used no. 16 on a French guy sitting in the stands. I'm gonna make a drink.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 24, 2016
OMG. I LOVE THIS GUY.
— Tony Massarotti (@TonyMassarotti) June 24, 2016
@michaelFhurley pic.twitter.com/TgUf26173F
— @ndrew Cel@ni (@CelaniSays) June 24, 2016
Are they comparing Yabusele to Draymond Green because he should have been picked in the 2nd round? #Celtics
— Sean Penney (@spenney83) June 24, 2016
Celtics fans right now... pic.twitter.com/1nzwUDBsVF
— Ryan Johnston (@Johnston985) June 24, 2016
When you've lost this guy, you've lost Celtics Nation. https://t.co/AdH6OuBK6Q
— Ryan Johnston (@Johnston985) June 24, 2016
The Yabusele pick essentially cleared fans out of the TD Garden, even though the Celtics had six more picks to make. All in all, a frustrating fireworks-less night for the C's and one that leaves the team with more questions than answers and little in the way of immediate help.
Here's to hoping Danny Ainge proves everyone wrong with the Brown pick. ... Will be interesting when we find that out in six years.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.