What you should know about Celtics second-round pick Jordan Walsh
BOSTON -- Brad Stevens made a slew of trades on draft night 2023, but he only drafted one player to the Celtics roster: Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh.
College hoops fans should be familiar with Walsh, after the Razorbacks made a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. It was hard to miss him on the court given the energy he plays with whenever he's on the floor.
Now he's heading to the NBA where he could become an important role player off the Boston bench. Walsh even had a Celtics hat ready to go after Boston drafted him in the second round at 38th overall:
For those who aren't familiar with Walsh, here's what you need to know about one of the newest members of the Boston Celtics.
Measurements
Walsh, 19, stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 204 lbs. He's also got a massive 7-foot-3 wingspan which helps him be a menace on the defensive side.
The Stats
After he was a five-star recruit in high school and a McDonald's All-American in 2022, Walsh spent only one season at Arkansas. It was an up-and-down one for the freshman as he struggled to carve out a role on a pretty loaded Razorbacks team.
Walsh began his collegiate career as a starter but ultimately moved to the bench in the middle of the campaign. While his numbers may not show it, Walsh became a key reserve for Arkansas.
Over 36 games, Walsh averaged 7.1 points per game off 43 percent shooting, attempting just six shots per game. The majority of his damage came in transition and around the basket, averaging just a pair of threes per contest. There was a reason for that; Walsh shot just 27.8 percent on his attempts from downtown.
Walsh also averaged 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for Arkansas. His best offensive game was in mid-December against Bradley, when he scored 18 points off 7-for-7 shooting (which included Walsh hitting his lone 3-point attempt) over 28 minutes. He could have done more damage, but he fouled out after 28 minutes.
He Can Defend
While Walsh is extremely raw on the offensive end, he's an absolute sparkplug on the defensive end of the floor. He allowed just 34 percent shooting as a primary defender last season, and had eight games with at least two steals and four games with three or more swipes.
But sometimes, Walsh's high motor gets the best of him. Of his 36 games last season, he fouled out of eight of them.
Walsh Has Done A Lot To Raise Awareness For Alopecia
Walsh has dealt with alopecia throughout his life, a condition where one's immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. He's used his platform as a college athlete to raise awareness for the condition and help those who share the affliction.
Last year, Walsh joined forces with Arkansas women's basketball player Rylee Langerman (who also has alopecia) to celebrate the release of Tracy Peterson's book "Beanies, Ball Caps and Being Bald: Different Isn't Bad, Different Is Just Different" which details the story of an Arkansas boy dealing with alopecia.
Walsh has helped children learn to cope with the stress that comes with the condition, help that he once received from former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva, who also has alopecia. Walsh has said that he sees Villanueva as a mentor.
Expect Walsh to join forces with Massachusetts representative Ayanna Pressley, who also has the condition.
