The Celtics use their own first round pick on Real Madrid’s winger
After trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, dealing with rumors flying around Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, as well as being rumored to try and jump into the lottery, the Celtics decided to stay with the 28th overall pick and select forward Hugo Gonzalez from Real Madrid.
Gonzalez played for Real Madrid for the last three seasons and averaged 5.2 PPG and 2.5 REB in 14.2 Minutes. His player comparisons from J. Kyle Mann on The Ringer’s 2025 NBA Draft Guide say his game is similar to Nikola Djurisic, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Vasilije Micic. Mann wrote, “Gonzalez has a terrific motor, and his effort on defense rarely wanes. His live dribble is smooth, as if the ball and his hand are one. But while his gait and movement are also fluid, there are some concerns about his pace.”
The Boston Celtics have selected Hugo Gonzalez with the No. 28 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Celtics are keeping this pick, and bringing Gonzalez over this season, a source told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/0NfuC53eS4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 26, 2025
There is a chance Gonzalez doesn’t get a lot of playing time in the Celtics rotation but with Jayson Tatum being out for most of if not all of the season, there’s a small chance he could get some run early on or late in the season if he impresses in the Summer League, Preseason, or in the G League.
A good example of this was last year’s first-round pick, Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman spent a lot of time early on with the Maine Celtics before finding more playing time in Boston towards the latter half of the regular season.
Brad Stevens was raving about the 19 year old Gonzalez saying, ““He’s a young guy, but a little bit of an old soul. He’s played on a team with adults for a long time.” Stevens and the Celtics staff have been following Hugo’s journey in Spain for a long time stating that he is a “big fan of how he plays. He’s tough, he’s hard-playing, he cuts, he goes after the ball, he competes. He’s got all the intangibles of a winning basketball player.”
Brad Stevens on why the Celtics selected Hugo Gonzalez:
“We’ve been watching Huge for a long time… big fan of how he plays. He’s tough, he’s hard-playing, he cuts, he goes after the ball, he competes. He’s got all the intangibles of a winning basketball player.”
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) June 26, 2025
Brad Stevens also talked a little bit about the Celtics offseason approach, saying “There’s clearly a need to prioritize regaining our flexibility, maximizing from an asset standpoint what we can…We knew this was coming. This isn’t a huge surprise. We have to make sure we prioritize that flexibility.”
Brad Stevens on Celtics early offseason approach:
“There’s clearly a need to prioritize regaining our flexibility, maximizing from an asset standpoint what we can.”
“We knew this was coming. This isn’t a huge surprise. We have to make sure we prioritize that flexibility.”
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) June 26, 2025
No. 28 picks over the past decade have become impact players.
2024: Ryan Dunn (Phoenix Suns)
2023: Brice Sensabaugh (Utah Jazz)
2022: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Golden State Warriors)
2021: Jaden Springer (Philadelphia 76ers)
2020: Jaden McDaniels (Los Angeles Lakers)
2019: Jordan Poole (Golden State Warriors)
2018: Jacob Evans (Golden State Warriors)
2017: Tony Bradley (Los Angeles Lakers)
2016: Skal Labissière (Sacramento Kings)
2015: R. J. Hunter (Boston Celtics)
On Thursday, the Celtics will make their second draft selection, currently slated to be #32 overall. Boston received the pick because of a trade they made in 2023 that sent the 25th overall pick (Marcus Sasser) to the Pistons in exchange for the 31st pick, the most favorable of the Pistons, Warriors, and Wizards 2025 second round picks and the most favorable of the Timberwolves, Pelicans, Knicks, and Trail Blazers 2026 second round picks. The second round of the draft will be held on Thursday, June 26th at 8pm on ESPN.