Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics took a familiar approach with their second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With the 40th overall pick, the Celtics selected forward Dillon Mitchell out of St. John’s. Mitchell is a 6-foot-8, defensive-minded wing who will have to overhaul his shot to have a consistent role in Boston’s rotation. Those characteristics align with similar recent Celtics draft selections.
Boston also went defense-first with its Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez picks. Walsh is still a work in progress, but he has come a long way offensively. Gonzalez showed flashes of offensive potential as a rookie and made a real defensive impact for the C’s at only 19 years old.
When Jaylen Brown — an elite athlete like Mitchell — was selected third overall in 2016, his shooting ability was a legitimate concern. The Celtics have excelled at developing players’ jump shots, and they’ll hope to have the same success with Mitchell.
What did draft experts think of the Celtics’ pick? Here’s a roundup of second-round grades:
Grade: A
“Great bet at this point by Boston: Mitchell is a 6’7″ high-level athlete, but he struggles with his shot. If Boston can develop his shooting touch (it’s an issue) they could have a second-round steal.”
Grade: A
“Mitchell showed up at Texas as a McDonald’s All-American, and back then it looked like a jump shot was the only thing standing between him and stardom. Four years and three schools later, the jumper is still nonexistent. Maybe the Celtics can be the team to finally fix it. And yet, he’s a top-40 pick in a deep draft class because he’s a left-handed power player who finishes everything around the rim, wrecks games on defense, and blossomed into a high-feel passer as a senior at St. John’s.
“The non-shooting is a problem, but Boston is a perfect situation to mitigate it since he can play in lineups where he’s surrounded by shooting. Even without the shot, his athleticism on offense and defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a long career.”
Grade: B
“Mitchell can’t shoot at all but does enough other things on the court that he might be able to stick in a rotation and help anyway, in a Jarred Vanderbilt-type of way. I remain puzzled by Henri Veesaar’s slide, but enough teams are passing on him that you have to wonder what they know that we don’t.”
Grade: C+
“Dillon Mitchell is an extremely fluid and explosive athlete on the wing. He’s a blur in transition, able to elevate and finish lobs with ease. He can guard all over the floor; quick enough to mirror ball-handlers on the perimeter, as well as a rangy help-side rim protector. He continues to expand his vision and aptitude as a passer. Mitchell is a total non-shooter and non-threat outside the paint, but Boston can surround him with a barrage of 3-point bombers.”
Grade: B
“The Celtics prioritize shooting as much as anyone in the NBA and they took a glaring non-shooter. Why? Because he’s a versatile defender, frontcourt passer, high-energy guy, who can help them win the possession game. Mitchell is an extreme mid-air athlete who showed off defensive versatility and offensive playmaking this year with St. John’s. He’s not a shooter, but his unique overlap of tools could be what lands him on the roster.”