With his first NBA summer in the books, Boston Celtics rookie Jordan Walsh is ready to get to work.
Walsh, the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is already working out with his new C's teammates with training camp still more than a week away. After a solid showing at Summer League, the 19-year-old wing has been matching up against Celtics guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, learning from stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and taking advice from veteran big man Al Horford.
During a new episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast, Walsh opened up about his first few months with the organization and how his teammates have helped him get acclimated in Boston.
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🔊 Celtics Talk: Early arrivals highlight Celtics' championship quest, plus a chat with Jordan Walsh | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"I've been talking to Al (Horford) a lot," Walsh said. "He's been telling me about being a professional and showing up every day to work hard. And knowing that this first year is gonna be bumpy being a rookie, like, it's always a transition. But he says as long as I work hard, we have a good team, we have a good group of guys who will take care of me in a way and lead me in a way that's gonna help my career in the future."
In addition to Horford, Walsh is thankful to have Tatum and Brown leading by example with their work ethic.
"For them to set that foundation of hard work this early when obviously they don't have to be here, where they choose to be here to set that foundation because they want to win a championship," Walsh said. "To have them there to set that example for guys like me, who it's their first year in the league, it means a lot for sure. And it builds the culture for the Celtics community to where we're all focused on winning and working hard."
Boston Celtics
While others from his rookie class begin their NBA careers with rebuilding clubs, Walsh joins a Celtics team that is once again among the favorites to win it all. How does it feel to join an organization with such lofty expectations?
"It's the best feeling. To be somewhere where they have a chance, a really good chance of winning a championship in my rookie season," Walsh said. "That means a lot not just for me but for the fans, for the community, for the people. It means the world because who doesn't want the next banner? We're excited for it. We're working hard for it. We're building and taking the steps we need to be taking to get to that level."
You can listen to the full conversation with Walsh in the new episode.
Also in the episode:
- Forsberg reacts to the state of Celtics ahead of the official start to camp in a little over a week, including the recent reports that Malcolm Brogdon is 'upset' with the team, and Boston signing Lamar Stevens.
- Forsberg breaks down the odds for the Celtics to win an NBA title and why fans should be excited about where things may be headed this season.