Baylor Scheierman 1-on-1: Tinkering With His Shot, Awareness, and a Great Compliment

The Boston Celtics forward spoke one-on-one with Celtics On SI about the potential for him to start, and the work he's put in to get his shot to fall more consistently and increase his in-game awareness.

Mar 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) shoots the ball during warmups prior to a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CHARLESTON, SC — People have been saying nice things about Baylor Scheierman a lot lately, but one compliment stands out above the others. 

“The other day, Baylor, I think I got like four offensive rebounds in one possession, and I just said, ‘I like him,’” Mike Conley said last week. “Like that's all I need to know. I like him. I like him a lot. And obviously, he did a bunch of other things other than that. But his willingness to crash and keep possessions alive and make the right reads was impressive. Stuff like that sticks out to me.”

In a one-on-one interview at The Citadel with Celtics On SI, Scheierman acknowledged that those words meant a little more. 

“It means a lot,” he said. “He's been in the NBA for 20 years, accomplished some great things, and so to have kind of respect from him already, so early on, it means a lot. And I'm just grateful for him and his mentorship, and continuing to learn from him.”

Conley isn’t the only member of the Boston Celtics noticing what Scheierman is bringing to the table this season. Payton Pritchard has seen Scheierman’s growth up close, and recognizes the improvements.

“He's been really good,” Pritchard said. “Like just really good in the areas, like the margins. His game’s grown. Obviously, he's always been a good shooter, good floater, stuff like that. But he will be really important for this team this year.”

Scheierman made great strides in his sophomore season, appearing in 77 games and starting 20. But more than a year-to-year improvement over his rookie season, his second year represented growth as a player as the season wore on. He averaged just over 13 minutes per game through January, but that jumped to 25 a game beginning in February. 

Part of that can be attributed to a more consistent jump shot. His three-point shooting percentage looked like an EKG for most of the season, but that leveled off thanks to a little tinkering to get the shot where it needed to be. 

“We talked about just moving my release point just a little bit lower,” Scheierman told Celtics On SI. “Moving it like six inches lower, I think that definitely helped a lot with the consistency of my jump shot too. And then me and Sam Cassell always works on just, like, sticking the shot … [I got] a lot of open shots, and sometimes those can be the hardest shots to shoot, and it's just really like the consistency of sticking my shot every single time and finishing forward.”

Scheierman ended the season as one of Boston’s best shooters, but he understands that this Celtics team has preached depth and versatility. The offensive rebounding is great, and spotting up and hitting shots will keep a player employed, but Scheierman is working towards something bigger. 

“Everyone has different roles on the floor, and last year for me, it was all the hustle plays and things,” he said. “That's things that I'm still going to be able to do this year. I think it's more now the trust with Joe, the trust with my teammates, and and they understand my abilities to not only just shoot but be able to see and read the game too. And I think that comes with understanding the game.” 

Scheierman understands he needs to be able to attack defenders closing out on him and make reads, either to find a teammate or finish better at the rim. He has no illusions of being one of the team’s top options, but he knows he has to play with the confidence of one. And when you’re playing for Joe Mazzulla, the ability to process the game is paramount. 

Making the “right read” isn’t just about seeing where defenders are, it’s about understanding what plays have been run, what the defense has seen, and what they might be anticipating at that moment. Just because one decision worked in one instance, it doesn’t mean it will work if that situation presents itself again. 

“It's having that understanding and an awareness of how the game is going and what the game needs in that particular point,” Scheierman said. “I think Joe talks about that all the time, and I think that just comes with repetition, but then also just like the basketball understanding of what's going on and what we need, what we need for this possession. I think I have a good balance of that.”

Putting it all together could easily result in a starting role, which would be a major win for the Celtics, who drafted him 30th in 2024. Production that deep in the draft is never a given, so to have a player raise his game and possibly become a full-time starter on a playoff team would be a major feather in Brad Stevens’ cap.  

“Baylor's a guy that is extremely professional with his work and his development,” Mazzulla said. “Baylor works on his craft. Yes, he's great at the hustle stuff and the offensive rebounds. But he takes the other stuff just as serious. I think he's gotten better at it more this summer."

Sheierman doesn’t have a serious persona. Despite toning it down for the media, he’s one of the team’s bigger personalities. He loves to have fun and talk trash while playing the game, but he can only do that if he’s focused when it’s time to put the work in behind the scenes. The improvements he’s already made speak for themselves, and his mentality is the driving force behind what could be a true breakout season.

“It's really about attacking every single day, and with whatever opportunity you get, kind of making the most of it,” Scheierman said. “You start the year not really knowing what's going to happen, and you get a little opportunity here, you try to make the most of it, and with that, more opportunity comes. And so, whatever opportunity I'm given, I have the most confidence in myself that I'll be able to impact the game in whatever way.”