NBA Mock Draft: Boston Celtics Nab High Ceiling Project Guard

The 2024 NBA Draft is right around the corner and is full of mixed reviews. While many do not like the crop of prospects, especially if a team is in a position to hunt for a franchise cornerstone at the top, the group is littered with future NBA contributors.

Draft expert Derek Parker recently released an NBA Mock Draft where he ripped through the entire first round, closing with the Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics.

Parker made a surprising pick at No. 30 giving the Eastern Conference Champions USC guard Isaiah Collier. While the Draft expert admits he personally is higher on Collier than the final pick of Day one, there is a recipe that sees him being a faller at the end of the month.

This could be the ideal landing spot for the 19-year-old who still needs some polishing to his game. The Celtics have been in this spot just a year ago, the historic franchise selected Arkansas' Jordan Walsh in the second round and used him almost as a domestic draft and stash player.

Walsh appeared in just nine NBA games as he was parked in the G League with the Maine Celtics helping to lead them to the Finals where they fell just short to the OKC Blue. The Arkansas product made leaps and bounds strides as a player - development is the luxury the Celtics can afford to give these prospects as a team with depth and a championship-caliber core.

Collier found success navigating the pick-and-roll as a scorer for the Trojans converting at a 61 percent clip at the rim.

However, the 6-foot-2 guard with a 6-foot-5 wingspan was also a weapon away from the ball when given catch-and-shoot chances turning in a 37 percent clip in such scenarios.

This season, Collier averaged 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 stocks per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor, 33 percent from beyond the arc and 67 percent from the charity stripe.

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