The Celtics do not have a first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, which increases the opportunities for past draft picks entering this offseason.
The Celtics selected Yam Madar, 21, with the 47th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In 2021, the Celtics took Juhann Begarin, 19, with the 45th overall pick. Both international players competed in the 2021 NBA Summer League with the Celtics and are projected to be on the Summer League roster again in 2022.
Madar played in three of the Summer League games with the Celtics, averaging 4.7 points on 46.7 percent shooting. In comparison, Begarin competed in five of the Summer League games, including three starts. The 6-foot-5, 192-pound shooting guard averaged 6.2 points and had three assists in those three games.
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Since getting drafted, both players have remained overseas, improving their game.
Madar left the Israeli League to play for KK Partizan in Serbia. He has played in a total of 36 games with 13 starts. While playing for KK Partizan, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard averaged 14.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.4 APG in 17 games. Madar could play behind Payton Pritchard or Marcus Smart next season if he performs this summer.
"It was a big growing experience for him both on and off the court, and it really helped him mature a lot," Celtics assistant GM Austin Ainge told The Boston Globe of Madar playing in Serbia. "He was kind of a big deal in Israel growing up and it was brave of him to go outside of that and really push himself. I though it was great for him."
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Begarin, who has been with Paris Basketball since 2018, played in 29 games for the team during the 2021-22 season, collecting 25 starts and averaging 11.1 PPG (43.2 percent FG), 4.2 RPG, and 1.5 APG. Considering the young age of the French prospect, the NBA Summer League and working with Celtics coaches this summer will further help develop Begarin.
"Juhann made big improvements on both sides of the ball. That was a big leap for him playing against a lot of good players every night," Ainge said. "It was great for him to be pushed that way."
As the Summer League commences on July 9, fans will be watching to see how these two young players match up against current NBA players as well as the 2022 NBA draft picks.