Celtics pick Alabama's athletic guard JD Davison in the 2022 NBA draft

JD Davison, a 19-year-old player out of Alabama, has been chosen by the Celtics in the 2022 NAB selection after they waited anxiously until after midnight to announce their selection. The 49th player on Kevin O'Connor's big board for The Ringer, Davison is a fantastic player who just needs to work on his decision-making abilities to perform better.

Although Davison only opened six games, he averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds for the Crimson Tide at this time last season, which helped him earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

However, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound player demonstrated a predisposition for big games, recording two outings with 10 or more assists and 10 or more rebounds.


Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, appreciated and commended Davison for the type of player he is. Stevens called him quite full of energy that makes him perform. He also commented that Davison possesses the ability to enter the paint and make plays, but he still needs to work on a few things. He is, however, a strong rival.

As part of the exercise that landed them Derrick White at the trade deadline, the Celtics surrendered their first-round pick to San Antonio, leaving them with just one choice on Thursday. For the second year running, Boston struggled to make the first choice. Although Davison didn't seem to work out for the Celtics during the pre-draft process, they kept an eye on him all season. He also embodied the player archetype that doesn't require a quick contribution.

Brad Stevens on Davison's abilities
Stevens praised Davison as an excellent team player who will use all of his skills to strengthen the group. Like everyone else, Davison has the capacity to compete for minutes, but he also has the ability to develop, evolve, and concentrate on getting better.

The Celtics will need to exercise restraint this offseason as they attempt to bolster a group that advanced to the NBA Finals.