Boston Celtics first-rounder Baylor Scheierman got his first taste of NBA action during Saturday night’s Summer League matchup with the Miami Heat in Las Vegas.
Scheierman started alongside members of last season’s championship-winning squad, including Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, JD Davison and Jaden Springer. The 23-year-old Creighton product played 24 minutes, scoring 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting and connected on 3-of-7 attempts from 3-point range.
“It felt really good to get out there and play somebody different,” Scheierman told reporters after Boston’s 119-114 Summer League loss to the Miami Heat, per CLNS Media. “The first — I don’t even know — five minutes of the game, it was like, hard to catch my breath. It’s hard to kind of emulate that type of game speed and practice but once I kind of settled in, it was good from there. But it was a lot of fun to play someone new.”
Scheierman played two seasons at Creighton, entering June’s draft as one of the most elite outside shooting prospects, which caught Boston’s eye when it was time for the Celtics to use their No. 30 overall selection.
Scheierman got involved beyond seeking 3-point opportunities on the offensive side of the floor, finishing with five rebounds and six assists. He revealed that some of the NBA’s all-time great 3-point specialists weren’t Scheierman’s only influences growing up.
“It kind of started when I was really young, watching Pistol Pete (Maravich) growing up,” Scheierman said. “He was throwing those flashy passes and I tried to emulate that as I was super young, and then I continued to grow and develop, it kind of stayed a part of my game. Going in with whoever I’m playing with, I’m looking to get my teammates involved, get them open shots, and make them feel good.”
Boston signed Scheierman to a four-year deal, giving the rookie plenty of breathing room to remain patient and develop into the player the Celtics envision. But for now, Scheierman can spend the rest of Summer League enjoying the long-awaited experience.
“It’s a lot of fun to be here. Obviously, I watched it growing up,” Scheierman said. “… Now to be here and seeing all the familiar faces that I played against in college, it’s a lot of fun to be out there competing against those guys in a different jersey.”
