Detroit — Hugo Gonzalez made history at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday afternoon, becoming just the third Boston Celtics player to start a game before turning 20, as noted by the X account @Celtics_Stats. Drafted in the first round this year, Gonzalez joins the ranks of Al Jefferson and Jayson Tatum, marking a significant milestone for the franchise.
Gonzalez wasted no time in making an impact as a starter. In a swift defensive move, he blocked the highly athletic Ausar Thompson on the Detroit Pistons’ opening possession. Shortly after, when Jalen Duren attempted a pass to Duncan Robinson, the Madrid-born rookie maneuvered past the screen and intercepted the ball. Within the first 90 seconds of his starting debut, Gonzalez had already recorded a block and a steal.
Contributing to four of the Celtics’ initial nine forced turnovers, Gonzalez also drew an offensive foul from Duren. His defensive tenacity was evident as he pressured Cade Cunningham across the full court and proved resilient against screens, quickly recovering to prevent any advantageous plays by Detroit.
“He brought immense energy to our defense, challenging top guards and giving us a much-needed spark,” Payton Pritchard shared with Forbes following Gonzalez’s first start. “He’s been incredible.”
Together with Pritchard, the rookie’s relentless drive and attitude have quickly caught the eye of the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.
“I really appreciate Hugo’s approach,” Jaylen Brown told Forbes after the game. “He steps onto the court ready and aware of his role. He can definitely play. We’re going to rely on that more and more as he continues to improve and grow, which is exactly what we need.”
“I like Hugo. I like Hugo’s mentality,” Jaylen Brown voiced to Forbes post-game. “I like how he comes out; he’s ready to go. He knows his role. And he can play. So, we’re gonna need more of that. He’s gonna continue to learn as he gets better, as he grows, but that’s what we need.”
Hugo Gonzalez is changing the equation
NBA offenses are predicated on creating a numbers advantage. The easiest way to do so is with a pick-and-roll. That can lead to playing five-on-four, four-on-three. It can create scenarios where the defense has to pick its poison. For instance, making the low man choose between tagging the big as he rolls to the basket or closing out to a shooter in the corner. It’s the most sure-fire path to consistently generating quality shots.
What Gonzalez showcased with Real Madrid, with the Sin City Celtics at Summer League, and now at the start of his NBA career is that he is going to fight with everything he has to prevent that advantage every single time.
He defends with a combination of aggression, strength, and long strides that allow him to cover ground quickly. It’s a joy to watch a ball hawk who is assertive on defense.
From full-court pressing Jalen Brunson in Friday’s loss to the New York Knicks to drawing Cade Cunningham as his opening assignment against the Pistons, Gonzalez is quickly earning Joe Mazzulla’s trust against the opposition’s best perimeter player.
“At the end of the day, just continuing to build that defensive mindset,” Mazzulla told Forbes after the Celtics’ 119-113 loss at Little Caesars Arena. “Give us what we need defensively. So, he did a great job of that tonight.
“He’s able to get through screens, and he can kind of give D. White, and Payton, and Jaylen a little break on the on-ball stuff there, and have him do it. So, it was good that he was able to do that. He’s going to continue to develop that mentality.”
As he does, the 19-year-old has rapidly ascended from not playing on opening night to starting two tilts later. He has done so while adapting to a dramatically different style of play compared to the ACB, one that operates at a much faster pace. One wouldn’t know the significant extent of that adjustment based on how well he’s acclimating.
To see the impact Gonzalez is already having speaks to a quick learner, with a burning desire to maximize his talents, and a motor that runs non-stop. There’s no telling how much his game will grow this season. However, that plot line has identified itself as one of the most intriguing for Boston this year.
And as Jayson Tatum looked on and saw that combination from the Celtics’ bench, what he witnessed was a new teammate who, after all the departures this offseason, can help the franchise reach the NBA summit again when the star forward returns to the lineup.
