Wednesday marked the primary day for the 2024 Boston Celtics coaching camp. It didn’t, nevertheless, mark the primary day of on-court work for Lonnie Walker IV, who Boston signed to an Exhibit 10 contract (coaching camp deal) final month.
Since signing the dotted line, Walker has spent loads of time sharpening his expertise on the Auerbach Heart in hopes of constructing the Celtics’ last roster. He’s posted a number of pictures and clips to social media of himself on the apply facility.
“Clearly, my free company hasn’t gone as deliberate and whatnot,” Walker instructed reporters Wednesday. “So, Brad Stevens, he’s given me a chance with the E10 to type of show myself and present my capabilities offensively, defensively, off the court docket, [and] being an important teammate. So, I’m simply actually excited and grateful to be right here, and I’m simply going to work to the most effective of my capabilities.”
He added that he’s open to spending a while with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G-League affiliate, which Stevens had talked about to him as a chance.
The 25-year-old’s first official apply with the staff made an impression on him instantly.
“It was a transparent viewpoint as to why you guys are the 2024 world champions,” Walker defined. “The competitiveness, the hassle, the depth. That is considered one of my favourite coaching camps [that] I’ve been to. So, I’m actually pleased to be right here and simply be round such nice expertise.”
Whereas it’s solely simply begun, Lonnie Walker IV calls the Celtics’ coaching camp “considered one of my favourite coaching camps I’ve been to.” pic.twitter.com/hkaThvaSiw
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) September 25, 2024
Walker joins the Cs after showing in 58 video games with the Brooklyn Nets final season, the place he performed a median of 17.4 minutes per outing. He averaged 9.7 factors, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists whereas taking pictures 42.3% from the sector and 38.4% from lengthy vary.
As he works to earn a everlasting spot with the reigning champs, the swingman has hopes of displaying his prowess on the defensive aspect of the ball. The best way Boston’s staff operates, he’s going to have to take action to be able to discover a spot within the rotation. In case you go down the checklist of rotation gamers from final season’s title run, every considered one of them is a minimum of common on the defensive finish.
Joe Mazzulla on Lonnie Walker:
“He’s affected person. He understands the place he’s in… He’s requested numerous questions as a result of he needs to know it. He’s prepared to do no matter he has to do to be the most effective at what we want.”
Walker’s professionalism actually stood out to me right now. pic.twitter.com/VzhXP83KwB
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) September 25, 2024
For now, he’s loved attending to know head coach Joe Mazzulla, who he calls “one of the crucial fascinating guys” he’s ever met.
“You don’t know the place your dialog may take you. He type of jogs my memory of my head coach again in highschool,” Walker revealed. “Like I stated yesterday, considered one of our first conversations— I like boxing, so I used to be like, ‘did you see the Canelo combat?’ He was like, ‘I don’t watch pillow fights.’ I used to be like, ‘Okay. Alright. There we’re. That makes extra full sense.’”
Walker and the remainder of the Cs will probably be at coaching camp all week as they put together for his or her October 3 preseason-opener in opposition to the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi.
