Boston Celtics rookie explains challenges from 1st NBA training camp
Hugo Gonzalez said some in the Celtics organization try to speak Spanish with him, but for the most part, he’s soaking in his new NBA life in English. The coaching staff said they’re fine explaining things to him twice so the message gets across, which also means "I’ve got to be more attentive," he explained.
That’s NBA life for Gonzalez, the 19-year-old the Celtics picked 28th overall in the 2025 draft. Pro life isn’t necessarily new for Gonzalez, who played for Real Madrid last season. So he’s already used to being around adults. Still, there are challenging adjustments and surprises as he also navigates life in a whole different country.
“We’re going really, really deep now in these practices and also in the training camp that we’ve got,” Gonzalez said. “We’re going deep in the details. I think that apart from the basics, they are the most important thing. We’re going into detail on every single situation so that when we are in the game and we’ve got that situation, we can handle it in the best way possible so we can succeed on defense.”
The plan is still unclear for Gonzalez once games actually start later this month. The Celtics have sent their rookies to the G League for portions of the season to get them real playing time. That was the case for Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman. So it’ll depend on how the rotation shakes out for the Celtics and what their plans are for Gonzalez.
Gonzalez already got a taste of American ball at Summer League, though the situations are different. He was also fresh off his Real Madrid season, where he was drafted the same night — or the early hours of the morning — the team won their championship. Comparatively, he’s eased into the transition more over the past few months.
But the real work began this week with training camp and upcoming preseason games. It’ll become clearer what the organization’s plan is for Gonzalez going forward. For now, he’s just looking to improve his English and learn how the Celtics as a team operates.
“In Europe, it’s different and here every single player has impressed me,” Gonzalez said. “I wouldn’t say impressed me because I know how good they are, but they have been practicing — everybody here — super hard. And practicing since the first minute at 100%. So I would say everybody.”
'There's no reason': Klay Thompson makes bold proclamation about Mavericks' defense
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has said "defense wins championships" so much since he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis that Mavs fans are sick of it. Especially when his belief in what NBA defense looks like in 2025 seems a little outdated.
However, Klay Thompson upholds Harrison's belief that the Mavericks could have an incredible defense this season.
“There’s no reason we can’t be the highest rated defensive team in the NBA,” Thompson said to Christian Clark of
Dallas certainly has a lot of two-way players, especially on the wing: Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, and Max Christie. And when you throw in Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford, the interior defense should be strong as well.
However, there is reason to be concerned about the starting backcourt and their defensive abilities. Klay Thompson was once an incredible defender, but after an ACL tear in 2019 and an Achilles tear in 2020, he doesn't have the same quickness that he once possessed. He's still smart and good with his hands, but he's probably not best suited to take on guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trae Young, Ja Morant, and Devin Booker anymore.
The biggest question about the Mavericks' defense, especially with the starting lineup, is whether the roster's bigger wings can defend other teams' guards. D'Angelo Russell definitely isn't a great defender, and he's slated to start at point guard until Kyrie Irving returns, so that'll be one of the bigger things they need to answer.
For the last five years, the Mavericks had one of the best offensive creators in NBA history in Luka Doncic, so they were a heavy pick-and-roll team to let him make the best decision on every possession. With him gone, the Mavericks have had to revamp the offense, and Thompson talked about that, as well.
"We have to play a different style. We have to play to our strengths. That is cutting off the ball. Playing through our big men," Thompson said. "We understand it can be a different player’s night every night out there. We don’t know who is going to lead the team in scoring. It’s obviously Kyrie and A.D. But until those guys are in the lineup on a consistent basis, it’s going to be someone else’s turn every night.”
A lot of the team's success is going to depend on how quickly Cooper Flagg gets up to speed, assuming he becomes the type of player everyone expects. The team is fully confident in him, and his defensive impact will be felt immediately, but he's probably going to need to average at least 15/5/5 early to keep the team afloat.
