James Young Flashes Potential During Career Night for Boston Celtics

BOSTON — Boston Celtics rookie James Young had not played an NBA game in a month prior to Monday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets. The former Kentucky star also had not played a meaningful minute for his team all season.

Instead, he waited patiently for a chance to shine in Brad Stevens' crowded bench rotation. 

Opportunity finally came knocking for the 19-year-old Monday night, once the Celtics fell behind by double digits against the Hornets. With guards Marcus Thornton (calf) and Jameer Nelson (ankle) sidelined with injuries and Boston’s offense floundering throughout the first half, Stevens called Young’s number, hoping for a spark.

The 6'7'' swingman did little during a three-minute cameo in the closing stages of the second quarter, but he earned another chance after halftime and did not disappoint. Young scored all 13 of his points during a 14-minute stint in the second half, helping the Celtics cut a 22-point deficit to six points midway through the fourth quarter.

The Hornets held on for a 104-95 win, but Young's scoring outburst proved to be exactly the kind of perimeter scoring punch the Celtics have lacked most nights since trading away star point guard Rajon Rondo. The rookie also showed efficiency with his offense, going 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range on a night the Celtics only managed to shoot 39.6 percent as a team.  

“I just tried to take every shot with confidence," Young said after the game. "After one fell, I just tried to go for another and another. That’s how I’ve been playing all my life. I just tried to stick with it.”

The performance was a sharp reminder of why Young was thought to be a potential lottery pick last June before a car accident in June hurt his draft stock.

Matt Kamalsky of DraftExpress.com called him a "dangerous scoring threat" in a predraft scouting report and noted he had better upside than he had shown in his freshman season at Kentucky.

The Celtics chose Young with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft last June. At the time, the team's brass believed they had landed a steal. 

"He’s a young guy, but we felt like he was a very, very undervalued scoring wing in this draft. Everybody in the [Celtics war room] had him ranked a lot higher than 17th," Stevens said of Young after the team's selection. The head coach also added that he personally ranked Young among his top 11 prospects.

Over the first couple of months of his rookie campaign, Celtics fans were left to wonder about Young’s promise as a prospect. The 19-year-old played just 18 total minutes in five contests during Boston's first 31 games this year, waiting patiently for playing time at the bottom of a deep depth chart. Early-season injuries to his hamstring and shoulder limited Young's ability to make his case for minutes. 

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Rather than force Young to adjust to the pro game while watching from the sidelines, Boston opted to develop Young with the Maine Red Claws, Boston's NBA Development League affiliate, over the first couple of months of the season.

"We decided, after some deliberation, that the idea of potentially not playing versus playing 30-plus minutes [in Maine], as far as his game conditioning, as far as his overall development [was useful]," Stevens said back in November. "[The Red Claws] are trying to play exactly like we're trying to play, so he he's just going to be able to go and fit in and do that." 

Boston's plan has appeared to help the rookie make some strides and build some confidence at the pro level. Young has averaged 22.4 points per game in eight contests for the Red Claws this year while shooting a scorching 47.9 percent from three-point range. 

Following his big night Monday, Young credited the time he spent with the Red Claws as a crucial factor in his ability to contribute right away.  

“I’ve come a long way from where I started," Young said of his on-court improvement this season. "There’s a lot of things I didn’t know about the defensive end in the NBA, and going to Maine, I have learned the little stuff to help me get back up here [to the Celtics]. I think going to the D-League really helped me."

Stevens praised the youngster for his preparedness following the contest. 

"I think it speaks to the impact of being able to go back and forth to Maine and keep his game sharp as he waited his turn and got through some injuries. I thought he did a good job,” Stevens said. 

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"All the hard work he’s been putting in throughout the couple weeks is finally showing," teammate Jared Sullinger added. "I’m so proud and happy for him, and the best is yet to come.”

While Sullinger and other Celtics fans may want to see more playing time for Young right away, the rookie vows to continue to remain patient and focus on his development. 

“I mean it’s a long season, it’s a long year, hopefully a long career for me," Young said. "I’m not trying to prove anything early or fast. I’m just playing my role, and hopefully I’ll get into the starting lineup soon. I’m taking it slow.”

Stevens wasn't ready to make any promises after the game either, despite the Celtics' desperate need for a major shake-up to the lineup after dropping seven of their last eight games following the trade of Rondo. Over that stretch Boston has ranked a paltry 26th in offensive efficiency, according to NBA.com.

"I don’t know," Stevens said when asked about Young earning additional minutes with his performance. "I’ve got to figure out how to coach this team better. I’m not doing a very good job. It’s not good basketball. We’ve got to do a better job playing good basketball. I’ll figure out the rotations later, once we start playing good basketball."

The return of a healthy Thornton to the lineup on Wednesday may push Young to the bench for the interim. The swingman still has plenty of holes in his game, especially on the defensive end.

However, as the focus in Boston this season turns more to the future, Stevens may be best-served letting Young develop on an NBA court. On a roster full of question marks and potential trade chips, Young is a player who may well help this team win more games right away.