Payton Pritchard Is Impressing His Former Coaches

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisgrenham/2021/01/29/boston-celtics-rookie-payton-pritchard-is-impressing-his-former-coaches/?sh=7bd7465f481d



Boston Celtics Rookie Payton Pritchard Is Impressing His Former Coaches




Chris Grenham, Contributor
SportsMoney




BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 17: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribble the ball during a game ... [+] GETTY IMAGES



Payton Pritchard has always been a winner. He won four consecutive state championships at West Linn High School. He’s the all-time winningest men’s basketball player in Oregon Ducks history. Success isn’t a foreign topic for the rookie point guard, but even still, he has exceeded expectations over the first month of his NBA career.

It’s safe to say that most Celtics fans didn’t expect this when Pritchard arrived in Boston. When I spoke with West Linn head coach Eric Viuhkola shortly after the NBA Draft in November, he was very confident in Pritchard’s ability to succeed at the pro level. But after one month of averaging 7.7 points, 2.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 steals on 48.8% shooting in 20.9 minutes per game, even he had to admit he was impressed.

“I’ve been amazed,” Viuhkola said. “I’m a huge believer in the young man. I think he’s going to be a very, very good NBA player, and I think I told you that in November. But I am shocked by how well he’s played early on.”

Pritchard started 35 games as a freshman at Oregon en route to a Final Four appearance, so he’s no stranger to fast starts. Even still, Ducks head coach Dana Altman has been “pleasantly surprised” with the 23-year-old’s first month in the NBA, although he is not surprised that Pritchard has made an impact.

“He had a great four years for us and he’s a very mature young man. Given the opportunity, I felt like he would get off to a good start, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how fast it has been,” Altman said. “The amount of confidence Brad (Stevens) and the organization have shown in him, to put him in game-winning situations, to be on the floor in the last five minutes of a ball-game – those things are usually reserved for vets. I am pleasantly surprised that he’s gotten off to such a fast start. At the same time, in his four years here, he gave our program everything he had. So I’m not surprised that he’s made some kind of an impact.”

Pritchard wasn’t highly-ranked on most pre-draft boards, and there were plenty of concerns about his ability to defend at the pro level thanks to his lack of length and athleticism. When Stevens spoke to Altman during the pre-draft process, the Ducks head coach spoke highly of his competitive edge on that end of the floor.

“I talked to Brad about that,” Altman said. “He asked me, you know, ‘what are your concerns?’ And I said, ‘well, it’d be the concern I have with any guard in the league, and it’s guarding those other guards.’ You know, his length is good but it’s not great. But I said, ‘I will tell you, Brad, he is a willing defender. He’ll compete. He’s not just going to say, ‘well, I’m having a tough time guarding this guy so I’m going to give in to it.’ He’s going to fight and really try to guard his position.’”

Altman’s assessment was on the money, and Pritchard’s competitive, in-your-face style has been a key factor in his defensive effectiveness so far this season. He’s been a consistent pest of an on-ball defender for opponents throughout his first month. Viuhkola’s faith in Pritchard’s defensive ability always has been strong as well, but he knows his former point guard is a sponge, which has helped him learn from his new teammates in Boston.

“I think his on-ball defense has been amazing. And I’ve always told people, he’s a really good on-ball defender. But I think it has been an adjustment just because the NBA is so different than college and especially high school with how you rotate and where you are on the court,” Viuhkola said. “I can tell that’s been an adjustment for him, but he just lives and breathes it. It really makes me pleased when during breaks in the game, these big-time players are talking to him, coaching him, and he’s looking over at them and getting wisdom from them. I just think that’s huge.”

Both Viuhkola and Altman have witnessed Pritchard’s incredible work ethic over the last eight years, so his early drive to make an impact didn’t shock either of his former coaches. It even resulted in some early morning road trips for Altman while recruiting Pritchard.

“There’s never been a period that he has taken off,” Altman said. “He was in the gym, and it’s a consistent thing. It’s day in and day out. It’s a grind for him and it’s a passion. Eric talked about it coming out of West Linn, and I saw it. I remember times that I went to recruit, I’d have to drive to Portland, which is about a two-hour drive, to get there for a 6:30 a.m. workout because he was going to work. And it wasn’t one day a week working out at 6:30 or 7:00. It was, ‘I have to get there and get my extra work in because the gym is going to be used after school and I have to get it in before.’”

To no one’s surprise, that carried over t0 Oregon.

“Here, we’ve got the practice gyms where they can get in any time they want,” Altman added. “I check the charts to see what guys are coming in and out, and he was in their way more than anybody else.”

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@NBA
Payton Pritchard puts it back with 0.2 seconds left to win it for the Celtics.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1347019936691056640

Pritchard has done it all for the Celtics, giving them a major lift at times during a covid-stricken season. His game-winning tip-in against the Miami Heat sticks out, of course, but his sense to crash the offensive glass, knowing it was essentially the last possession of regulation, spoke more to his basketball IQ than anything else. There was a fun aspect to the highlight moment for Viuhkola, who said Pritchard was always itching to crash the boards at West Linn.

“He had the game-winner on the tip-back, which was great,” Viuhkola said. “That was funny because, in high school, we really work on our rebounding, both offensive and defensive. Well, since he was the point guard, his job a lot of the time was to get back — he was the safety valve and we’d have four guys crashing. So I said, ‘well, you always were kind of looking at me like, ‘why can’t I go in there and get an offensive rebound.’ Well, now he can do it.”

That ability to operate away from the ball doesn’t surprise Viuhkola, even though this is Pritchard’s first role where he isn’t always on the ball. He raved about the point guard’s basketball IQ and ability to adjust in his new role, while Altman did much of the same. During his four years at Oregon, however, Pritchard’s role did change year-to-year, something that has undoubtedly helped him round out his game.

“His basketball savvy has always been good,” Altman said. “Just experience – you play 30-something games a year and it grows. He was in a lot of different situations (at Oregon). For example, his freshman year, he was playing with Chris Boucher, Jordan Bell, Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey and he was mainly a distributor. So, he learned that part of the game. You know, ‘hey, I have to be a facilitator. I have to get open shots, but I have to get the ball to guys.’ His sophomore year we had a lot of turnover because all of those guys left early. So, it just changed each year for him. I do think he grew each year because of the scenarios he faced, but he came here after winning four state championships in high school. He’s always won. He’s always been part of a winner since he was in high school.”

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been all smooth for Pritchard, as he suffered a right MCL sprain on January 22. The Celtics announced that he was expected to return to on-court activities in two weeks (14 days from the announcement is February 6). There is a good chance we see the rookie return before then, however.

Pritchard was seen going through pre-game shooting drills in San Antonio on Wednesday, which certainly would lead one to believe he may be ahead of schedule. I have been told by two sources with knowledge of the situation that the initial target date for his return was set for Wednesday, February 3, when the Celtics take on the Sacramento Kings. Time will tell if that remains the case, but whenever he is ready, Boston will welcome him back to the lineup with open arms.

Pritchard’s early-season success has been a revelation for the Celtics, and his former coaches know he’ll work as hard as ever as he continues to improve.

“He did it in high school, did a great job here, and I have no doubt that will continue,” Altman added. “That’s just part of his DNA. That’s who he is.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  Pritchard got injured exactly 7 days ago, 1/22, last Friday (seems like forever, doesn't it?  What does that say about Teague?).  They initially had him out for 2 weeks, minimum, with a Grade 1 knee sprain.  Now they've penciled him for perhaps a February 3rd return.  That would be 12 days from from date of injury. I've been quite vocal about my desire to end the "youth movement" and getting some grizzled veterans. Now I'm holding my breath, hoping the bench can keep it together until a late first round rookie can make it back and sit our 13 year veteran down.


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The Celtics have quality depth at PG. It is a long season so an injury here or an injury there and there are options for different guys to step up.

PP looks like a young and gifted athlete who is currently our 3rd string PG behind Walker and Marcus Smart. Eventually, I believe that PP will be our starting PG. He has a little Steve Nash in him. Jeff Teague is our 4th string PG and is likely to see a reduction in his MPG as Kemba's minutes ramp and PP accelerates his outstanding play.

Most Celtics fan are very happy with his selection.