ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said the Celtics “get one of the biggest steals in the draft”
Thirty players heard their name in the 2025 NBA Draft. ESPN analyst Jonathan Givony’s draft shared his thoughts on the Celtics’ first-round pick.
In the 28th pick, Boston chose the Spanish Wing Hugo Gonzalez. Gonzalez won the Spanish League with Barcelona a few hours before being selected by the Celtics. Jonathan Givony said he likes this choice from the Boston Celtics. He said the team “gained one of the biggest steals in the draft.” Hugo Gonzalez should have made a smooth transition to his time with the Celtics.
Hugo Gonzalez
“In my opinion, the Boston Celtics got one of the biggest steals in the draft here,” said Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who chose Hugo Gonzalez in No. 28.
Givony described Gonzalez as having a strong court vision and was a great athlete with a high athlete, he said he…
– Marc D’Amico (@marc_damico) June 26, 2025
On Wednesday night, the Celtics won a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Boston had to wait patiently for the 28th pick to make the choice. Senior NBA writer Taylor Snow reported that Brad Stevens and the Celtics front desk brought their guys at Hugo Gonzalez. The 19-year-old has been on Steven’s radar for many years. He likes the role Hugo Gonzalez plays on the court and the nature of his competitive nature. Stevens said Gonzalez “has all the intangible assets of a winning basketball player.”
Additionally, Stevens mentioned how Hugo Gonzalez became a rotation player for Barcelona. Most first-round picks are one of the stars on their team. That’s not the case with Gonzalez. He played with other professionals in Spain and had to win the game time. Gonzalez is willing to play and play any role the team needs from the bench. This is the player the Celtics like to select.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony mentioned Denver’s Christian Braun and Miami’s Jaime Jacquez as a professional comparison of Hugo Gonzalez. Givoney mentioned Gonzalez as a “great athlete” who excels every time he steps on the court. That’s why the analyst draft believes Hugo Gonzalez is “one of the biggest steals in the draft.”
Often, young international players are selected in the first round and stay overseas for several years. Brad Stevens won’t do that with Hugo Gonzalez. He said the 19-year-old will join the 2025-26 season full time. Boston traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the offseason. This could make the rookie more time and bigger roles. Hugo Gonzalez has the potential to become a senior role for the Celtics.
