On the same day he won a championship with Real Madrid Baloncesto, Hugo Gonzalez was drafted by the Celtics. The turnaround has been quick. Two weeks later, he’s looking to showcase his talents in Las Vegas as the team heads out to Summer League this weekend.
“I’m nineteen, so I can’t complain too much. When you’re excited about something, you’re physically tired and everything, but it just goes away. I’m just without excuses.”
The nineteen-year-old doesn’t have a driver’s license yet, so he’s just Ubering around this summer. However, his biggest transition on the floor has been the distance of the NBA’s three-point line. On this side of the pond, the arc is nearly three inches farther and with his new team shattering the single-season record for made threes last season, Gonzalez has been getting used to the new distance.
“The biggest adjustment has been handling that three-point line. It’s a little bit far and handling the lines, not stepping on the white lines. Trying to adjust to the pace and rhythm is another complete thing compared to Europe,” Gonzalez said.
Young team veterans Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Miles Norris have taken him under their wings. He’s also started working with assistant coach and Director of Player Development Craig Luchesnat on his perimeter shooting. At such a young age, Gonzalez has been credited for doing whatever the team needs to win. On a loaded Real Madrid team, he played scattered minutes off the bench, but always brought an aggressive approach to defense and worked off the ball as a willing cutter. He understands how that role may change with Joe Mazzulla’s focus on spacing the floor.
“We’ve got some really good players with big advantages. When I have the ball, I’m going to be more or less open because they’re some of the best on-ball creators in the league, so I just got to catch-and-shoot it, catch-and-shoot it.”
The few clips that the PR team has released have really showcased the once-considered lottery talent. His strong 6’9 frame and seven-foot wingspan are complimented by a hard-charging style and change-of-pace ability. The Celtics play their first Summer League game on Friday, July 11th against the Memphis Grizzlies at 4 pm EST.
“I’m pretty excited to make my debut and everything, pretty excited to have the tournament for the team to perform well,” Gonzalez said. “We’re getting in really good work with this mini-training camp, so I’m pretty excited about it.”
