The Boston Celtics still feel like a young team. But what if we told you only three players on their active roster are under age 25?
The “young guys,” as Kyrie Irving affectionately called them, have officially entered their prime, with superstar Jayson Tatum as the lone under-25 player on a loaded core that includes five players in their mid-to-late 20s in Robert Williams (25), Jaylen Brown (26), Marcus Smart (28), Derrick White (28) and Malcolm Brogdon (29).
But make no mistake: The Celtics are well-positioned for both the present and future. Tatum is already an MVP candidate at age 24, while his two under-25 counterparts, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard, have made significant strides in the last season-plus.
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Danny Ainge’s brilliant drafting and Brad Stevens’ shrewd maneuvering since assuming president of basketball operations duties in 2021 have helped build a roster that’s running roughshod over the NBA with the best record in the league at the quarter point of the season.
But where do the Celtics’ three youngest players rank among the best 20 Boston athletes under age 25?
Candidates: PATRIOTS | RED SOX | BRUINS | REVS
Does Tatum deserve to be at the very top? Will Grant Williams vault up the rankings after playing a crucial role in Boston’s 2022 playoff run? And does Pritchard deserve more love for giving the Celtics a much-needed spark off the bench?
Boston Celtics
Read up on Tatum, Grant Williams and Pritchard below, then cast your vote in the poll that follows.
(A note: Sam Hauser turns 25 on December 8, 2022, so he’s no longer eligible for “20 Under 25.”)
Players in last year’s contest who are no longer eligible: Robert Williams
CLICK HERE TO VOTE
Jayson Tatum
What more can we say? Tatum is a legitimate top-three MVP candidate who’s averaging 30.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in addition to playing elite defense against the opponent’s best players. After falling short in the 2022 NBA Finals, Tatum has been on a mission to do whatever he can to impact winning, and the result is a 6-foot-8 monster who can do pretty much everything on the basketball court at an extremely high level. If he wins a championship, he’ll already deserve consideration as one of the Celtics’ all-time greats.
Grant Williams
His teammates may give him a hard time, but Williams just continues to get better in ways that are crucial to Boston’s success. He’s averaging a career-high 9.1 points per game this season while hitting 45.2 percent of his 3-pointers, good for 15th in the NBA. Williams has also started 10 of 20 games and more than held his own on the defensive end with Robert Williams sidelined. Williams’ strong play should earn him a significant raise in free agency next summer, but he’s an excellent fit for this Celtics team and should strongly consider re-signing with Boston if the price is right.
Payton Pritchard
The additions of White and Brogdon pushed Pritchard to fourth on the point guard depth chart, and he logged DNPs in seven of Boston’s first 10 games this season. But “Fast PP” stayed ready, and when Joe Mazzulla called his number, he delivered, most notably by dropping 24 points over a two-game span to help lift the Celtics to wins over Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Pritchard’s team-first attitude is exactly what the C’s need at the end of their bench, and he could see more run going forward if Brogdon misses more time due to injuries or load management.