PORTLAND, MAINE — To say that Baylor Scheierman has capitalized on the chance to start his skilled basketball profession with the Maine Celtics could be an enormous understatement.
By 4 G League video games, the 6’6 ahead is averaging 23 factors on 51.6% taking pictures, hitting 46.5% of his three-point makes an attempt, and grabbing 9 rebounds per sport.
And, above all, Scheierman is having a blast.
“It’s all nearly having fun with it,” he stated. “I don’t take a look at it as a demotion. It’s not a demotion. It’s a possibility to play, and get reside reps, and get higher at your sport in order that when your quantity is known as in Boston, you’re able to go.”
In Maine, Scheierman is emulating the function that he’ll have for the Celtics. He’s coming off the bench simply to get within the behavior of it, and he isn’t sometimes the first initiator on offense.
It’s much like how the Celtics approached Jordan Walsh’s improvement throughout his rookie season final 12 months; within the G League, Walsh performed the a part of a job participant, not a star. He prioritized protection, realized the Celtics’ complicated coverages, and improved his perimeter taking pictures, relatively than attempting to attain one-on-one.
Maine Celtics head coach Tyler Lashbrook, who was one of many Celtics’ participant improvement coaches final season, stated that Scheierman has embraced the notion that Maine is a chance to simulate what a potential function would possibly appear to be in Boston.
That features studying tips on how to put together for coming off the bench, one thing he hasn’t carried out a lot of in his basketball profession. On the courtroom, the employees needs him to give attention to making the fitting reads, prioritizing rebounding, and rising defensively.
“We’re replicating plenty of the stuff that he’s gonna do in Boston, by way of his pregame routine, and his rotations, and all that stuff that type of will get you used to taking part in off the bench,” Lashbrook stated. “He’s been a soldier for it.”
Lashbrook has been impressed with Scheierman’s taking pictures and rebounding, two points of his sport that have been highly-touted popping out of school. However above all, the pinnacle coach has appreciated the rookie’s effort.
“He’s a competitor, like I believe you guys noticed,” Lashbrook stated. “He competes always.”
Baylor Scheierman as much as 8 fast factors right here — this play completely captures his hustle. Will get his personal rebounds and hit the three.
Celtics assistant coach Matt Reynolds, sitting courtside with Joe Mazzulla, rises to his ft in applause pic.twitter.com/xnujdCqeAI
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) November 17, 2024
The Creighton standout struggled offensively by the preseason, taking pictures simply 4 of 24 from the sector.
However, his confidence grew from sport to sport, and although he by no means discovered his footing offensively, he felt that the whole lot else improved.
“Each sport within the preseason, I received higher by way of simply the whole lot else, apart from making photographs,” he stated. “I’m not attempting to overlook photographs — you may’t actually management if photographs are getting into or not. I put in plenty of time in that a part of my sport, so I’m probably not anxious about that. However defensively — after which simply offensively by way of spacing and crashing the glass — I believe every sport within the preseason I received higher and higher.”
Scheierman is 24 years previous. Followers typically anticipate gamers that age to be able to play NBA minutes from the leap, however no matter age, Lashbrook stated that there’s a studying curve that just about all gamers observe.
“The truth is, the best way that the NBA goes is totally different than something they’ve ever seen earlier than,” Lashbrook stated. “The opposite factor that finally ends up taking place, is older guys — or older youthful gamers — nonetheless have plenty of room to develop. I believe that usually will get missed.”
Scheierman hopes to observe the trail that Sam Hauser, others have paved
Within the Celtics group, there’s a transparent blueprint for tips on how to benefit from time spent within the G League. Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet have been all at one level primarily taking part in for the Maine Celtics. Now, all of these guys play key roles for the Celtics.
Hauser, who went undrafted in 2021, was arguably the Celtics’ most vital bench participant through the 2024 championship run. Queta has been spot beginning this season, Walsh has earned early-season perimeter minutes, and Kornet has established himself as an impactful NBA middle.
Lashbrook stated that the teaching employees highlights all of these success tales to the Maine Celtics gamers.
“We do a factor the place we attempt to research paths from all forms of totally different guys, and type of present them that it’s potential,” Lashbrook stated. “We undergo every of these guys.”
Scheierman has been talking to all of these gamers, and so they’ve urged him to embrace the chance to get prolonged minutes and touches.
“That was form of the general message from all these guys,” he stated.
Hauser — who averaged 20.2 factors per sport throughout his G League tenure — signed a four-year, $45 million contract this previous offseason after a breakout season, and is well-known as of one of many franchise’s nice improvement tales.
Hauser’s message to Baylor Scheierman forward of his G League debut?
“Be your self. Let it fly. Have enjoyable.”
Sam Hauser’s recommendation to Baylor Scheierman, who will make his Maine Celtics debut right this moment:
“Be your self. Let it fly. Have enjoyable. It’s all the time enjoyable if you get to play.” pic.twitter.com/kydtpPNB4U
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) November 8, 2024
Scheierman went on to blow up for 31 factors on 12-21 taking pictures in his first G League sport.
“It’s simply enjoyable to play,” Scheierman stated. “I actually take pleasure in being up right here. I actually benefit from the staff. We simply play the fitting method.”
Tyler Lashbrook stated that as quickly as Scheierman reported to Maine, the employees defined to him what his pathway towards turning into an expert might appear to be.
“Day one, that was one of many first issues that we talked about,” Lashbrook stated. “There’s a imaginative and prescient right here, and that is type of what it seems to be like. We gave him that speak instantly.”
The Celtics teaching employees comes out to help in Maine
Your complete Celtics teaching employees — together with Joe Mazzulla — attended Sunday’s sport on the Portland Expo, sitting courtside because the Maine Celtics received their second win of the season.
Joe Mazzulla, who served as an assistant coach for the Maine Pink Claws in 2016, stated that he enjoys the chance to help the G League membership — and that he appreciated what he noticed from the Maine gamers. Alongside Scheierman, all three of the Celtics’ two-ways — JD Davison, Anton Watson, and Drew Peterson — performed.
“I believed there was an incredible connectivity between the employees and the gamers,” Mazzulla stated.
The Celtics’ schedule oftentimes conflicts with Maine, however on this occasion, it labored out. Mazzulla sat along with his spouse, Camai, and son, Manny, as Maine pulled away with a 118-100 victory over the Westchester Knicks.
“It’s a possibility to go and help, and to ensure there’s alignment between everybody — that we’re all on the identical web page,” Mazzulla stated.
Scheierman stated that the Boston teaching employees’s courtside presence didn’t add further nerves or change the best way he approached the sport.
However, it did spotlight the unwavering synergy between the 2 organizations.
“It means lots that they’re right here,” Scheierman stated. “[It shows] this issues.”
