Reality is beginning to set in for the Boston Celtics—they don’t have the same firepower they’ve grown accustomed to enjoying in recent seasons.
Boston opened the 2025-26 season with back-to-back losses to division rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks. The sluggish start isn’t shocking, given the drastic roster turnover and Jayson Tatum’s injury.
While the Celtics will continue to compete in the short term, the larger goal this season is to identify who can be a part of their next championship-caliber core. Rookie Hugo González made a strong first impression in that regard—not just with his play, but with his mindset.
Celtics Rookie Makes Promising First Impression
Boston selected González, the Spanish product, with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. His numbers with Real Madrid last season were underwhelming at face value, but his case for becoming a successful NBA player stems from his intangibles—athleticism, motor, and defensive impact.
In his NBA debut against the Knicks on Oct. 24, González displayed all of that. He scored six points on a pair of drives and a tip-in, but his defensive activity was what really turned heads.
González finished with two steals, several deflections, and nonstop energy as he picked up Knicks players full court. He even took on matchups against New York’s top scorer, Jalen Brunson.
There were lapses with his understanding of rotations and switches, but the effort, athleticism, and potential were unmistakable.
The Right Kind of Mindset Helped Hugo Stand Out
As promising as his debut was, González’s postgame comments revealed the mentality that could make him special.
“Stepping on the floor was good. But still, I’m not having a great memory of this day, because we lost the game,” González said after the loss (h/t @NoaDalzell).
When asked about how he became such a strong defender, he pushed back on the praise.
“Well, Jalen Brunson had 30 tonight, so it’s not the day to say I’m a great defender,” González responded (h/t @JackSimoneNBA).
González, who joined Real Madrid’s youth program at just nine years old, clearly carries a professional mindset well beyond his years.
Turning Heads Around the League
González’s debut didn’t just impress fans—it caught the attention of former players and coaches, too.
Former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy, who called the game, gushed over the energy González brought.
“He’s going to be a force on the defensive end for the Celtics,” Van Gundy proclaimed (h/t @taylorcsnow). “I’m falling in love with Hugo González.”
Later that night on Amazon Prime’s broadcast, analyst and former NBA star Blake Griffin also sang praises for González.
“My gosh. Kid earned himself some minutes tonight,” Griffin said (h/t @taylorcsnow). “That’s the type of effort you want. When you’re in a situation like this where you don’t have your stars and you just lost a bunch of players, come out and play hard… Celtics fans are going to love him, Joe [Mazzulla] loves him. They just need more of that.”
Building the Next Celtics Core
After not receiving any playing time in the season opener, González showed exactly why he deserves to be a regular in Boston’s rotation.
The Celtics, under the fiery leadership of Joe Mazzulla, are too competitive to wave the white flag this early. But balancing short-term wins with long-term development will be key to the franchise’s future—especially until Tatum returns.
González’s impact on winning was clear in the box score, too, as he finished with a team-high +7 in the loss to New York.
Mazzulla must continue giving him opportunities to grow. If González’s debut was any indication, the Celtics may have found a cornerstone for their next era.