One day after selecting Chris Cenac Jr. of Houston in the first round of the NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected St. John's forward Dillon Mitchell with their second round pick.

The Celtics took the former Red Storm standout at pick No. 40. Just two days ago, with trade rumors flying about, it was unclear if the Celtics would make any picks in the draft. They ended up using both picks. They had Mitchell in for a pre-draft workout so there was familiarity there. 

A four-year collegiate player who played at three different schools, Mitchell played an integral role in St. Johns's continued turnaround under Rick Pitino, helping the Red Storm earn a No. 5 seed in this past year's NCAA Tournament. 

Mitchell began his career at Texas, starting 38 games as true freshman and averaging 4.3 ppg before scoring 9.6 as a sophomore. He transferred to Cincinnati as a junior, scoring 9.9 ppg before landing at St. John's for his senior year. He averaged 8.3 ppg and seven rebounds while also dishing three assists per game.

He's listed at 6-foot-8. He was an All-Big East selection this season.

Brad Stevens has expressed a desire for the Celtics to get better (and more active) at the rim in 2026-27, and Mitchell certainly does that, in addition to Cenac. At 6-foot-8 and athletic, he has the ability to finish at the rim, and he shot 56 percent from the floor.

Furthermore, he has a length, athleticism and a physicality that can't be taught. For a Celtics team that wants to be better on the interior, he has the ability to provide the toughness that the group sometimes lacks on that front. The addition of him and Cenac shows a clear organizational desire to get better there.

The C's should also appreciate that he played for Pitino, which means he's been exposed to pro style coaching. 

Just because the Celtics want to get better down low, does that mean they should bring in players who offer little to no value from the outside?

Mitchell is a career 19 percent three-point shooter who made only 11-of-57 over four years. He was just a seven percent three-point shooter this past season, going 1-of-15.

Furthermore, he's also only a 48.8 percent foul shooter. If you are good inside, that's great, but you have to be able to convert at the foul line too.

Will the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown? If so, they might want to do it before free agency begins on June 30 so they have an idea of what they need.

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