Earlier this week, the Boston Celtics took St. John's forward Dillon Mitchell with the No. 40 pick in the NBA Draft.

It's not a completely surprising pick, considering the C's had Mitchell in for a pre-draft workout and were connected to him throughout the draft process.

Mitchell is a high-upside selection who features premium athleticism at the forward position.

You can hear the organization's thoughts on Mitchell from Mike Zarren below, via CLNS Celtics.

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 a 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 first-round pick Chris Cenac Jr. 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. He can also help on the defensive side of things, trying to create matchups issues for forwards on the perimeter. He has the length and versatility to play down low or outside.

Mitchell is not a three-point shooter, and he attempted just seven 3's all season in 2025-26. Are the Celtics content to just let him occupy a spot on the floor while playing defense and rebounding? Or, are they going to try to turn him into a slasher who can create mismatches in order to score inside? Will they work to develop that jump shot? Or does his offensive limitations impact his ability to get on the floor in general?

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