Celtics' Payton Pritchard remains confident ahead of crucial season

The era of "The Jays" is officially over for the Boston Celtics now that Jaylen Brown has landed in Philadelphia, leading many to wonder what the 2026-27 NBA season will look like at TD Garden for a team missing its most recent Finals MVP.

One source of hope going into the year for members of both the Celtics organization and their fanbase is Payton Pritchard, the 2025 Sixth Man of the Year who may have earned himself a full-time promotion to the starting lineup after shining throughout the 2025-26 campaign. 

Particularly, the hope around Boston's front office will be that Pritchard, who is extension-eligible, can elevate his game to become the team's own version of what fellow small guard Jalen Brunson is for the New York Knicks, especially now that Brown's high usage is out of the picture.

Now, Pritchard has broken his silence on what he envisions in the coming year for himself and his team, revealing one area in which he sees himself as comparable to — if not better than — Brunson and any of the other modern basketball greats.

Pritchard considers himself an all-world ball handler

Speaking with NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg on the "Celtics Talk Podcast," Pritchard announced that the work he's put in has made him one of the greatest ball handlers the world over.

Pritchard, hosting a youth summer basketball camp, was asked by Forsberg how he felt about being introduced to campers as a top 1% ball handler worldwide.

"Well I'd hope so," Pritchard responded. "I put a lot of hours into it, so I better be... You ever heard of the Ten Thousand [Hour] Rule? I definitely think I'm above the Ten Thousand Rule.

"I think I'm above the 1%, though," Pritchard continued. "I think I'm in the 1% of the 1%."

Already known as a talented three-point shooter with a knack for clutch buzzer-beaters, Pritchard's ball-handling skills could make a major difference for a Celtics team that was hampered at times by critical turnovers from Brown over the years.