NCAA Rookies Who Could Boost the Celtics Next Season

Here we spotlight five NCAA risers who could slot seamlessly into Boston's lineup next season, transforming a strong contender into a true juggernaut.

Milan Momcilovic: Iowa State

Milan Momcilovic is the kind of modern wing every contender keeps on the radar. The smooth-shooting forward has real size at 6-foot-8, and his value starts with how quickly he can punish teams from beyond the arc.

At Iowa State, he showed he can stretch the floor in a high-major system, and that matters for Boston because the Celtics never seem to have enough credible spacing around their core. He's not a flashy creator, but he doesn't need to be. His appeal is that he can fit into a role without needing the ball in his hands constantly.

For a Celtics team looking for bench shooting and low-maintenance offensive help, Momcilovic feels like the safest and cleanest fit on this list. He can stand in the corner, make defenders respect his shot, and create driving lanes for Boston's playmakers. In playoff basketball where possessions tighten up and half-court execution matters, having another reliable shooter who doesn't require plays designed for him is invaluable.

The Serbian sniper won't solve all of Boston's bench issues, but he addresses the most glaring one, the need for spacing when Tatum and Brown sit.

Braylon Mullins: Indiana State

Braylon Mullins belongs in the conversation because pure shooting always travels well to the next level. He looks like the sort of college wing who can climb draft boards quickly if the shot keeps falling against better athletes and stronger defenses.

The Celtics would value that immediately, especially if the front office wants more floor spacing in second-unit lineups. What makes Mullins interesting is that he doesn't have to be a primary scorer to matter. He can become useful by simply keeping defenders honest and opening driving lanes for others.

He's still more projection than proven NBA solution at this point, but the Celtics have often leaned into players whose most obvious strength is one skill they can trust right away. Mullins fits that profile perfectly.

His defensive versatility remains a question mark, and he'll need to prove he can guard quicker NBA wings without getting exposed in switch situations. But if the shot translates, and early indicators suggest it will, he becomes the kind of low-risk, high-reward bench piece that contending teams covet.

For a franchise chasing Banner 19, adding another dependable shooter who won't demand touches makes strategic sense.

Fred Payne: Boston College

Fred Payne has been one of the more productive local college names in the mix, and that alone makes him worth discussing for Celtics fans.

At Boston College, he showed real scoring ability and the confidence to carry offensive responsibility on a difficult team. That matters because it tells you he can create his own offense when the possession structure breaks down, which is something bench units often need when the ball movement stalls.

The question is whether that scoring translates cleanly to the next level against longer, more athletic defenders who can disrupt his rhythm.

Still, if you want a homegrown angle with substance behind it, Payne delivers that. Boston College hasn't produced many NBA prospects recently, but his scoring instincts and local ties make him an intriguing developmental target.

Elliot Cadeau: North Carolina

Cadeau is the name on this list most associated with pace, vision, and guard playmaking. He has the type of quickness and passing instinct that can change the tempo of a game, and that's always valuable in college basketball.

For the Celtics, though, the fit depends on whether the jumper continues to improve. Boston's system rewards guards who can both handle the ball and threaten defenses from deep, and Cadeau would need to check enough of those boxes to survive in a playoff environment where defensive schemes target shooting weaknesses relentlessly.

His skill set translates to the NBA, but only if paired with enough shooting gravity to keep defenders from sagging off and clogging driving lanes. He's not yet the kind of obvious spacing fit Boston usually leans toward, which makes him more of a conditional target than a sure thing.

Final Thoughts

If the Celtics come up short against the 76ers or falter deeper in these playoffs, roster depth will loom large as the culprit, with bench scoring lapses turning winnable games into heartbreakers. Next season offers a clean slate though.

GM Brad Stevens has the draft ammunition to plug those gaps. Imagine a reloaded second unit that doesn't vanish in crunch time, giving Joe Mazzulla true rotation flexibility for another title charge. For now, rally behind the Celtics in Game 3, but keep an eye on these NCAA prospects. They could be the reinforcements that finally deliver Banner 19 to Boston.

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