Chris Cenac Jr.'s Exciting Potential For Celtics On Display At Summer League

Chris Cenac Jr.'s exciting potential for Celtics on display at Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

How did Chris Cenac Jr. fall to No. 27 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft?

It’s a fair question after watching him play for the Boston Celtics through three games at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Yes, it’s only the summer league, and we shouldn’t make grand proclamations after three games on the UNLV campus. But one thing is clear: Cenac has real potential and could play a role off the bench for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s club in Boston next season.

Cenac had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the summer league opener against the Toronto Raptors last Friday. He also hit an overtime-forcing 3-pointer from the corner in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. In Sunday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, Cenac had two points and five rebounds but only played 19 minutes.

He bounced back in a major way Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks with 16 points, five rebounds and four blocks. He was scoring in a variety of different ways — midrange jumpers, driving to the basket, dunks in close, turnaround shots, etc.

His defense also was fantastic, and it’s been on full display throughout summer league. Cenac had two blocks in one 20-second sequence during the third quarter versus the Hawks. He now has nine blocks in three summer league games. He had 18 blocks all of last season for the University of Houston.

Cenac is able to impact a lot of shots with his 6-foot-11 frame and 7-foot-5 wingspan.

The athleticism that Cenac shows on both ends of the floor is impressive, and it’s something the Celtics needed to add to their group in the offseason. Both of their 2026 draft picks, Cenac and second-rounder Dillon Mitchell, have played with great athleticism at summer league so far.

The Celtics have a deep team. Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta are going to play most of the minutes at center. Luka Garza proved to be a competent frontcourt player last season, too. It won’t be easy for Cenac to carve out a consistent role unless injuries hurt the team’s depth.

But there’s a lot to like about Cenac’s skill set. He has the tools to become a valuable part of the Celtics’ rotation in the not-too-distant future.