Jordan Walsh | |
Position: | Small forward |
Height Ft: | 6 |
Height In: | 6 |
Weight Lb: | 205 |
League: | NBA |
Team: | Boston Celtics |
Number: | 27 |
Birth Date: | 3 March 2004 |
Birth Place: | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
High School: |
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College: | Arkansas (2022–2023) |
Draft Year: | 2023 |
Draft Round: | 2 |
Draft Pick: | 38 |
Draft Team: | Sacramento Kings |
Career Start: | 2023 |
Years1: | –present |
Team1: | Boston Celtics |
Years2: | 2023–2024 |
Team2: | →Maine Celtics |
Highlights: |
Jordan E. Walsh (born March 3, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class. As a rookie with the 2023–24 Boston Celtics, Walsh won a NBA championship as a reserve.
Walsh grew up in DeSoto, Texas and initially attended Faith Family Academy in Dallas, Texas. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, 2.4 steals and 2.3 blocks per game and was named class 4A All-State as a junior.[1] Walsh transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri prior to the start of his senior year.[2] He averaged 15.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in his only season at Link.[3] Walsh was selected to play in the 2022 McDonald's All-American Boys Game during the season.[4]
Walsh was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class, according to major recruiting services.[5] [6] ESPN analyst Paul Biancardi rated him as the best two-way player in the 2022 class.[7] Walsh committed to playing college basketball for Arkansas over offers from Texas, Memphis, Arizona State, and Kansas.[8]
Walsh entered his freshman season at Arkansas as starting wing.[9] Midway through the season he was moved to the bench as a key reserve.[10] Eventually, thanks to his length and athleticism, Walsh moved back to the starting lineup and became one of Arkansas' key defenders. In his lone season for Arkansas, Walsh averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. On April 19, 2023, he declared for the 2023 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.[11] Walsh later decided to remain in the draft.[12]
Walsh was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft, then subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics.[13]
On July 6, 2023, he signed a four-year, $7.6 million contract with Boston.[14] On October 31, Walsh was assigned to the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League.[15]
On January 17, 2024, Walsh made his NBA debut in a 117–98 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, collecting 4 rebounds in the final 3 minutes of play.[16] On February 4, 2024, Walsh scored his first two NBA points in a 131–91 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies at TD Garden.[17] Walsh became an NBA champion when the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 5 games in the NBA Finals.
|- | style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Boston| 9 || 1 || 9.2 || .400 || .222 || .500 || 2.2 || .6 || .6 || .1 || 1.7|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 9 || 1 || 9.2 || .400 || .222 || .500 || 2.2 || .6 || .6 || .1 || 1.7
|- | style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| 2024| style="text-align:left;"| Boston| 3 || 0 || 3.8 || .333 || .000 || || .7 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .7|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 3 || 0 || 3.8 || .333 || .000 || || .7 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .7
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23| style="text-align:left;"| Arkansas| 36 || 22 || 24.4 || .433 || .278 || .712 || 3.9 || .9 || 1.1 || .5 || 7.1
Walsh has alopecia universalis, an autoimmune condition which prevents the growth of hair on the body.[18]