A lot of NBA hopefuls were out to prove themselves in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. Most of them were trying to get the attention of the coaching staff for a shot at a roster spot while some have already cracked a full-term contract. Joe Mazzulla's Boston Celtics were one of those teams handing out a scarce contract that may either place an athlete permanently with the rotation or be offered to play for the Maine Celtics. Jordan Walsh, Jay Scrubb, and JD Davison all balled out as expected from their college stints. However, a new wing for the Celtics could be on the rise and his name does not start with a J. Vincent Valerio-Bodon proved that he is ready to take a leap to the NBA.

Al Horford is not getting any younger as the season goes by. That means Joe Mazzulla's pick-and-pop and dribble hand-off option becomes Kristaps Porzingis. Although, fans of the Celtics know how often our frontcourt could be thin and injury-prone. Beantown needs another big man that knows how to play off the perimeters. Vincent Valerio-Bodon could be just that for them.

Shooting threes and being a stretch big man are necessities for any NBA player above the height of 6-foot-9. Else, NBA defenses are likely to expose and sag off these players knowing that they cannot do anything with the ball once it crosses the three-point line. This is why, with the exception of Robert Williams III, the Celtics have big men that can shoot from deep.

Vincent Valerio-Bodon's NBA Summer League

The 6-foot-10 Hungarian has proven that he is ready for the professional leagues. He has played for the Hungary A-League since the 2019 season up to his most recent stint with Sopron KC. Most scouts think that he has an NBA upside but was let down during the NBA Draft. Vincent Valerio-Bodon went undrafted but got another shot in the league. He joined the Boston Celtics' NBA Summer League roster and balled out.

Valerio-Bodon only played a game with the team in Las Vegas but that should not discount how good of a player he is. He has an all-around game that is rare for a guy of his stature. If you were able to think of a serviceable NBA-level stretch big man, that would be him. In 25 minutes of playing time, he was able to score 13 points on a 50% field goal shooting percentage. Most of his shots were also jumpers which means that his game was fairly efficient.

His outside shot was above league average as he took four attempts during the game and knocked down two of them. He does not rush his shot from beyond the arc and has a good sense of when a shot is not smothered by a defender. It is safe to say that he nearly plays the same brand of basketball that fits in well with Joe Mazzulla's system. Being able to play make and dish out three assists while crashing the boards for six rebounds is a huge plus.

His defense on big men is also pretty solid as he can meet opposing centers and wings at the rim. This even netted him a block during the NBA Summer League. He is a prototype forward that can guard all five positions given the right defensive schematics.

The drawback before a Celtics roster spot

Handling the ball does not seem to be his specialty. Vincent Valerio-Bodon has the court vision and moves to pull off great plays. However, he loses his handle quite frequently and that could be too much of a liability. The Hungarian undrafted had six turnovers which need to be improved on. His fit with the Celtics looks great and it would not be a surprise if he makes it to the permanent rotation come fall.