Four things to know about Celtics 2026 first-round NBA Draft pick Chris Cenac Jr.
The Celtics added an intriguing young player to their frontcourt on Tuesday night.
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With the 27th pick in the NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Chris Cenac Jr. of the University of Houston. Cenac, 19, averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds, and shot 48.5 percent in 37 games (36 starts) during his lone year of college basketball.
The 6-foot-11-inch forward/center might be more of a project than an immediate help on Boston’s roster, but he does have plenty of upside.
Here are four things to know about him:
He’s a raw prospect
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens stressed last month that the Celtics needed to add players who have more “impact at the rim,” but a raw prospect such as Cenac may not fit the bill, at least for the 2026-27 season.
But Cenac could develop into a difference-maker as he continues to fill out his frame and expand his skill set in the coming years.
Cenac’s 7.9 rebounds per game led Houston during the 2025-26 season, and he became the first freshman to pace the Cougars in rebounding since 2012. He also led Houston with six double-doubles during the regular season.
He got better as the season progressed, averaging 8.8 rebounds over his final 12 games. He made 72.3 percent of his shots around the rim, mostly on dunks. But he also has fluid athleticism and the potential to be a good shooter.
Cenac averaged 2.4 3-point shots last year and made 33.3 percent. He also took 61 midrange jumpers, converting 41 percent, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
There’s no guarantee that Cenac’s shooting will translate to the pro game, and even with his 7-5 wingspan, he wasn’t an athletic force down low or proven shot-blocker, swatting just 18 balls in 37 games.
If Cenac can complement his rebounding abilities with a consistent shooting touch, he could develop into a stretch five who can help the Celtics’ frontcourt in a variety of ways.
He went to a high school with several top sports alumni
While Cenac closed his high school career at Link Academy in Branson, Mo., the New Orleans native initially attended Isidore Newman School.
Multiple football greats saw their stocks soar at Isidore Newman, including Peyton, Eli, and Arch Manning, who closed out his senior year with the Greenies during the same time that Cenac was at the school.
Odell Beckham Jr. also attended Isidore Newman, where he was a letterman in football, basketball, and track.
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Cenac also left his mark, leading the school to a third straight state title in 2024 while earning All-State second-team honors. Cenac won the state championship most outstanding player award in Louisiana after posting 19 points with 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots in the title game.
He was the highest-ranked recruit for Kelvin Sampson at Houston
After a dominant senior season at Link Academy, Cenac established himself as a five-star recruit — earning invitations to the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic, and the Nike Hoop Summit.
Despite also fielding offers from LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Cenac committed to play for coach Kelvin Sampson at Houston.
As the No. 6 prospect in the Class of 2025 as ranked by ESPN100, Rivals, and on3, Cenac was the top-ranked recruit to join Sampson’s Houston program.
Cenac drew high praise from his college coach before the NBA Draft.
“He’s never had one ounce of bad body language,” Sampson told NBA.com. “He’s never, ever been late. He’s always one of the first ones there, last ones to leave. He’s like a huge sponge. Wherever he’s playing in the NBA down the road, that team is going to be lucky to get him.”
Brad Stevens praised Cenac’s upside
Even if Cenac might be more of a long-term investment for the Celtics, Stevens doled out plenty of praise on Tuesday night.
“He’s just a good young player,” Stevens said. “Energetic, plays hard, excellent athlete, long. Fits a position of need, some things that we were a little short on this year from an athletic perspective, I think, with his size and his length. And when you play in the program he’s played for, he’s been taught well and been held to a high standard. I like that, and he will undoubtedly come here and be eager to jump into it.
“He’s a good worker, he’s a good person, and he’s got a lot to learn, but we’re excited about starting that process with.”
Boston could use frontcourt reinforcements, especially after big men Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and Nikola Vucevic labored in the Celtics’ first-round series loss to the 76ers.
Stevens preached patience with Cenac and his chances of carving out a regular role in coach Joe Mazzulla’s rotation in 2026-27.
“I hope we’re good enough that it’s hard for any 18-year-old or 19-year-old to come in here and be really good out of the gate,” Stevens said. “I think that usually is more about their own personal development and growth and learning how hard it is and learning how to be a part of a team and learning how we work and how we go about it every day.
“And then if they can add value, that’s great, but there won’t be any expectation of that from my standpoint. There certainly probably is a lot of excitement and expectation from his.”
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