The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics took a few chances on a few unknown players while deciding on their 2024 Summer League lineup, one of them was the gregarious small guard Jaelen House.
House, the son of former Celtics player and 2008 NBA Finals champion Eddie House, went undrafted this year out of the University of New Mexico with the intention of making a name for himself with the Summer League team. The 23-year-old has so far made a strong first impression with the Celtics by relying largely on his intangibles, such as hustle, and it has paid off. As reported by CLNS Media on Friday night, Celtics coach D.J. MacLeay remarked, “His energy’s great.” “He’s a pleasure to be around, and it seems like he’s assuming more of a pressure-ball-pressing position overall. And after that, I felt he performed admirably in managing a heavy offensive burden today. Since we were obviously missing a few guards, he was the one holding the ball most of the time, setting things up and directing us. In light of what he had to accomplish, I believe he did a pretty decent job of it. Boston’s Summer League game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night ended in a 101-90 loss, with House being the only guard in the starting lineup. House played 32 minutes and scored 18 points, despite his poor 7-for-19 shooting from the field. Despite this, House was involved and enthusiastic the entire game. In spite of the fact that he only had two rebounds and nine assists, he was shrewd enough to find ways to score even when the shot wasn’t falling.
House concluded a five-year collegiate career that started at Arizona State. In 31 games, he shot 37.4% from the field and 32.8% from 3-point range, averaging 15.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. House had an average of 2.3 thefts per game on defense, using his strong motor to create scoring opportunities for teammates.
House stated that prior to receiving the opportunity from Boston, his father, who is currently a Celtics commentator, gave some advise.
House encouraged reporters on Wednesday to “keep working hard, keep faith, and stay patient,” according to CLNS Media. “I simply adore the game, and I play competitively. The essential issue is that I detest losing. I’ll do all in my power to win because I simply detest losing.
For the group of Celtics draft picks and training camp prospects, House has essentially been the Las Vegas equivalent of Payton Pritchard (without the 3-point touch). It’s unclear if Boston’s coaching staff will be sufficiently captivated by House’s timely sparks to want to keep him on board. But for the time being, it’s safe to say House is taking use of his opportunities.
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