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PF Jared Sullinger (2x 1st Team ALL B1G & All American, Anyang KGC, S.Korea)

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NBA draft: Sullinger excited to be a Celtic after being selected with 21st pick
By Bob Baptist
The Columbus Dispatch Friday June 29, 2012

nba-draft-osu-6-29-art-gh0i00l9-1nba-draft-osu-eq-01-jpg.jpg

Eamon Queeney | DISPATCH
Surrounded by friends and family at Eddie George?s Grille 27, Jared Sullinger celebrates being taken in the first round.

The fall down the NBA draft board that cost Jared Sullinger a trip to New Jersey and millions of dollars turned out to be a ?blessing in disguise.?

Sullinger used that phrase several times last night, with a broad smile, after he was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 21st pick in the first round.

It was worth the wait, he said.

?When you?ve got a team that took the Miami Heat to seven games and you?ve got a core (of veterans) like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, to be able to go in there and learn from somebody like Kevin Garnett, it?s a blessing,? Sullinger said.

He watched the draft on television, with family and friends, in a private room at Eddie George?s Grille 27 near the Ohio State campus. Sullinger was relaxed as he sat in a chair next to former Ohio State teammates Evan Ravenel and J.D. Weatherspoon, frequently checking his phone as he waited for the call from his new team.

After NBA doctors flagged him for a potential back problem, the two-time first-team All-American fell from a projected top-10 pick and was not among the 14 players invited to the draft in Newark, N.J., by the NBA because teams did not project him to be in that group of lottery picks.

That was another blessing, Sullinger said.

?If you look at every person who was in here, they helped me get to this spot,? Sullinger said. ?A lot of guys complain about not being in the green room. I was actually excited when I didn?t get invited because, that way, I could spend it with all my family and not just some.?

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http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2012/06/29/0629-sullinger-to-celtics.html
Celtics not scared by Jared Sullinger?s back
By Frank Dell?Apa
| Globe staff
June 29, 2012

The Celtics were reassured about selecting Jared Sullinger partly because of their relationship with his agent, David Falk. Sullinger had been projected to go higher, but his status changed in recent weeks because of a back injury.

?Jared had some health concerns, but we felt like the reward was worth the risk,? director of player personnel Austin Ainge said Thursday night. ?If you?re picking toward the end of the first round everything?s not going to be perfect, but we feel like these guys were what we wanted and we?re really excited.?

The Celtics based their judgment on Sullinger?s medical reports, but did not bring the former Ohio State standout in for a workout. Second-round pick Fab Melo did work out for the Celtics.

?There were what you could term minor concerns with the back,? Celtics assistant general manager Ryan McDonough said of Sullinger. ?But it wasn?t enough to deter us from taking him. We think if Jared were completely healthy he would be a top-10 pick. Our doctors and our basketball staff determined it was worth what we would consider to be a slight risk.

?Jared has been one of the best players in his class his whole life. He?s played against the biggest, longest, most athletic guys in AAU, in high school, and college and had good success at all levels.

?Jared is one of the better rebounders in the country. He has a great feel for where the ball?s going to come off, he has terrific hands, his rebound rate for per minute is very good.

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...linger-back/0SH9OFgk2oj1jcDZyFBOJO/story.html
They just couldn’t back off on Sullinger
Injury concerns quickly abated
By Frank Dell’Apa
Globe Staff / June 29, 2012

The Celtics were reassured about selecting Jared Sullinger partly because of their relationship with his agent, David Falk. Sullinger had been projected to go higher, but his status changed in recent weeks because of a back injury.

“Jared had some health concerns, but we felt like the reward was worth the risk,” director of player personnel Austin Ainge said Thursday night. “If you’re picking toward the end of the first round everything’s not going to be perfect, but we feel like these guys were what we wanted and we’re really excited.”

The Celtics based their judgment on Sullinger’s medical reports, but did not bring the former Ohio State standout in for a workout. Second-round pick Fab Melo did work out for the Celtics.

“There were what you could term minor concerns with the back,” Celtics assistant general manager Ryan McDonough said of Sullinger. “But it wasn’t enough to deter us from taking him. We think if Jared were completely healthy he would be a top-10 pick. Our doctors and our basketball staff determined it was worth what we would consider to be a slight risk.

“Jared has been one of the best players in his class his whole life. He’s played against the biggest, longest, most athletic guys in AAU, in high school, and college and had good success at all levels.

“Jared is one of the better rebounders in the country. He has a great feel for where the ball’s going to come off, he has terrific hands, his rebound rate for per minute is very good.

“He’s also able to move away from the basket and make shots and that’s an area he’s improved in, I think, over the past few years. He was a back-to-the-basket player in high school, he was always the biggest, strongest guy around — and he’s developed a nice face-up game, he shot about 40 percent from ‘3’ this year, although that was on limited attempts.”

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basket.../06/29/celtics_not_scared_by_sullingers_back/

Sullinger has a back problem that was flagged at the Chicago pre-draft combine. The news sent him tumbling out of the lottery and into the nether world of the falling prospect. He fell all the way into the Celtics’ laps with the 21st pick and that’s when Ainge stepped in and made the call.

“When the day started, I did not think he would be there at 21. We’re fortunate to get him,” Ainge said. “We were concerned and we did our research on the back issues and felt comfortable, but there are some issues there. Our medical staff thinks that short term and long term there may be some maintenance issues with the back. Doc Rivers played with a herniated disk for 13 years. So it may need surgery at some point, it may not.”

Ainge later clarified that he had no idea if Sullinger would need surgery, but it’s clearly a concern. Also concerning is the notion that even at 6-foot-9, Sullinger sometimes struggled against bigger defenders, who he will see every night in the NBA.

“Length is an issue,” Ainge said. “There were a lot of these same kind of issues with Glen Davis when he came in, but they just find a way. Guys that are smart and have feel and have a good touch, they make the adjustment.”

Concerns, issues, question marks … they are all part of the package that comes with Sullinger. But then you look back at his consistent production and at 21 those questions begin to look like something else. They begin to look like a steal.

“I liked Jared for longer than his years at Ohio State,” Ainge said. “He was a terrific high school player, a dominant high school player. He’s been good everywhere he’s been and his teams win. What I like about him is he’s complete. He can pass. He can think. He can rebound. He can shoot.”

“We think if Jared were completely healthy, if there were no issues, he would be a top 10 pick,” assistant GM Ryan McDonough said. “Jared’s been one of the best players in his class his entire life.”
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http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/b...12/06/29/jared-sullinger-cs-gamble-worth-risk

Raw: Sullinger Selected By Boston

Sullinger, Family Celebrate NBA Draft Selection

One on One interview with Jared- video

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URPFblbbUMo"]Jared Sullinger Drafted by The Boston Celtics - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqYSvLf47dw"]Ryan McDonough On The Celtics' Draft - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaggmErKVYk"]Draft Night - Celtics Press Conference - YouTube[/ame]
 
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ucfknight said:
Hopefully he plays over that dumbass Fab Melo
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Different positions entirely. Having Melo in the game will help Sully significantly. It will force the opposing big man to guard Melo, allowing Sully to be guarded by a true 4 or backup 5.

I really like the picks for the celtics. They already have a PG, some young talented wings, and now a rookie front court. Add in the expiring contracts for the big 3 and they have positioned themselves to go after a talented 2 or 3 in free agency.
 
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If Sully regains some of the atleticisim he showed his freshman year..he can make an impact for the Celtics. I saw him at Illinois that year and he owned them. I never saw that explosiveness last year but nagging injuries limited him. His maturity and knowledge for the game are usually what veteran teams want to see from their rookies.
 
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Team Sully has his back
By Dan Duggan
Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Celtics [team stats] have drafted a two-time consensus first-team All-American twice in their 66-year history. The first was Larry Bird in 1978. The latest was Jared Sullinger, who the team selected with the 21st pick in Thursday?s draft.

While no one is expecting Sullinger to be the second-coming of Bird, the skilled Ohio State power forward could develop into a key piece of the Celtics? future.

Sullinger averaged 17.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in two seasons for his hometown Buckeyes. And along with consistent production, winning has followed the Columbus native to every stop.

Sullinger?s Northland High team, which was coached by his father Satch, went 94-3 over his career and won a state title in his junior year. Ohio State won 85.5 percent of its games during Sullinger?s two years and reached the Final Four last season.

?I think the one thing you?re going to find about him is he wins and he wants to be a part of winning,? Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. ?I?ve seen him in the two years we?ve had him make a lot of sacrifices for our team to win. That?s why I feel so strongly that he?s got a great future ahead of him.?

Seemingly the only roadblock in Sullinger?s path is a back issue that caused him to plunge down draft boards. The 6-foot-9, 268-pounder arrived in Chicago for the draft combine in early June as a lock for the top 10, but teams were scared off by the discovery of bulging discs in his back during medical examinations.

?We were concerned and we did our research on the back issues and felt comfortable,? Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. ?But there are some issues, and our medical staff thinks short term and long term there may be some maintenance issues with the back.?

Sullinger played in 74-of-76 games at Ohio State, missing two last season with back spasms, though Matta is quick to point out that, ?From the day he came back, he never missed a game, he never missed a practice, he never missed a walkthrough.?

Satch Sullinger believes the back issues became overblown. Satch said the problem stems from tightness in Jared?s hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors, and believes it can be alleviated with treatment.

?With the Boston Celtics organization, he?s going to be around the best trainers, the best medical staff that you can offer,? Satch said. ?If he can survive through Ohio State, he?ll survive through that. They?re going to take care of him and Jared understands flexibility now and how important stretching is and he understands the weight is something he can control.?

Sullinger couldn?t control his plummeting stock in the weeks leading up to the draft. While it was difficult, Satch believes the experience will benefit his son.

?It?s not what happens to you that counts as much as how you choose to react to what happens,? Satch said. ?What it does is it humbles you, it makes you really appreciate the opportunity, it keeps you hungry and it puts a little chip on your shoulder. You can use this for you or you can use it against yourself. I?m quite sure he understands that and he?s just appreciative of the opportunity that he has.?

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http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/20220630team_sully_has_his_back

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iANDOxqvg4k"]Dennis and Callahan with Andy Katz on the Celtics draft - YouTube[/ame]
 
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What is the low end on Sullinger? DeJuan Blair, Corliss Williamson, Danny Fortson, Big Baby Davis?

What is the high end on Sullinger? Greg Monroe, DeMarcus Cousins, Elton Brand?

Someone who fits that profile should be taken no lower than 14. I don't know how he dropped to the C's at 21, but it's a great opportunity for him. Good luck, Jared!
 
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kevin love is an inch taller at 6'10 and maybe less athletic...but in the end, its all about the team, I just want to see Sully win, just like I want to see ET win.

I have a feeling Sully and Rondo are gonna be real good together, Sully will be in the right place at the right time and Rondo will get him easy buckets.
 
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Mon, 07/02/2012
Sullinger on M&M: 'I'm just ready to play'
By: Jerry Spar

Jared Sullinger joined the Mut & Merloni show Monday, four days after being selected by the Celtics with the 21st pick in the first round of the NBA draft, and said he's looking forward to living his dream of playing in the NBA.

Sullinger, who wore No. 51 in college, will wear No. 7 ("My mom's birthday month") with the Celtics.

The former Ohio State standout was regarded as a lottery pick until reports came out that he had some back issues that could be degenerative.

"Medical school is over," he said. "I [couldn't] care less what people say. I know how I'm feeling. I'm feeling great. I'm just ready to play."

Sullinger insisted he played with "no pain" his last couple of seasons with the Buckeyes, but that didn't stop prospective teams from pressing him about his back.

"Everybody was asking me about it," he said. "But I laughed it off, because if you looked at me in workouts you would think, 'Oh, nothing's wrong with him.' But the MRI showed that I've got a bulging disk. But that's about it."

As for other concerns about his transition to the NBA, Sullinger is eager to prove his detractors wrong.

"Honestly, everything's been going in one year and going out the other. I hardly ever stick with what they say about me," he said. "You hear so much: He's not athletic, he's not tall enough, he's too small for his position, all that stuff. It just goes through one year and out the other. I [couldn't] care less what they say. I'm just ready to play."

Growing up, Sullinger followed all three players who would go on to form Boston's new Big Three, and he's been a fan of the team since the trio united in Boston in 2007.

"When we were growing up we loved watching Paul Pierce play," Sullinger said. "As kids, me and my brothers used to always watch Paul Pierce play basketball. And we used to always watch Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. And then when they all came to the Celtics, I was a Celtics fan. I'm not going to lie to you, I jumped on the bandwagon."
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http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21211166/sullinger-mm-im-just-ready-play


C's unveil rookies Sullinger, Melo, Joseph
July, 2, 2012
By Greg Payne | ESPNBoston.com

ALLSTON, Mass. -- Celtics rookies Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph were introduced to the media and the community on Monday morning, partaking in a host of educational exercises with students from the Jackson Mann/Horace Mann Educational Complex.

Joined by Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge at the introductory press conference, the rookies each answered many of the same questions that were raised about them prior to Thursday's NBA draft.

Sullinger, who was medically red-flagged by doctors at the NBA draft combine in Chicago for a back issue, said he doesn't suffer from any physical ailments.

"Honestly, I don't have any back problems, but it is what it is," Sullinger said. "I'm just playing basketball now. I finally have a job, and now it's time to take the next step and get ready to play.

Originally projected as a top 10 pick in this year's draft before being red-flagged, Sullinger described the adversity of falling to No. 21 overall as reflective of his path in basketball up to this point.

"If you consider me landing to the Boston Celtics a drop, then I'd do it all over again, without a hesitation," Sullinger said. "I mean, honestly, it's been like that all my life. When I was younger, everybody said I was too big. Going into high school, they said I wouldn't be able to play that fast, going into college, I wouldn't be able to keep up. It's just the way I live my life, obviously, so I'm just ready to get started."
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Sullinger will wear No. 7 for the Celtics
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http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4695813/cs-unveil-rookies-sullinger-melo-joseph
 
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Jared Sullinger won?t go negative
Chooses to ignore his doubters
By Mark Murphy
Tuesday, July 3, 2012

add449_070212celticsar08.jpg

Photo by Angela Rowlings
CHILD?S PLAY: New Celtics forward Jared Sullinger plays Jenga with students Sofia Brown (left) and Kareem DaVeiga yesterday at the Jackson/Mann Educational Complex.

From his bad back and plodding game to his draft night slide down the board to the Celtics [team stats], Jared Sullinger has heard a lot lately about what?s wrong.

Generally, though, the 6-foot-9 power forward just lowers his shoulder into this kind of doubt. He?s one of the greatest high school basketball players to ever come out of Ohio, and one of the greatest post scorers in the history of Ohio State basketball.

So what if he flew down the board on a toboggan last Thursday?

?If you consider me going to the Boston Celtics a drop, then I?ll do it all over again without the slightest hesitation,? he said yesterday.

Ask about his back.

?Honestly, I don?t have any back problems,? said Sullinger, who reportedly played with a herniated disc problem both seasons at Ohio State. ?It is what it is, and I?m just playing basketball now. I finally have a job and now it?s time to take the next step and just get ready to play.?

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http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1061143124&srvc=rss

Sullinger has things to prove
By Gary Washburn
Globe Staff / July 3, 2012

Excuse Jared Sullinger if he wasn’t basking in the glory of being a first-round NBA draft pick. Sullinger was introduced as a Celtic Monday at Jackson Mann Educational Complex in Allston and he wore a sullen, focused expression throughout the news conference.

Sullinger apparently did everything the right way. Instead of darting to the NBA the moment he was projected as a top-10 draft pick, he returned to Ohio State to pursue another chance to win a national title and to refine his game.

Last April, the Buckeyes reached the Final Four for the first time in five years, but a difficult matchup with Kansas’ Thomas Robinson in the national semifinal began a difficult period for Sullinger. Suddenly, the burly power forward with the soft hands and smooth touch around the basket didn’t seem athletic enough to handle power forwards.

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basket...nger_comes_to_boston_with_something_to_prove/

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1Fn6zKmkJI"]Celtics Introduce the 2012 Draft Picks - July 2, 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhpkpg9FgUM"]Sullinger on Back Issues | NBA 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNPeeEaYorM"]Celtics Rookies in the Community - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ-c7SZbl8c"]Interview with Jared Sullinger - July 2, 2012 - YouTube[/ame]
 
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