Celtics to get rights to guard Max Shulga with 57th pick in NBA Draft

The Boston Celtics have made their second and final selection of the 2025 NBA Draft -- well, technically the Orlando Magic made it.

But Orlando selected Virginia Commonwealth guard Max Shulga with the 57th pick Thursday night, and is expected to send him to Boston as part of the trade the clubs made earlier in the night. Since trades can't be made official until the start of the NBA league year on July 6, the Magic officially made two picks that will ultimately be sent to Boston.

A native of Kyiv, Ukraine, Shulga came stateside to play college ball at Utah State for his first three seasons, before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth for his final two. His points per game improved over all five of his seasons in college, culminating with 15 points per game for VCU in 2024-25.

Shulga shot 39.2% from three-point range in his college career, arriving in the NBA as a deadly shooter from downtown -- and a potentially perfect fit for the Celtics. The guard earned Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year honors after his senior year.

The C's acquired picks 46 and 57, plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027, in exchange for pick No. 32, which ended up being French forward Noah Penda, who will head to the Magic. With their two remaining 2025 selections, the C's selected Shulga (57) and Kentucky center Amari Williams (46).

^{Max Shulga}

Here are some highlights from Shulga's scouting report at HoopsHype:

-- "Deadeye catch-and-shoot threat, hit 43.4% on catch-and-shoot threes and 40.2% on nearly 400 total 3PA over last two seasons."

-- "Crafty scorer with elite change of pace, great use of jab steps, hang dribbles, up-fakes, and body control to draw fouls (5.4 FTA/game)."

-- "Smart, unselfish playmaker, 4.0 APG vs 1.7 TOV; not a high-risk passer but accurate and decisive."

-- "High feel on defense, good anticipation, active hands (1.8 SPG), and strong team rotations."

-- "Willing on-ball defender, picks up full court, fights through screens, and applies pressure."

-- "Lacks vertical pop and burst, limits finishing ceiling and leaves him vulnerable to being blocked or contested tightly."

-- "Inconsistent handle, can look polished or erratic from possession to possession; too right-hand dominant."

-- "Limited switchability, bigger wings can bully him; lacks strength to hold position consistently."

-- "At times appears too casual, low activity level can give scouts pause despite sharp decision-making."

Shulga sounds like a savvy offensive player who may run into challenges at the NBA level due to his relative lack of athleticism. But his catch-and-shoot ability is NBA-ready, and he could be a plug-and-play option for those situations.