What the NBA Draft experts are saying about Celtics pick Hugo Gonzalez

With the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night the Boston Celtics selected wing Hugo Gonzalez. The 19-year-old has spent his entire career playing in his home country of Spain.

Last year Gonzalez appeared in 56 games for Real Madrid between Liga ACB and EuroLeague play, but played just 11.2 minutes per game. That leaves him as more of an unknown than some of his fellow draft picks who played bigger roles with their college programs.

So, what is known about Gonzalez? Here's what some of the top NBA Draft experts had to say about him leading up to the draft...

NBA teams, in general, underestimate the predictive value of stats from European leagues. I call it Hezonja’s Razor: Usually if a player’s numbers aren’t good over there, it’s because he’s…not good. Maybe González is good enough defensively to become an exception, but a 9.8 PER with more turnovers than assists and a 28.7 percent mark from 3 is discouraging. González is a good athlete with a solid frame who might be able to play some power forward, even at 6-6 – he had a 10.1 percent rebound rate and 3.0 percent block rate in the highest-level European league. However, he also fouled like crazy, committing more than one every six minutes. One benefit to taking González in the second round, however, is that he does have some potential stashability. With a steep buyout on his Real Madrid deal, a team with head-count issues could park him off the roster for a year before bringing him over. (Source)

Looking like a lottery-level talent in multiple settings over the past several years, including in small doses this season with highlight-reel plays on both ends of the floor, Gonzalez still showed significant flashes of ability as a transition scorer, pick-and-roll passer and, especially, a versatile defender, despite not having the luxury of playing through mistakes. Becoming a better shooter will be key for unlocking the value of his explosiveness and competitiveness at the highest levels. (Source)

Gonzalez is a high-motor wing with great defensive tools and a slashing style on offense. If his jumper and handle develop, he could be a versatile two-way starter. But he barely even played off the bench overseas. (Source)

It’s extremely tricky to project international prospects in minimal roles. That is the case with Gonzalez, the wing-sized ball handler who was more or less thrown on-court scraps for the past two seasons with Real Madrid, surrounded by several ex-NBA players and quality EuroLeague vets. Gonzalez has a terrific motor, and his effort on defense rarely wanes. His live dribble is smooth, as if the ball and his hand are one. But while his gait and movement are also fluid, there are some concerns about his pace. That’s partly because he still hasn’t fully earned respect as a shooter (aside from single-event hot streaks, he’s hovered in the high 20, low 30 percent range on 3s); defenses typically soft close on him or just ignore him entirely. His energy and foot patterns when attacking the paint are impressive, but I’d like to see him go off script a bit more when those patterns are interrupted—his discomfort with physicality can often lead him to either miss cutters or spot-up shooters or go two steps too far into traffic and throw an errant pass. There are things to like, but expectations should be (very) measured. (Source)

A tough, athletic, defensive-minded wing who brings energy, physicality, and maturity to the floor. One of the better perimeter defenders in the 2006-born international class. Projects as a 3-and-D role player with upside if shooting development trends upward. NBA teams will be intrigued by his defensive versatility, high-level experience, and team-first mentality. Lacks offensive polish and perimeter shooting consistency at this stage. If the shot comes around, he has the tools to become a high-level role player at the next level.