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Much of the attention on the Boston Celtics’ rookie class has been paid to the likes of Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, and of course, Tacko Fall.
But none of them were the C’s top draft pick this past season (Fall wasn’t even drafted). That distinction belongs to University of Indiana product Romeo Langford, who the Celtics drafted at No. 14 overall, eight spots ahead of Williams.
For most of the offseason, Langford went seemingly unnoticed as he recovered from surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb. And after being cleared to play last week, Langford continued to give good news on his health with training camp starting Tuesday.
“My hand is 100 percent now,” Langford said. “I don’t feel any pain with it.”
Romeo Langford says his hand is 100%. "I don't feel any pain with it. ... No restrictions."
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) September 30, 2019
In Langford’s only season at Indiana, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 16.5 points per game, but his dreadful 3-point shooting — impacted by playing through his thumb injury — is a major cause for concern.
Langford shot just 27.2 percent from beyond the arc in college, but with his shooting hand fully recovered for his ailment, Langford hopes the strides he has made — he practiced shooting with a ping-pong paddle tethered to his off-hand — will transform him into a proficient outside shooter.
“I’m done using the paddle,” Langford said. “I’ve graduated from that. My shot has improved a lot just going back to the film from high school and college and looking at that.”