JD Davison received recognition for his strong start toa the G League season for the Maine Celtics, as the guard was named to the G League Up Next game during the NBA All-Star weekend. Davison was one of 28 players to receive the honour, which is a fantastic achievement for the second-year pro.
However, there appears to have been some problem, as Davison was suspended by the Maine Celtics for breaking team standards. Davison did not play in Tuesday’s 111-103 victory over the Raptors 905. It’s unclear how long the suspension will last and for what, but it’s a setback for the 21-year-old guard.
Davison has impressed this season, which is why he was selected for the Up Next game. In his second season of professional basketball, he averages 21.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. The Celtics selected Davison from Alabama 53rd overall in the 2022 draft. He appeared in 12 NBA games for the Celtics last season and will play two games in 2023-24.
Before the Celtics’ triumph against the Pelicans on Monday, coach Joe Mazzulla spoke about Davison’s future honour.
“To me, as long as he knows that that’s not what gets him, as far as the Celtics go,” he said. “Like I said, that’s a fantastic thing. That should be something you pursue, but I don’t want guys to believe that it defines them, so that’s an excellent individual prize for him.
“And I’ve watched him improve as a player when he first arrived here, particularly in his attitude to the game and defence, so that validation is fantastic. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about the minor details: defence, reads, execution, and professionalism, as if those are earned over time. So I hope he loves it while also understanding the process.
