In his second Summer League with the Boston Celtics, 2023 second round pick Jordan Walsh is struggling to find his game that he shined so bright in last year as a rookie.

Walsh averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in four games this summer. He shot just 22 percent from the field on 10.3 attempts and he didn’t make any 3-pointers, going 0-for-22 from behind the arc.

Heading into Summer League, Walsh said that he was looking forward to getting into his bag without having to feed Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, further able to showcase himself in his second year.

“I don’t have a Jayson Tatum or JB that I have to get the ball too, so it’s kind of like I can get in my bag a little bit, but I still have to show Joe and Brad that I can play a role that they need me to play next year.”

Walsh thrived in Maine as a rookie last year in many ways. His ability to drive and score and shoot improved while being a strong defender on the other end of the court. He averaged 14.7 points on 42.6 percent shooting from the field and 36.1 percent from behind the arc.

Boston’s second-year player reflected that his mentality is what put him into a slump during Summer League and he wants to switch it up heading into training camp.

Asked Jordan Walsh if he felt like he entered this Summer League with more pressure this summer:

“I guess that’s kind of what slumped me in the beginning, just kind of going in with that mentality, not going in with the right mentality of ‘I got to go in and play as hard as I… pic.twitter.com/TONiYj0xAR

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) July 19, 2024

Although Walsh improved his shooting during his rookie year, his game is at its best when he drives and attacks and continues to build his presence in the post.

Walsh learned how to use his body frame to his advantage in Maine last year. His 7-foot-3 wingspan and broad shoulders allow him to successfully work and maneuver in the paint and in the post.

We unfortunately didn’t see much from him in that area during Summer League as we did in Maine last season, but when he did, it looked good.

Jordan Walsh getting to his spot in the post. Want to see more of this from him. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/NpblSsRueT

— The Celtics Files (@CelticsFiles) July 16, 2024

Nice work by Jordan Walsh, who comes off a screen, keeps his defender on his hip, then gets deep into the paint, drawing the help defender down low on the weak side, freeing Jaelen House for an open three. pic.twitter.com/jROVodqgUC

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) July 19, 2024

Jaylen Brown liked that Jordan Walsh finish pic.twitter.com/52SlfSS5tj

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) July 16, 2024

Walsh has the opportunity to play in Boston more often than not in his second season with the reigning champions that are bringing back 13 of 15 players from last year.

This wasn’t the best showcase for Walsh over the summer. He’ll have to make a strong case for himself during training camp if he’s going to play more for Boston in 2024-25.

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Photo Credit: David Dow, NBAE Getty Images