Payton Pritchard is one of the greatest basketball players to play for the Oregon Ducks. Since being drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2020, Pritchard has been a valuable piece for the Celtics off the bench. Since the unfortunate injury to Jayson Tatum in last season's playoffs and the Celtics' moving some pieces around in the summer, Pritchard has taken on more responsibility.
While Pritchard has seen his minutes increase every season, this is the first time he has averaged more than 30 minutes per game. While playing an average of 33.8 minutes over the Celtics' first five games, Pritchard has contributed 14.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. Five basketball games is definitely a small sample size, and his stats could change over the course of the season. It is clear to see how his role has changed, as his shots per game have increased by 2.8 from his average last season.
Jrue Holiday going through Evan Fournier's legs, then dishing it to Payton Prtichard for 3 😲pic.twitter.com/411OwFzlHk
— Celtics Nation (@CelticsNationCP) October 18, 2023
However, so far, Pritchard's increased role has caused his stats to suffer in some areas. His field goal percentage has dropped, and his three-point percentage has fallen from 40.7% to 18.9%. Again, Pritchard could most definitely improve, and there is plenty of time to do so. The Celtics are off to a 2-3 start in the early season, so the team has struggled as a whole. Once Pritchard gets in his three-point groove, this could end up being his best season yet.
Pritchard played at Oregon from 2016-2020 and was easily a fan favorite amongst Duck fans. In his senior season, he averaged 20.5 PTS, 4.3 REBS, and 5.5 ASTS. His draft stock skyrocketed, as he earned multiple awards like Pac-12 Player of the Year, All-Pac-12 Tournament team, and Consensus All-American.
In his freshman season, Pritchard contributed to the Ducks' Final Four run in 2017, where the Ducks fell short to North Carolina, losing by a heartbreaking score of 77-76. In 2019, he led the Ducks to the Sweet 16 in March Madness, where they were the 12th seed. That year, the Ducks knocked off the 5th-seeded Wisconsin and the 13th-seeded UC-Irvine. The Ducks fell to No. 1 Virginia, which was the squad that ultimately won the tournament.