Celtics select – Boston selected St. John’s wing Dillon Mitchell with the 40th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, aiming to add a versatile, high-motor defender to its second-round rotation.
A day after Boston added another prospect in Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Celtics turned to the second round and used the 40th pick on St. John’s wing Dillon Mitchell.
The 6-foot-7 Mitchell has moved through multiple stops in college. starting his first two seasons at Texas. transferring to Cincinnati for his junior year. and closing out his career with the Red Storm. This past year, he played for Rick Pitino at St. John’s and turned in production that leaned heavily into hustle and impact: 8.3 points. 7.0 rebounds. 3.0 assists. and 1.3 steals in 28.1 minutes per game.
Those numbers came with recognition. Mitchell earned All-Big East Third Team honors and All Defensive Team honors at St. John’s.
During Wednesday’s draft proceedings, it was a familiar Boston name that made the call official in the second-round selection. Former Celtics great Isaiah Thomas—who recently rejoined Boston as a college and pro scout—called Mitchell into the NBA.
Mitchell’s appeal is built around his defense. He’s an athletic defender who can guard multiple positions, and evaluators believe that part of his game can translate quickly. The question is how much his offense will be able to keep up.
He struggled from deep last season, making just one of his 15 3-point attempts. His free-throw shooting has also been a concern across his college career, where he converted 48 percent of his free-throw attempts.
Still, the upside for Boston is the way Mitchell plays once the action starts. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie described him as a high-effort defender.
“Mitchell is an awesome defender and can make a strong impact on that end in the NBA. I love how hard he plays,” Vecenie said. “His motor doesn’t quit.“
Veeenie added that Mitchell rebounds well for his position and tries to sprint out in transition to create early offense. He also cautioned that Mitchell “won’t be for everyone. ” depending on roster needs. but that there are “situational spots” where he might find a role because “the defense is that valuable.”.
Mitchell’s draft selection lands the Celtics in a familiar posture as teams look ahead to what’s next on the floor: a second-round chance on a player whose value is already obvious on one side of the ball. For Boston. the bet is that defensive urgency and versatility can outweigh the limitations in shooting—and that. with the right context. Mitchell can earn meaningful minutes.
Boston Celtics Dillon Mitchell St. John's 2026 NBA Draft Isaiah Thomas Rick Pitino