Sullinger scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds in 24 minutes in his Celtics debut during summer league action in Orlando on Monday. The Ohio State product was impressive in Boston's 73-65 victory over Oklahoma City, showing the versatility and toughness he's become known for.
His skill set apparently dates back to his childhood days, when Sullinger would engage in some serious hoops battles with his siblings.
"When you have two brothers like Julian Sullinger and J.J. Sullinger that, when you go through the air on concrete and they throw you to the ground and [you] get scrapes all over your arms, you learn to concentrate on making the shot instead of the scrapes all over your arms," Sullinger said, according to the Boston Herald.
"Every time I cried they would yell at me because I was worried about the scab or something instead of just worrying about the shot," the forward added. "When you have two brothers like that, there's no choice but to make the shot. It happened at an early age. Probably like 5. They train you well. I owe them a lot."
Sullinger was a standout at Ohio State, and he was expected to become a top five or top 10 draft pick. However, a medical red flag just prior to the draft caused him to slip all the way to the Celtics at No. 21, and Boston relished the opportunity to grab him.
Sullinger is seen by many as NBA ready, and he certainly looked it on Monday — even if it was just summer league action.
