NBA Summer League Incident
In a surprising turn of events at the NBA Summer League on Monday night, Boston Celtics forward Jordan Walsh found himself ejected from the game after a scuffle with Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson. The incident escalated during the second quarter of their matchup at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas when Walsh, after a physical exchange, shoved Larsson, sending him crashing into courtside seats occupied by Celtics owner Bill Chisholm and general manager Brad Stevens.
Rare Ejection in Summer League
In Summer League games, ejections are rare due to a lenient foul system allowing players up to ten fouls. However, Walsh’s actions were deemed excessive, leading officials to issue him a second technical foul shortly after his initial one—awarded for taunting following a contested layup. Both players incurred technical fouls, resulting in a double technical as emotions ran high.
Walsh’s Performance and Future Prospects
Prior to his ejection, Walsh was having a productive night, scoring a team-leading 13 points with an efficient shooting performance of 5-for-8 from the field. The 21-year-old, who averaged only 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in limited play during his previous season with the Celtics, was selected as the 38th pick in the 2023 draft from the University of Arkansas.
This incident raises concerns about his prospects as he aims to carve out a more significant role on the team, especially with the added pressure of underperformance in an exhibition game witnessed by his team’s upper management.
