We are less than a month into the 2024-25 NBA season and the New Orleans Pelicans already wish they could start over. Almost every major rotation player they have, besides Brandon Ingram, has been slated to miss significant time with injury. They continue to sink deeper and deeper below .500 and it doesn’t seem like they’ll be getting back up for air anytime soon.
In the midst of the apocalypse, there is one young man who has emerged as a hero. He’s no savior— it would take more than a miracle to save this team. He is, though, someone who Pelicans fans can rally behind as a light amidst the storm, a glimmer of hope when all seems lost. This brave warrior isn’t the aforementioned Ingram, or Yves Missi, the thunderously impressive rookie. It’s someone much more unsuspecting— the Bilbo Baggins or Neville Longbottom of this story.
Welcome back to Two-Way Talents! This series highlights two-way contract players across the association that are balling out and staking a claim for a bigger role. The goal is to give unknown players the attention they deserve. In the first installment of the new season, we’ll be talking about Brandon Boston Jr., the fourth-year wing who has made a winning hand out of the awful cards his team has been dealt.
Boston was once one of the most hyped prospects at his age. He was a McDonald’s All-American in high school and a top recruit who ended up at the renowned University of Kentucky. Unfortunately, he underperformed in his single year in college and slipped all the way to the 51st pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He joined the Clippers where he was an afterthought in the rotation for three years, stuck behind Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and company with no way to unleash the talent buried within him. After being cut from the Spurs training camp roster this past offseason, he was nearly out of the league until the Pelicans rescued him off waivers.
It’s safe to say New Orleans is very glad they did so.
As a result of all the injuries, Boston has become a de facto starter and he has absolutely flourished in the new opportunity so far. Finally being able to play big minutes and play through mistakes has allowed him to begin to realize the potential he has. He’s filling up the scoring column to the tune of a career-high 11.6 points per game and showing he can affect the game in other ways, too. Let’s dig into the tape and learn more about what he can do.
The first thing that jumps out about Boston’s game is that he’s a super advanced scorer for a guy who has played so few real NBA minutes. He can put the ball in the hoop from all three levels and he does it with the craft and prowess of a star. He handles the rock on a string and can create space and get to his spots whenever he wants. When New Orleans lost Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum to injury, they lost a ton of creation and Boston has picked up some of that slack. He loves pullup jumpshots, especially from the mid-range. His game is not analytically friendly for that reason, but it doesn’t matter because teams need to have guys on the floor who can go make plays and get a bucket. That’s what Boston has been for the Pels in their time of need.
The most surprising part of Boston’s breakout November has been his passing. He’s a score-first player, and prior to this year, 1.0 was his career high in assists per game. However, now that he has the ball in his hands more, he’s shown a level of unselfishness that has made him a legitimately viable secondary creator. In a game on November 11th versus Brooklyn, the young wing shot just 3-13 from the field, but he dished out a career-best 10 dimes. He knows how to find the right balance between getting his own and helping others do their thing, and that sort of IQ will keep him in an NBA rotation even on a fully healthy roster.
Defensively, Boston has been a disruptive thief, leveraging his near seven-foot wingspan to grab well over two steals per 100 possessions. He’s adept at using that length to poke around in the passing lanes and break up actions. His STL% so far is up there with established stoppers like Jalen Suggs and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This is a new development to his game, so time will tell if it’s a fluke or not.
Brandon Boston Jr. is one of countless examples of how much opportunity and situation matter in the NBA. There are countless players across the league who are waiting in the shadows, grinding in silence and staying ready for when their chance comes. Boston is getting his shot now, waking up anyone who slept on him, and he serves as a reminder to all that talent can be found anywhere if you look hard enough.
The Bench Mob Blog 