Abdel Nader chose D-League over Europe and it paid off

There was plenty of hype around the new faces at the Boston Celtics' Media day on Monday, but one new one may have gotten a bit lost.

This summer, Abdel Nader earned a guaranteed contract and a spot on the 15-man roster after getting cut and sent to the D-League last year.

Speaking with the media on Monday, Nader admitted that he could have made more money elsewhere, but he chose to stick it out in the D-League last season.



Nader instead bet on himself and it's worked out. The 58th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft was the 2016-17 D-League Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the Maine Red Claws. He was solid yet again for the Celtics' Summer League entry this year and his investment paid off with a four-year deal.

Where Nader fits in from here is another question. The Egyptian-American forward turned 24 on Monday and brings some versatility from the wing. At 6-foot-6, he proved to be a solid defensive presence for the Red Claws and could bring some of that to the back of the bench for Boston. Still, with plenty of veterans and highly touted youngsters in front of him, earning significant playing time will be a bit of a stretch.

Still, his time in the D-League paid off. If the Celtics hadn't signed him, another NBA team surely would have. And as for money overseas, there's still time for him to go that route after pursuing his NBA dream.


Photo: Gary Washburn via Twitter (Top), Rick Bowman/AP Images (Bottom)

Follow Steven Tydings on Twitter @StevenTydings
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