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Fans of the Boston Celtics did not see a lot of the Celtics last pick of the 2026 NBA Draft very much this season, two way point guard Max Shulga having spent most of his playing time suiting up for the Maine Celtics. But, during his tenure playing up in Portland under Maine head coach (and former Boston guard himself) Phil Pressey at the G League level, Shulga has been growing his game in leaps and bounds.
To that end, Pressey had plenty to say about Shulga’s growth in a recent interview, praising the work the Ukrainian guard has been putting in this past season. “Max is a player who played both positions, point guard and shooting guard in college,” said Pressey. “When he was with us, he was our primary point guard. I wish he could have stayed with us the whole year so I could have developed him even more.”
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“However, Boston needed him, so he had to jump back and forth,” added the Maine coach. “But he’s on his way, right?”
Oct 8, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Boston Celtics guard Max Shulga (44) dribbles as Memphis Grizzlies forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (18) defends during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
“He just has to keep working, keep getting better, keep working, keep getting better,” continued Pressey.” And I’ve seen great improvement. One of our assistants … has worked with him, especially on his shooting. “
“He was an okay shooter coming in, but I feel like he’s gained some confidence with the work and the reps that he’s put in … He just has to, of course, score the basketball. That’s what he does at a high level. I think defensively he can get better. I think rebounding can get better. In the NBA, especially the guys who are two ways, who are trying to make it, what are you going to do if you’re not scoring the basketball? As I mentioned, Ron (Harper Jr.), when he’s not scoring the basketball, he’s shown that he can defend, he’s shown that he can rebound.”
“So that’s the next step for him as he grows in his career … if you’re not scoring 40 points, what else can you do?”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics coach Phil Pressey on growth of Max Shulga this season
