I still think this is a perfect fit. The Celtics can provide Stephenson with the guidance and leadership that he needs and can put him in a situation where he can develop. Rondo can teach him how to break into the NBA and gain respect through his play and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce can teach him the mental and physical preparation needed to be successful in the NBA.

The future of the Celtics will revolve around their backcourt, led by Rajon Rondo. With Ray Allen approaching his personal finish line, the time seems right to begin the search for Rondo's sidekick.

The Celtics can afford to gamble on upside. They have not drafted a player contributing to their current team since 2007, so with a relatively early pick they will be ready to draft long-term potential.

Raw young big man with exceptionally rare physical tools. Has great size, solid athleticism, and freakishly long arms. Led the NCAA in shot-blocking as a freshman. Very productive rebounder. Shows intriguing skills offensively, both facing and with his back to the basket. Feel for the game, fundamentals leave a lot to be desired. Poor passer whose thin frame makes him a project on both ends of the court. Has serious off court red flags he must overcome.

Tony Allen is probably not the answer for the Celtics' bench and knee surgeries are surely going to cut his career short. The Celtics are also old, and could lose Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to free agency. They could get a steal by taking George here, but we've also seen mocks that have him going as high as No. 11. He started out as a relative unknown this year, but is quickly gaining fans in the NBA. He's an athletic power dunker who can contribute in almost any fantasy-scoring category, and averaged nearly 17 points and seven boards for Fresno. He's our favorite sleeper in the draft, and we doubt we're alone in that thinking.

a talented wing player who can defend multiple positions; a nice luxury with the Celtics possibly losing Ray Allen to free agency.

He needed all four years at Washington to improve his shooting and develop as an aggressive defender. Pondexter is a good athlete who attacks the offensive board, and his college experience will enable him to fit in nicely with the Celtics as they begin their transition from old to young.

Bledsoe, the best player available, could fit as a part of a three-guard rotation in Boston, potentially replacing Ray Allen at the off-guard and spelling Rondo at lead. The key here is in Bledsoe's potential as a floor-spacing shooter and scorer. The Celtics under Rondo become much more easily defended when Allen isn't hitting his jumpers.

The Celtics need some depth in their backcourt. Eric Bledsoe and Jordan Crawford would be possibilities, but the Celtics worked out Dominique Jones and really liked him. There's a chance they could trade down, but if not they will likely take Jones.

Analysis: Alabi may seem like a bit of a reach to some, but he appears to be one of the hotter names in the draft at the moment. The Raptors, Celtics, Spurs, Thunder, Heat and Blazers are all showing interest. Those are all teams with historically good draft track records, so watch carefully. Alabi measured as one of the tallest and longest players in the draft, and he showed a nice skill game and a terrific motor in the drills.

Some scouts are comparing him to Dikembe Mutombo. I don't think Alabi has the same sort of rebounding and shot-blocking ability, but he does have a similar demeanor and presence on the court.