Baylor Scheierman Is Turning Heads in Boston - And He’s Not Asking for Permission
BOSTON - Baylor Scheierman doesn’t exactly fit the mold of your typical NBA wing. He’s not from a basketball hotbed, didn’t play at a blue-blood college, and doesn’t carry the kind of pedigree that usually commands respect on sight. But none of that seems to matter now - not to him, not to the Celtics, and certainly not to anyone watching him knock down threes with a smirk on his face.
The 25-year-old second-year Celtic, who grew up in a small Nebraska town and played most of his college ball at South Dakota State, is used to being overlooked. Only a handful of players from his home state or alma mater have ever made it to the league. But if you think that’s going to shake him, you haven’t been paying attention.
Scheierman’s game - and his attitude - were on full display Friday night at TD Garden. With Celtics star Jaylen Brown resting, Scheierman got the starting nod against the Sacramento Kings and made the most of it. Early in the game, as he rose up for a wide-open three in front of the Kings' bench, a few Sacramento players tried to rattle him with some well-timed trash talk.
Bad idea.
Scheierman calmly drilled the shot, then turned and stared them down with the kind of quiet confidence that says, “You should’ve known better.”
“I’m a 6'7” white guy with shaggy hair and some tattoos,” he said postgame, grinning in the locker room after Boston’s 112-93 win. “So they like to attack me when I'm out there. I’ll give it right back to them.”
That edge? It’s not new. Scheierman has been feeding off that kind of energy since his rookie season - and probably long before that.
“It's the best feeling, no question,” he said when asked if hitting a three in front of the opposing bench hits different.
Against Sacramento, Scheierman finished with 16 points - just one shy of his season high - and added five rebounds in nearly 31 minutes of action. His shooting stroke continues to be a weapon, but it’s not the only part of his game that’s catching the coaching staff’s eye.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was quick to highlight a defensive play that won’t show up in highlight reels - a single steal that, to him, spoke volumes about Scheierman’s growth on that end of the floor.
“He’s developed into a utility guy for us defensively, where he can defend different matchups,” Mazzulla said. “He draws some legal screens for us, but he can make defensive plays.
Baylor Scheierman on what the opposing bench says to him:
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) January 31, 2026
“I’m a 6-foot-7 white guy with shaggy hair and some tattoos. So they like to attack me when I'm out there. I'll give it right back to them.”
“It’s the best feeling,” he says of hitting a 3 in front of the opposing bench. pic.twitter.com/aPdF5Y7ePC
He knows how to play versus cross-matches at the other end, and he’s been making some shots and offensive rebounds. So, I’m pleased with where he’s grown defensively for us.”
That kind of versatility is exactly what’s kept Scheierman in the rotation - and what’s starting to earn him more trust from the coaching staff. The Celtics are now 3-1 when he starts, and Mazzulla’s confidence in him seems to be growing with each outing.
Barely got the end of it but Baylor Scheierman just blew a kiss to the Sixers bench after that 3 pic.twitter.com/ZU0V8GCLnw
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 7, 2025
“I think I’ve tried to make the most of every opportunity that I’ve gotten, and with that comes more trust,” Scheierman said. “I’m just out there trying to impact the game in whatever way necessary.”
And the numbers back him up. Nearly 50 games into the season, Scheierman is shooting a career-best 45.9% from the field and an impressive 41.5% from beyond the arc.
His minutes are trending upward, and that could continue Sunday afternoon when the Celtics - now 30-18 - host the Milwaukee Bucks. If Brown sits again, Scheierman could be in line for his seventh career start.
This cannot be a NBA player man pic.twitter.com/5Rbyn4Q4JS
— Aadan (@JMurrayWrld) January 8, 2026
But whether he’s in the starting five or coming off the bench, one thing’s clear: Scheierman plays like someone who knows exactly who he is - and doesn’t care if you don’t.
He’s not just surviving in the NBA. He’s making sure you notice him while he thrives.