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A wild plus-minus stat is quietly turning Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez into one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Boston Celtics entered the 2025–26 season with real questions on the wing. Two months in, that concern has flipped into a strength and rookie Hugo Gonzalez is at the center of it.
Over his last three games, the 19-year-old has quietly stacked impact performances that go well beyond the box score:
6 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, +21
10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, +37
10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, +22
Those numbers tell a clear story. Gonzalez isn’t just surviving in NBA minutes, he’s driving winning basketball. He’s now the only Celtics rookie aged 19 or younger since Jayson Tatum to record a game with at least 10 rebounds and two blocks, a historical note that underscores how rare his early impact has been in Boston’s system.
Impact That Shows Up When It Matters
Among all rookies in the 2025-26 regular season, Gonzalez currently owns the best total plus/minus at +111. That figure leads a group that includes VJ Edgecombe (+94), Dylan Harper (+80), and several other lottery-level talents. For a No. 28 overall pick, that separation matters.
Boston has consistently been better when Gonzalez is on the floor. Through the first 28 games, his activity level, defensive instincts, and willingness to do the small things have tilted momentum in the Celtics’ favor. That trend peaked in a recent road win over the Toronto Raptors, when Gonzalez posted a game-best +37 in 28 minutes off the bench, one shy of his career-high workload.
Foul trouble limited his first-half run, but his second-half response earned praise from head coach Joe Mazzulla.
“[He’s] finding the balance of knowing how to be super aggressive versus defending without fouling so we can keep you on the floor,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t want to take that away because of his instincts and ability to make plays on both ends… The last few games he’s been great for us. He’s going to continue to get better and better.”
That balance has become the defining theme of Gonzalez’s early NBA stretch.
Advanced Numbers Back It Up
The surface stats are encouraging. The advanced metrics are even louder. Gonzalez has logged 305 total minutes this season and owns the best net rating in the Eastern Conference (+19.9) among players with at least 100 minutes played. League-wide, he trails only Alex Caruso (+27.5) and Aaron Gordon (+20.7), two of the NBA’s most respected high-impact role players.
That’s elite company, and it matters because it reframes Gonzalez’s role. He isn’t producing empty minutes. He’s contributing within winning lineups, stabilizing defensive possessions, and helping Boston control games when the starters rest.
Quiet Growth on Offense
Defense was always expected to be Gonzalez’s calling card. The offensive efficiency has been the surprise.
In limited usage (13.2 minutes per game), Gonzalez is shooting 52 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three. He’s picking his spots, finishing plays created by others, and avoiding the rushed decisions that often plague young wings. His recent rebounding surge, 18 boards over his last two games, has only expanded his value within Boston’s rotation.
That versatility showed again in Monday’s 103-95 win over the Pacers, when Gonzalez logged a season-high 37 minutes and delivered six points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. The scoring dipped, but the impact didn’t.
Why It Matters for Boston
The Celtics didn’t draft Gonzalez to be a scorer right away. They drafted him to fit. Two months into the season, he’s doing exactly that and more.
With the emergence of Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh paired with the established duo of Jaylen Brown and soon-to-return Jayson Tatum, they have more than sured up their depth. And if this early stretch is any indication, Hugo Gonzalez may already be emerging as one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Jalon Dixon Jalon Dixon is a multi-platform sports journalist and content creator specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage. He blends writing, podcasting, and video analysis to deliver accessible, in-depth perspectives on basketball and beyond. More about Jalon Dixon
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