Buddy Hield. Kris Dunn. Dragan Bender. Jamal Murray.
Markelle Fultz. Lonzo Ball. Josh Jackson. Dennis Smith.
Those were some of the names people were yelling for those two NBA Drafts, the ones where the Celtics had the third and first overall picks, respectively. Danny Ainge had other ideas. His vision was ultimately two players -- Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum -- who would ultimately provide the kind of star power every NBA team needs in order to enter the championship conversation.
They weren't playmakers. They weren't inside threats. They played very similar positions. And while elite in college, their presence wasn't elite enough to put them at the top of their respective Drafts, opening up the debate involving all those other names. But they had enough to ultimately be special talents in this league. Superstar talents. Ainge saw that early. We see it now.
When it comes to the team with the best of the best wing players, the Clippers probably win out with the combination of 29-year-old Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who is into his 30's. But the Celtics' duo, as they reminded us against the Sixers, aren't all that far behind.
Brown and Tatum weren't the only reason the Celtics' won their postseason opener. Kemba Walker did his thing to the tune of 19 points. The interior combination of Daniel Theis, Robert Williams, Enes Kanter and Grant Williams held the fort against Philadelphia go-to guy Joel Embiid. And before injuring his ankle, Gordon Hayward offered just enough in various ways to keep the Sixers honest.
Tom Brady was 24 years old when he first got a chance to start for the Patriots, taking two more years before defining himself as a star in the NFL. Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts? They were baseball-young when finding stardom, but that was still in their mid-20's. Maybe David Pastrnak comes close, starting a four-year run of scoring 34 or more goals while just 20 years old. But it wasn't at the level Brown and Tatum find themselves now, and there was only one of the Bruins' forward.
It's easy to soak in the entire equation and bust out projections for the players and their franchise. (No, we aren't going to go all Brian Scalabrine and throw around talk of dynasties.) Adding to the optimism is that fact Brown is signed through the 2023-24 season, while Tatum will undoubtedly have a max contract thrown his way in the not-so-distant future. But who knows? The future is a fickle mistress.
What we do know is this: These guys are really fun to watch, are easy to listen to, and offer the Celtics' legitimate title-contending hope.