You can excuse yourself if you've never heard of Theo Pinson. The undrafted guard is only averaging 3 points per game during his NBA career and has played just 68 games over his first three seasons.
But those figures don't capture his impact. The UNC alum is widely considered one of the best teammates in the NBA. That's relevant, because the Celtics invited him to training camp Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Pinson, 25, spent two years with the Nets before playing 17 games with the Knicks last season. As the playoffs neared, several of Pinson's teammates shouted him out for his off-court contributions.
"Long term deal @tpinsonn one of the dopest teammates ever on that sideline," tweeted forward Reggie Bullock. "And it don't go uncounted FOR...peace and love gang."
First-round pick R.J. Barrett concurred with Bullock's assessment. "Theo is a great guy," he said. "He always has all the energy in the world. Whether it is 8 o'clock in the morning or 10 o'clock at night. He is always getting us pumped up, always cheering us on. He is a great guy to have around."
What makes Pinson such a great teammate? He's known to dish out fist-bumps and high-fives liberally, and always seems to keep things light.
He even makes Kyrie Irving chuckle.
An integral part of UNC's 2017 national championship run, maybe Pinson can be a worthwhile contributor to the Celtics on the court. But either way, for a team looking to change its culture, he seems to be the perfect ancillary addition.
One high five can go a long way.
