From the moment Hugo Gonzalez stepped onto the floor under his watch, Chus Mateo knew he was dealing with something special.
So when Mateo watched Gonzalez getting some work in with player development coaches from the balcony above the Auerbach Center on Wednesday morning, and later saw him check into a game against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden, none of it came as a surprise. Mateo always believed Gonzalez’s work ethic, attitude, competitiveness, and internal drive would carry him to moments like these.
Mateo coached Gonzalez for two seasons at Real Madrid, during which the two won two league titles, a Copa del Rey, and a Super Cup.
Gonzalez’s role was limited, though, as he often found himself buried in a rotation stacked with NBA experience. Last season alone, 10 players on the Real Madrid roster — Bruno Fernando, Dennis Smith Jr., Dzanan Musa, Facu Campazzo, Gabriel Deck, Mario Hezonja, Serge Ibaka, Usman Garuba, Edy Tavares, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes — had logged time in the NBA.
Still, even in those limited minutes, Mateo never doubted what he had.
“He has the potential to be great, and I’m certain of it,” Mateo said back in October of 2024. “His time will come, and when it does, he will shine.”
Now, watching that belief materialize, Mateo couldn’t be happier.
“I’m very happy, and I’m very proud. Because I know how hard he has had to work to be here.” Mateo told WEEI.com. “I’m proud for everybody that has worked with him before. To see him, how he’s playing, how he’s doing, and the impact that he has on the court when he goes in. He can play more or less minutes, but it’s important for the team. So we are very proud of him.”
Although Gonzalez’s box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, his impact has been undeniable. Plus-minus doesn’t always tell the full story, but in this case, it aligns with the eye test. Gonzalez’s +216 is second-best on the Celtics, trailing only Derrick White (+278). Among rookies, the gap is massive: Gonzalez is +182 ahead of the next closest first-year player, Dylan Harper (+96).
The advanced numbers only reinforce that picture. On a per-100-possessions basis, Gonzalez’s +17.6 net rating leads the Celtics by a wide margin, with Neemias Queta (9.9) the next closest. Among all players who have appeared in at least 35 games, Gonzalez’s +17.6 net rating ranks first in the NBA.
As Mateo watches Gonzalez navigate his rookie season, it’s his work on the defensive end that stands out most. Gonzalez’s 103.7 defensive rating leads the Celtics this season and ranks fifth in the NBA among players who have appeared in at least 40 games. He has also recorded eight games with multiple steals.
“He is doing very good things behind on defense,” Mateo said. “He is playing with intensity, and he’s doing a lot of things off-the-ball. He is blocking shots. He’s defending the opponents very well. That’s something that always makes teams grow. So it’s good. It’s good to know that he’s helping his team to be at the top of the standings. The Boston Celtics have been doing so many good things in the last few years. It’s good to know that he’s involved in this good environment.”
Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzulla has often praised the 19-year-old’s defensive instincts, noting they put him “ahead of the game,” and given him a chance to contribute, a skill Mateo says Gonzalez has always possessed.
“He always was a very good defender,” he said. “Now, Coach Mazzulla is doing very good things for him too, because, sometimes, he is making him defend the best opponent of the other team. That’s something that is going to make him grow as a player, as a man, trying to destroy some walls that are important to be mature.”
The rookie has been up for Mazzulla’s challenge against some of the NBA’s top scorers. He’s held Pascal Siakam to 6-of-17 (35.3%) shooting, Cade Cunningham 2-of-8 (25.0%), and Jamal Murray 1-of-5 (20%), for example.
Much of that is a credit to Gonzalez’s instincts, IQ, and ability to impact the winning, which have been on display throughout the season. And moving forward, Mateo is confident Gonzalez is in the perfect spot to keep growing.
“He’s in the right place,” he said. “He’s with a good coach, with a good team, with good teammates, and good assistant coaches that are going to make him learn how to be even better. And, he’s on a team that wants to win. He has everything to be successful.”
Mateo, who was officially named head coach of the Spanish national team in September, said he hopes to see more of Gonzalez up close with the national team.
“For the Spanish national team, he is going to be a great player in the future. We have big expectations for him in Spain,” Mateo said. “We would like to bring him with us. Of course, it’s going to be a good experience for him, on his way to being a great player. It’s probably one of the best experiences that someone can have to be part of their national team.”
After nearly a decade in Real Madrid’s system, joining the club’s youth team at just 10 years old, Gonzalez made his debut for Spain’s Senior National Team in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers last February.
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