Who is Celtics 2020 draft pick Yam Madar?
In what turned out to be Danny Ainge’s final draft pick with the Celtics, Boston selected a little-known (in America, that is) Israeli prospect in the second round of the 2020 NBA draft named Yam Madar. Madar filled the classic “draft and stash” model for many international prospects, but Boston fans might be getting a look at the Hapoel Tel Aviv star earlier than expected.
With recent news of his expected appearance at NBA Summer League next month, the Israeli point guard is all of a sudden on the Celtics radar again. Who is Madar as a player and how did the Celtics stumble upon a Mizrahi Jew from Beit Dagan?
There should be excitement about Madar as a possible backup point guard option in Boston on a team that notably lacks depth at the position. After a solid 2019-20 season for a teenager playing in one of Europe’s better leagues, the 47th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft took off for Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2020-2021.
Madar became the youngest player in the history of the Israeli Basketball Premier League to win the Most Improved Player award as he averaged 17.1 points per game and 5.2 assists this past season.
The outstanding 2020-2021 season came after the Celtics had already used a second round pick on the Israeli youngster. His true global basketball arrival came at the FIBA 2019 U20 European Championships where Wizards top 2020 draft pick Deni Avdija and Madar led Israel to the gold medal. Madar led the tournament in assists and finished second on the Israeli national team in scoring.
At 6-foot-3, he has solid size for a future NBA point guard. When Ainge selected him, the biggest question offensively surrounded his shooting. In 2020-2021, his shooting took a tremendous leap. Madar went 26.7% from three in 2019-20, but shot over 40% from distance last season on over four attempts per game.
While it remains to be seen how his shooting translates to the NBA level, certain elements of Madar’s arsenal should seamlessly flow from Israel to the US. His quickness and creativity will help him on any basketball court as he constantly sees passes that most players miss. As a finisher, he will continue to improve but there is already a solid floater and layup package to go with the burst and slipperiness.
Defensively, Madar’s competitiveness paired with his lateral quickness could make for an above average NBA defender. The clear weakness is his strength, which is a weakness for many 20 year-old prospects that can easily be improved upon at the next level. Madar has constantly been lauded by the Israel media for his toughness and spirit. He is one of those players who never stops his intensity on both ends.
In a recent article from The Athletic’s Celtics reporter Jay King, he spoke with Madar’s veteran Hapoel Tel Aviv teammate Jon Diebler who touched on his unique competitiveness.
“Yam is very mature for his age,” Diebler told The Athletic. “It’s not easy for a guy that age to kind of control the team at the professional level, especially in a top division in Israel where there’s a lot of foreign players, but Yam’s a guy who was very confident in his game. You felt his presence and that he knew he belonged if that makes sense. I think it goes back to that confidence. It’s a confidence. It’s not a cockiness. It’s a confidence where it’s like, ‘Hey, man, no matter my age, I belong here.’ ”
For Celtics fans, NBA Summer League could be the place where Madar goes from international man of mystery to part of the future solution at point guard.
