Baylor Scheierman’s College Coach Pinpoints Celtics Draft Pick’s Most ‘Underrated’ Skill

Baylor Scheierman’s elite 3-point shooting propelled him to a job in the NBA with the Boston Celtics.

But it’s not all the 6-foot-7, 205-pound guard can do on the basketball court.

In fact, with all the focus on Scheierman’s strong outside shooting ability — he was a 39% shooter from beyond the arc in his college career — some of his other strengths are going overlooked.

And South Dakota State coach Eric Henderson, who coached Scheierman for the three seasons he spent with the Jackrabbits before he transferred to Creighton, saw another offensive trait from the recent Celtics draft pick as “underrated.”

“That’s what really first caught my eye when I saw him as a junior in high school is just his ability to pass,” Henderson told NESN.com. “He is such a creative passer, but he enjoys it. He’s such a willing passer and he really celebrates making that pass. When you have that, when that’s a trait of yours, I feel like he’s fun to play with.”

Scheierman routinely got his teammates involved, whether at South Dakota State or Creighton, when he wasn’t splashing in 3-pointers. He became the first player in Division I history with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 3-pointers in his career. He also became the first player at Creighton to record a triple-double in points, rebounds and assists.

He made a mark with his passing at South Dakota State, too. He earned Summit League Player of the Year honors in his final season with the Jackrabbits when he led the league in both rebounds (7.8) and assists (4.5).

Scheierman’s exploits as a high school quarterback in Nebraska, where he set records for passing yards and touchdowns in a single season as a senior, only strengthened his court vision. But Henderson believes other aspects of being a star signal-caller helped make him a more effective passer.

“I think it’s probably the leadership skills, the commander on the floor, the commander on the field and the confidence,” Henderson said. “You’re out there and you have the ball in your hands every time. So, the spotlight is on and he was just never afraid of that moment.”

Scheierman, who the Celtics selected last week with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft, won’t be a main distributor for the Celtics once he takes the floor in the NBA.

But the fact he possesses that within his arsenal of skills, will aid him in his transition into Boston’s offensive scheme.

“You look at their group and what comes to my mind is connectivity,” Henderson said. “They play together, they make each other better and that’s what Baylor’s best qualities are.”