JD Davison was recognized Wednesday as the G League’s Most Valuable Player after putting together a sensational season for the Celtics’ farm club.
The third-year guard averaged 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game during the Maine Celtics’ regular season, ranking fourth in the minor league in scoring and seventh in assists.
During the season, Davison was selected to the Rising Stars challenge at NBA All-Star weekend and set Maine’s all-time scoring record. He also owns franchise records for assists, steals and games played. On Tuesday night, he put up 38 points, 12 assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block in Maine’s first playoff game, going 15-for-22 from the field and 7-for-10 from 3-point range in a win over Capital City.
Davison has been part of the Celtics organization since being drafted in the second round out of Alabama in 2022.
“JD has been nothing short of exceptional this season,” Maine head coach Tyler Lashbrook said in a statement. “His work ethic and commitment to his own development are second to none, but his leadership and the guidance he provides to our locker room are what sets him apart. Winning the NBA G League MVP is a testament to all of those qualities. He truly impacts winning in every way, and we’re very proud of him.”
As a two-way player, Davison has split his time between Maine and Boston. He’s played sparingly for the big club (12 appearances, 51 total minutes), which has established standouts Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard ahead of him on the depth chart. But he recently logged his most substantial NBA shift of the season, playing eight first-half minutes in a road win over the Portland Trail Blazers and tallying four points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one turnover.
“His hard work and team-first attitude from day one with both the Boston and Maine Celtics have led to this (MVP) achievement,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. “JD has embraced the idea of continuously improving, and we are thrilled for him.”
Last season, the Celtics filled their final 15-man roster spot by converting center Neemias Queta’s two-way deal to a permanent contract before the playoffs. It’s unclear whether they have similar plans for Davison, who watched last year’s championship run from the bench in street clothes alongside fellow two-way player Drew Peterson.
Boston has kept its final roster spot vacant since the start of the season.
Maine, which lost in the G League finals last season, will visit the Westchester Knicks in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
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