Payton Michael Pritchard is an American professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association’s Boston Celtics (NBA). He was a member of the Oregon Ducks’ basketball team in college. As a sophomore, he was chosen to the Pac-12’s second team all-conference team. He was a finalist for the Naismith Trophy as a senior. Pritchard was picked by the Boston Celtics with the 26th selection in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft. He signed a four-year, $10.5 million rookie deal with the Boston Celtics on November 24, 2020, which includes team options in the third and fourth years. On December 15, 2020, Pritchard made his professional debut, scoring 17 points in a preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Pritchard competed for the United States at the 2015 FIBA 3×3 Under-18 World Championship. He was also named to the United States’ U19 World Cup roster for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Egypt. Pritchard finished the tournament with an average of 9.0 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game, including 16 points against RJ Barrett and Canada. Pritchard was nominated to the All-Star Five after Team USA won the bronze medal.
Pritchard set a career best with 23 points, eight assists, and two rebounds in a 126–114 victory over the Toronto Raptors on January 4, 2021. Pritchard then converted the game-winning layup in a 107-105 victory over the Miami Heat. Pritchard made his NBA debut on January 12, 2021, but had a lackluster showing, scoring only two points in 28 minutes in a defeat to the Detroit Pistons. He appeared to break through his “rookie wall” in mid-April, scoring in double digits in six of seven consecutive games, including a new career high of 28 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 27, 2021.
