LAS VEGAS — The Celtics’ newest center Bruno Fernando said he knows the ingredients it takes for him to have a long NBA career: “energy guy, be a spark, rebounding, tough, dive for the 50-50 balls.”
That’s the typical juice for a young player looking to make his mark on the league. That much was on display in the Celtics’ 107-82 win over the Nuggets on Tuesday at Thomas and Mack Arena, where Fernando’s high-energy style was immediately noticeable.
The third-year pro, though, said he had another aspect to his game: “Sometimes I just be talking crazy, but I know that lifts guys up.”
“I just be yelling stuff,” Fernando said of his voice. “Sometimes that’s all you gotta do. Sometimes your teammates are going to hear you. Sometimes just yell whatever you gotta say. As long as they hear your voice, they know you’re there for them.”
That hyped energy Fernando exhibited came when he was celebrating Romeo Langford’s thunderous dunk in the second quarter. After Langford etched the poster, Fernando had a great reaction as he ran back down the court, celebrating earnestly.
Fernando finished with nine points and two rebounds in 15 minutes Tuesday. He got some early run in the first, but the Celtics played him sparingly once they got up big.
Of course, the big man’s future on the team is still in flux because of the state of the roster. The Celtics have three centers after signing Enes Kanter, who joins Robert Williams III and Al Horford. Fernando was acquired from the Hawks in the Tristan Thompson trade, though he already sees his name in trade rumors.
“I had to wait with everything with the trade to clear out,” Fernando said of his late addition to the Summer League roster. “For me, really, it’s pretty simple. I have to come in, bring energy to this team, to this group, try to find ways to impact the game.”
Fernando said he was excited about earning a “fresh start” with the Celtics, a franchise which featured his favorite player ever in Kevin Garnett. The former Maryland big man added he knew Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford, both Big Ten products, before joining the team.
C’s coach Joe Mazzulla said the Nuggets were willing to get physical, which is where Fernando responded well. The 6-foot-9 big man rounded out a Boston starting rotation that featured all five players with previous NBA experience.
“He was great,” Mazzulla said of Fernando. “He brought great energy as the anchor of our defense, he communicates well and he was a physical presence in the paint. So I think in a game like this, in his first game back, he had a positive influence on our guys.”
As a third-year pro, Fernando didn’t necessarily have to play in Summer League for the Celtics. But the team asked him to and he was seen practicing earlier Monday before the trade officially went through with all the ensuing physicals.
Fernando said he had a simple reason for suiting up: “I always wanted to play.”
“I even said that on the bench, you only get to play the game of basketball for, so long so any opportunity you get to play the game of basketball, you definitely take it,” Fernando said. “Obviously, part of it too was having the season I had last year, not really playing as much. I wanted to be able to use this summer to play and try to improve my game in whichever way I can.”
