As the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, rookie forward Chris Cenac Jr. joins the Boston Celtics after a productive freshman campaign at Houston.
Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field in 37 games last season with the Cougars. He ranked eighth in the country in defensive rating (92.2) and 20th in defensive rebounding percentage (26.1).
The 6-foot-11 Cenac became the first freshman in school history to lead the Cougars in rebounding since the 2011-12 season. He also registered six double-doubles, which were the fourth-most by a Houston freshman in a single season.
Cenac joins Cougars teammates Kingston Flemings (eighth pick) and Emanuel Sharp (45th pick) in hearing their names called this year, marking
just the second time in the common draft era (1966) that Houston has produced three selections in the same draft.
The 19-year-old logged four appearances with the Celtics in summer league, averaging 10.5 points, eight rebounds, 2.8 blocks and one assist. He registered two double-doubles, including a 14-point, 10-rebound performance on July 10.
Cenac established himself as a first-round pick because of his rebounding, defense and intensity. The team was ecstatic to add him to the roster and is eager to see him take the court.
Throughout September, Rookie Wire is compiling some of the most interesting facts about each first-round pick in an effort to further introduce the incoming draft class ahead of the 2026-27 season
Previous: AJ Dybantsa | Darryn Peterson | Cameron Boozer | Caleb Wilson | Keaton Wagler | Mikel Brown Jr. | Darius Acuff Jr. | Kingston Flemings | Morez Johnson Jr. | Brayden Burries | Yaxel Lendeborg | Aday Mara | Nate Ament | Hannes Steinbach | Dailyn Swain | Bennett Stirtz | Ebuka Okorie | Christian Anderson Jr. | Allen Graves | Jayden Quaintance | Karim López | Labaron Philon Jr. | Zuby Ejiofor | Cameron Carr | Sergio De Larrea | Tarris Reed Jr.
No. 12
Cenac wore No. 12 (Riverside Academy) and No. 0 (Link Academy) in high school and No. 5 last season at Houston. Joining an organization with such a storied history, Cenac had limited options when selecting his next number, with so many retired by the Celtics, so he opted for No. 12 again.
"I'll be wearing No. 12," Cenac said at a community event on June 30, via Celtics on CLNS. "I think it was the best number that was available, honestly."
Isidore Newman School
Cenac also played at the Isidore Newman School (Louisiana) and was coached by former 11-year NBA guard Randy Livingston. He was at the program in New Orleans at the same time as Texas quarterback Arch Manning and led the group to its third straight state championship.
MVP
Cenac was the MVP of the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. He led all players in rebounds (11.4 per game) while he was third in blocks (1.6). Cenac was also the MVP of Puma's PRO16 league.
Houston
A five-star athlete, Cenac was the sixth-ranked player and the No. 1 center in the class of 2025, becoming Houston's highest-ranked recruit in the modern era. He ultimately chose the program over the likes of Auburn, Baylor, Kentucky and Tennessee, among others.
USA Basketball
Cenac helped USA Basketball win the gold medal in the 2024 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup alongside AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Koa Peat. He averaged 8.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and one steal in seven games.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 5 fun facts: Get to know Celtics' Chris Cenac Jr. before rookie season
