Since being selected by the Boston Celtics as the No. 30 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Baylor Shearman has quietly established himself as a key contributor to Joe Mazzulla's rotation. He has performed particularly well recently, posting his fourth double-double in 14 games in the Celtics' recent 109–98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds on 6-8 overall shooting and 4-6 from beyond the arc.
However, for Shaquille O'Neal, it's clearly not enough to know that the 25-year-old shooting guard exists.
Shaq admitted he didn't know who Baylor Scheierman was during the Celtics-Cavs halftime highlights.
Scheuerman finished the game with 16 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. #nba
(H/T: @CelticsAdam34) pic.twitter.com/rjvhRxlsRl
- Awful Announcement (@awfulaannouncement) 9 March 2026
"I don't even know who this kid is," he said on ESPN, according to a post on Ax By Awful Announcing. Shake was immediately told his name by Ernie Johnson, but again received a ridiculous response.
"I've never met anyone named Baylor or Shearman," he said, clearly joking. With the win, Boston improved to 43–21 and defeated Cleveland 3–0. Of course, Scheuermann's influence extended far beyond production.
Boston's defensive dominance in the second quarter, holding Cleveland to just 10 points on 4 of 25 shooting and 0 of 14 from three, was partially fueled by its hustle on the glass. Sheuerman is one of several Boston players who have been forced into a larger role this season following an injury to Jayson Tatum and the subsequent departure of several stars.
He started only two games last season and played a total of 31 matches, averaging 12.4 minutes per outing. This season, Scheuermann has played in 58 games with 15 starts, averaging 16.3 minutes. He has averaged 4.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, while shooting nearly 60% overall from the field and nearly 38% from beyond the arc. This is a huge improvement in all categories compared to the previous season.
In addition to his offensive contributions, Scheuermann is a busy defender who has integrated seamlessly into Mazzulla's system. Now, with the return of Jayson Tatum, he is likely to continue to serve primarily as a bench influencer, which the 25-year-old has excelled in so far.
