🏀🔥 From Dunk King to Celtics Dream! Named After an NBA Legend, This Former Slam Dunk Champ and Electrifying New Shooting Guard is Ready to Soar in Boston — Get to Know the High-Flying Star! ☘️✨
The Boston Celtics may have reloaded for another championship run, but one of their most thrilling additions isn’t a headline free-agent or a veteran trade piece — it’s Jordan Wilkins, a 6’5″ shooting guard with springs in his legs, fire in his game, and a name inspired by greatness.
Yes, he was named after Michael Jordan. And yes, he’s already living up to the legacy — in his own explosive way.
After stunning the world by winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest last season with a jaw-dropping, never-before-seen 540 reverse windmill, Wilkins instantly became a viral sensation. But this summer, the Celtics saw something beyond the highlight reels — they saw a budding star who could inject a spark into their rotation and bring energy back to the Garden night after night.
A SLAM DUNK INTO THE NBA
Wilkins, originally a mid-second-round pick out of Texas Southern, had quietly carved a niche in the G League with his relentless work ethic, above-the-rim explosiveness, and rapidly improving jumper. His 25-point performance in the G League Finals and his 47% shooting from deep post-All-Star break caught Boston’s attention. But it was his mindset that sealed the deal.
“He plays with a chip — like someone told him every morning he’s not enough,” said Celtics assistant coach Damon Stoudamire. “And he dunks like he wants to tear the rim off.”
LIVING UP TO HIS NAME
Growing up in Atlanta, Wilkins’ household was basketball royalty. His father, a high school coach, was obsessed with the fundamentals. His mother? A die-hard Celtics fan who raised Jordan on footage of Larry Bird and Paul Pierce. But it was his uncle — a former European pro — who gave him the name “Jordan,” not just as a tribute, but as a challenge.
“He told me, ‘If you’re gonna wear that name, earn it every day,’” Wilkins recalled. “I’ve tried to live up to it with every dribble, every jump, every moment.”
WHAT HE BRINGS TO BOSTON
Wilkins has signed a two-year, $9.8 million deal with the Celtics, and he’s already turning heads in camp. With Kristaps Porzingis still working back from injury and Boston eyeing load management for veterans like Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown, Wilkins is expected to take on a key sixth-man role — and could even see crunch-time minutes if his defense continues to evolve.
His first preseason game? A 22-point explosion against the Brooklyn Nets that included two poster dunks, four threes, and a block that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
DUNKING IS JUST THE START
“I know people think I’m just the dunk guy,” Wilkins says. “But I’ve studied the game. I watch Rip Hamilton. I watch Ray Allen. I’ve worked on my footwork and my handle. I want to be the guy who can hit a dagger, not just one who gets the crowd on their feet.”
So far, it looks like he’s on his way.
THE VERDICT
With a name that carries weight and a game that defies gravity, Jordan Wilkins isn’t just Boston’s newest showstopper — he might be the unexpected X-factor that carries the Celtics deep into June.
Get your popcorn ready, Boston. “Jordan” has entered the Garden.
☘️🔥 #CelticsNation #JordanWilkins #DunkChamp #NBA2025 #BostonStrong
