The ball bounced off the back of the rim before finding the hands of forward Al Horford. The extra bounce cost another second, and by the time Horford made an outlet pass to his point guard, Payton Pritchard, only 2.5 seconds remained.
Pritchard caught the ball just beyond his own three-point line. He didn't panic. He knew he had time.
He took one dribble, gathered the ball, and pulled the trigger right in front of the half-court line. It wasn't a desperate heave thrown toward the basket in hope. The shot looked almost routine, complete with proper form and a smooth follow-through.
The clock hit zero, the backboard outline flashed red, and the ball sailed through the net. Swish. Nothing but net
Nearly 20,000 fans watched his magical shot find its target. Pritchard celebrated with his teammates as the Celtics led 67-46 after two quarters. It became one of the most memorable moments of the 2024 NBA Finals. The shot from 49 feet was the longest hit the league has seen in the last 25 years.
Undersized with big ambitions
Big players make big plays. Despite never being the tallest player on the court, Pritchard has found ways to make an impact and establish himself as a dangerous offensive weapon.
Whenever he steps onto the hardwood, opposing defences must stay alert: a sharpshooter is on the floor. With virtually unlimited range, Pritchard has developed a shooting identity that has become synonymous with Celtics basketball.
Born and raised in Oregon, Pritchard dominated high school basketball. He led his team to four consecutive state titles, while collecting numerous personal accolades. In 2015, he was voted the Gatorade Player of the Year and was a four-star recruit.
He originally committed to Oklahoma, where his father played football, but eventually changed his mind, stayed close to home, and attended the University of Oregon.
Pritchard’s college journey wasn’t the typical, one-and-done experience; he stayed in Eugene for all four years, improving his game and working himself into a bigger role each year.
At 6-foot-1, he was undersized, but made up for it with his high-motor playing style, ball handling skills, and the ability to shoot from nearly anywhere on the floor.
During his freshman year, there was a glimpse of this type of craft - when the Ducks faced the UCLA Bruins, Pritchard knocked down a deep three near the end of the game to put Oregon within one point, then assisted on Dillon Brooks’ game-winning triple over Lonzo Ball. Years before stepping foot in the NBA, he was letting people know: don’t count me out.
As a sophomore, he earned a spot on the Second-team All-Pac-12 after doubling his point per game average. As a junior, he led Oregon to a not-much-expected Pac-12 Tournament Championship and was voted the MVP.
He declared for the 2019 NBA Draft, but later decided that he would return to Oregon for his fourth season. The decision paid off.
In his senior campaign, Pritchard was one of the best players in college basketball. His career-high included a 38-point explosion against Arizona. He led the Ducks to the regular-season Pac-12 title and became Oregon’s all-time assist leader. After averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game, he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-American.
Pritchard was also awarded the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's best point guard.
After a stellar NCAA career, it was time for the next step: the NBA.
Earning his role
The Boston Celtics selected Pritchard with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Questions immediately surrounded his ability to translate his college success to the professional level, particularly whether his size would limit his effectiveness against bigger, more athletic opponents. Pritchard wasted little time answering those doubts.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans had to wait until winter to watch the point guard play. He made his NBA debut on December 15, 2020, scoring 17 points in a preseason game against Philadelphia, and quickly earned a place in Boston's rotation.
During his rookie season, he showcased his shooting ability, confidence, and willingness to compete against bigger opponents. He became a useful rotation guard who could provide instant offence without needing extensive time with the ball. He played in 66 games while starting four contests.
Pritchard remained in Boston as his role evolved, gradually establishing himself as a reliable reserve behind the team's elite guards. He spent the 2021 summer getting better in the G League, where he averaged 17 points and eight assists.
In the following year, he helped the Celtics to reach the NBA Finals; however, Boston came empty-handed against the Golden State Warriors.
A request that changed everything
Then came a dip. Pritchard saw limited minutes and averaged the lowest numbers of his professional career in terms of minutes, points, rebounds, and assists per game, but he still collected his first career triple-double after recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Boston had to endure a disappointing playoff exit in the Eastern Conference Finals after getting upset by the No. 8 Miami Heat, and the devastating ending was the final straw for Pritchard. He requested a trade to move on from the Celtics.
The point guard had one foot out of Boston, but the leadership knew what kind of a special player they had on the roster, and showed Pritchard that they count on him long-term. After offseason talks, Boston signed Pritchard to a fully guaranteed four-year, $30 million contract extension.
The trade was never a topic once more. Pritchard rewarded the organization’s trust with increased production and better shooting percentages from the field, the three-point line, and the charity stripe. He averaged 22.3 minutes per game and was the only player on the roster to play in all 82 regular-season games.
Over time, Pritchard reflected on his trade request. He never wanted to leave Boston. He just wanted to play basketball.
"At the time, I wasn’t playing,” Pritchard said. “I’ve talked about this before, but it was probably a little delusional confidence that I have, but it’s from my work, the hours I put in. But I believed I could help this team win and at a high level.
"Now, many people didn’t believe it at the time or thought I was crazy, but I truly believed that. Obviously, things opened up for me, and it worked out, and I took advantage of it, and hopefully I will continue to take advantage of it."
Seizing the moment
In the 2023-2024 campaign, Pritchard cemented himself as one of the Celtics’ cornerstones. He scored a then-career-high 38 points along with 12 assists in the regular-season finale against the Washington Wizards, and he joined legends John Havlicek, Larry Bird and Bob Cousy as the only players in franchise history to record back-to-back 30-point, 10-assist double-doubles.
Then came the playoffs, and Pritchard was sensational. He played a critical role in Boston’s deep postseason run that resulted in the 2024 NBA Championship.
The Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4-1, dominating through the series. And Pritchard’s half-court buzzer-beater wasn’t the only long shot he made. In Game 2, he hit another long-range buzzer-beating shot, this time at the end of the third quarter. His shot helped Boston maintain its momentum in a game the Celtics won 105–98, and gave the Celtics a 2-0 lead.
Hitting two memorable long-distance shots in the same Finals series strengthened his reputation as one of basketball’s premier buzzer-beater specialists. Boston had already adored him, and after bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the city, he became an indelible part of Celtics history.
In the following season, Pritchard took another major step forward and won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. He emerged as much more than a supporting player, providing consistent scoring, three-point shooting, and playmaking.
His ability to change a game with a quick scoring burst made him one of Boston's most important offensive weapons.
"For a guy to be here with us this long, it is just a true testament of his competitive nature,” said head coach Joe Mazzulla. “I think when people think of a Celtic, he’s one of the guys that first comes to mind. So he’s a great competitor, a great guy."
His breakout year came in 2025-2026 - after Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending Achilles injury and Jrue Holiday departed via trade, Pritchard got an opportunity to step up and transition into a starting role. He has never looked back.
He averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game while making 50 starts. In the 2026 playoffs, he scored 32 points in Boston’s Game 4 win over Philadelphia, but the 76ers outlasted Boston in seven games.
Here to stay
Boston rewarded his consistency, production, and effort by signing him to a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension in October 2026.
"Payton’s a very good player who has put in the time and added to his game each season that he’s been in Boston,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “On top of that - he’s just a flat-out winner whose toughness, commitment to the team, and work ethic are all elite. We’re thrilled that he’s chosen to extend with the C’s."
This season, Pritchard has a chance to propel the Celtics to another championship, with Jayson Tatum fully back from injury and the franchise bringing in Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley in the offseason.
"It means a lot from, obviously, Brad and the organisation, Bill and all them, to offer that,” Pritchard said. “And so I’m definitely grateful for it and just happy to have signed another two years on it to be in Boston. And I love it here. I like competing for the city and competing for the organisation. And so I feel very honoured."
Pritchard's career is an incredible story of patience, persistence, confidence, and continuous improvement.
Drafted 26th overall, he initially had to fight for consistent minutes on a talented Celtics roster. Rather than letting his size or limited opportunities define him, he became an elite reserve, an NBA champion, and earned one of the league's most prestigious individual awards for bench players. His journey is one of the most compelling player-development stories of the Celtics' recent era.
His greatest strengths remain his shooting range, competitiveness, and offensive versatility. Those two unforgettable Finals buzzer-beaters earned him recognition across the basketball world, but his development into a dependable starter has become an even greater testament to his hard work.
"He just maintains a level of toughness, a level of resilience, but I think a level of open-mindedness to, 'I’m just going to do whatever needs to be done to get on the floor and impact winning,'" said Mazzula.
Payton Pritchard is no longer the undersized guard fighting to prove he belongs. He's a champion, an award winner, and an established NBA playmaker who has earned his place among Boston's most important players. And after spending years proving the doubters wrong, he now has the chance to help lead the Celtics toward another championship.
