The Boston Celtics’ young players’ enthusiasm has been one of the team’s most positive aspects this season. Jordan Walsh, a second-year wing, is one of them. The 22-year-old’s defense, unwavering energy, and willingness to do the small things on the court have helped him gain Joe Mazzulla’s trust after a slow start. However, his journey to the NBA has been anything but typical.

The former Arkansas standout lost all of his hair at a young age due to alopecia totalis, an incurable condition he has had since the second grade. Recently, in an interview with Brandon Robinson, Walsh revealed how tough his childhood was, saying, “It was rough, you know? Kids are ruthless. They say what’s on their minds and it was a tough time going through that.”

That difficulty gradually molded his fortitude. Walsh is now an inspiration to many alopecia sufferers as he steadily establishes himself in the league.

“I ended up cutting all my hair off because patches are not in. They never grew back, and then all that was gone,” he added.

Walsh further highlighted the importance of mentorship and community support. He has also partnered with the National Alopecia Areata Foundation to help others who are suffering from the same condition. “I try to help them go through it because I know it’s a tough world and I can sympathize with them. I know exactly what they’re going through.”

The former Arkansas graduate shared that he received guidance from former NBA player Charlie Villanueva, and admitted that he understood that he was not alone with alopecia only after meeting more people with the same condition, which gave him a different perspective on life.

“Once I got older, I realized that the world’s a huge place and there are a lot of people like me,” he added.

Jordan Walsh praises the Celtics’ resilience

Before the start of the season, the Boston Celtics had 40% odds of reaching the playoffs, mainly due to Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury from last season. Boston had also lost players like Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford, who were crucial to their Championship run in 2024.

However, Mazzulla had different ideas as he built the roster around Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard. He added players who bring versatility, energy, and shooting efficiency to aid the superstars this season. And, Walsh, though he has not played large minutes, has impressed the Celtics head coach with his defensive contributions off the bench.

The 22-year-old highlighted how most people thought that the Cs would tank this season and how Mazzulla’s men proved everyone wrong. “Everybody thought that we were going to tank and get a high draft pick, you know? Guys came in and stepped up and played above their standards,” he shared.

Even in a limited role in rotation, Walsh has earned respect in the Celtics dressing room for wearing his heart on his sleeve. He is averaging 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per contest while shooting 52.5% from the field across 58 games. Despite averaging just 17.2 minutes per contest, his presence on the bench has allowed the offensive players to play with more freedom.