The Celtics guard is quickly snatching the title of “Best Overall Athlete.”

The Boston Celtics had the undisputed best roster in the NBA last year and earned the right to play for their record-tying 18th Larry O'Brien Trophy all summer long. When senior unit guard Payton Pritchard returned for the team's first attempt at a repeat finish, he made a bold statement on behalf of the entire locker room.

“I’m probably the best athlete in any sport on the team,” Pritchard said, according to NBC Sports Boston. “… (Jaylen Brown) might think it could be him. (Derrick) White and them, Sam (Hauser), we have some good ones, but I think in all sports I think I definitely get it. It's not confidence, it's the truth.”

The question itself was raised after the Celtics spent some of their time in training camp interacting in some non-basketball-related activities such as walking football, wiffleball, handball and speed walk baton passing. A confident competitor, Pritchard certainly has a lot to offer, as rookie Baylor Scheierman played quarterback at Aurora High School in Aurora, Nebraska, and White has several years of minor league baseball experience. Nonetheless, Pritchard has the right to shoot a half-court buzzer-beater in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in June – a shot that will forever remain in the highlight reel of all-time Daggers for the Celtics Story. So… Pritchard's confidence also has its own reasons.

Pritchard had a breakout year of his own last season, which began when the Celtics, who gave the 26-year-old a career-low 13.4 minutes in the 2022-23 season, signed the undersized player from Oregon to a four-year deal. $30 million extension. In no time, Pritchard got to work, proving he was worthy of the payday in a variety of ways. He posted career averages of 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists, playing in all of Boston's 82 regular-season games while leading the team with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.61 – also the Finished 20th in the NBA.

Pritchard has developed from a fighter at the end of the bench into a legitimate role player and is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to help out and contribute once again behind the team's starting lineup of White and Jrue Holiday.

“I feel like what makes us good is that we're all a little bit different in some ways,” Pritchard said during team media day, according to NBC Sports Boston. “Even on defense and on offense. Derrick is an incredible shot blocker. He can block crazy shots, and he does it well. Jrue, he's bigger, stronger. He can hit the post, but is obviously one of the best ball defenders ever. “I feel like I'm more of a pest type – so everything is a little different and on offense too I'm happy that I can learn something from two incredible ones Types.