Payton Pritchard posted a career-year for the Boston Celtics during the regular season.

Pritchard has become an important player off the bench for the Celtics as they prepare to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a conference semifinal playoff series that begins Tuesday. When Pritchard does get on the court, the former Oregon Ducks and West Linn High School star is expected to wear Sabrina Ionescu’s signature Nike shoes.

“Her shoes are probably the most comfortable out right now,” Pritchard told reporters recently. “It’s light. I like it.”

The guard averaged 9.6 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game during the 2023-24 season, all career-highs. He also shot a career-best 46.8% from the floor and 38.5% from the 3-point line, also career-highs.

Pritchard and Ionescu attended Oregon as freshmen in 2016 and each of them played four years in Eugene before moving on to the professional level.

Ionescu was the No. 1 pick by the WNBA’s New York Liberty in the 2020 WNBA draft. Pritchard was the No. 26 pick in the first round by the Celtics in the 2020 NBA draft.

Ionescu and the Liberty begin their 2024 WNBA season on May 14.