VCU’s Max Shulga drafted 57th overall in second round of 2025 NBA Draft by Boston Celtics

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Max Shulga, a graduate guard from VCU and native of Kyiv, Ukraine, capped off a historic season by being selected 57th overall by the Orlando Magic in a pick that was then traded to the Boston Celtics in the Second Round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

His draft selection comes after a breakout year at VCU that saw him lead the Rams to a 2025 A-10 Regular Season and Tournament Championship.

Shulga becomes the third Ram to be drafted in the last five years, joining Vincent Williams Jr., who was drafted 47th overall by the Grizzlies in 2022, while Bones Hyland was drafted 26th overall by the Nuggets in 2021. He is the 21st player to be drafted from VCU.

Earlier this year, Shulga was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year, becoming the third VCU player to win the award since 2021, joining Bones Hyland (2021) and Ace Baldwin Jr. (2023).

He also earned a spot on the All-Atlantic 10 First Team for the second straight season, matching Treveon Graham as the only Rams to receive multiple First Team honors since VCU joined the A-10.

Shulga played a key role in leading the Rams to a 15-3 conference record and a regular-season championship. VCU’s 25 wins this year tied the program record for most regular-season victories.

Statistically, Shulga led the team in scoring (15.5 points per game), assists (3.8), and steals (1.9), and was second in rebounding (5.9). He ranked third in the conference in steals and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3 to 1). He posted eight 20-point games.