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Dickie V calls impact freshmen at the collegiate level Diaper Dandies . The Boston Celtics felt that their extraordinary 2004 draft might have brought the team the NBA equivalent of at least three such diaper dandies a year ago. And with what appears to be another strong draft in 2005, the Celtics appear to be headed into the 2005 season ready to give those dandies full reign.

Headed into the recent off season, the young and athletic Boston Celtics team seemingly had two major player personnel decisions to make. Gary Payton and Antoine Walker, two veterans that had helped the team to the Atlantic Division title in 2005 and into the playoffs, were both free agents. Given the impact of the two veterans had on the team a year ago, it was thought that the C's would ante up some decent money to try and tempt the two back into the fold.

But then came draft night 2005, a night the Celtics were looking at with only minor hopes of garnering a decent player. The Celtics held the number 18 pick, a spot not usually associated with acquiring an impact player. The Celtics however, were hoping that Providence College senior Ryan Gomes, might some how fall to them at number 18 thought hey felt it would be a long shot possibility.

But then the inexplicable happened, as it often happens on draft day. Some how, some way one of the nation's premiere prep school players, Gerald Green, was passed over early and the explosive scorer began slipping down the draft board. Through sheer luck, the high school player that many experts thought was a top three or four pick in the draft was still available at number 18 when the Celtics turn arrived.

Having taken a high school players in each of the last two drafts and with four rookies on last year's roster, the Celtics had to still be thinking of Gomes, a college senior who would give the team some greater experience. Gomes was still available, as the Celts had originally hoped he might be. But the chance to draft a player with the perceived upside of Green was too much to pass on and the C's made him their number one pick.

Then, almost like the vintage Celtics days the draft again took a strange turn. No team seemed immediately interested in the Providence College senior. Gomes began slipping deeper and deeper into the draft until once again the Celtics had an opportunity to draft the player they had hoped to take with their first round selection.

Given the talent that the team had assembled from the 2004 draft, General Manager Danny Ainge was ecstatic with the developments. He had now acquired what he believed were a number of key parts that would one day return the Celtics to being a true competitor for an NBA title.

But with the picks may have come the decision that it was time to forgo attempts to resign either Walker or Payton. After all, young players need game opportunities to develop their skills. With so many young players on the team and only so many minutes available Ainge needed to decide whether it is time to give the kids a chance to develop, to see if the Celtics have truly drafted any diaper dandies.

The inability to make strides with resigning either of the two may simply be a result of the Celtics no longer having serious interest. Instead, it appear the C's are prepared to start either Delonte West or second year pro, Marcus Banks, at the point guard position in place of Payton. Both players have enormous upsides, seemingly needing only more playing time to develop their overall skills.

It also appears the team wants more playing time to be available for another of the 2004 rookies, Al Jefferson, a former high school player who is also thought to have an enormous upside. Add fellow 2004 rookie talent, Tony Allen, and the Celtics do need playing time options for what could become a very inexperienced starting group.

Then throw in Justin Reed, the fourth of the four picks in 2004 along with the aforementioned Green and Gomes and the Celtics will have a youthful contingent coming off the bench as well. The team will still look to Paul Pierce, Ricky Davis and Raef LaFrentz for points and those three will garner serious playing time, but those three will be asked to bide some tough times and mentor the youngsters, theoretically helping the Celtics future at the expense of the present.

Youth is seldom served in the NBA so Celtic fans may become a bit testy this season. The choice to go young could be a real issue for the Celtics for 2005-2006 as the Celtics will field as green a team as any in recent NBA history.

But Danny Ainge appears to be casting his lot with some tough times in the next year or two for what he hopes is the opportunity for the Celtics to become a legitimate NBA contender once again, even if he has to wait until 2008 or 2009 for that to happen.