To the average basketball fan, Payton Pritchard is likely known best for his uncanny ability to knock down lengthy buzzer-beating shots.

Oregon Ducks fans should be paying close attention to Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard this season, following his first NBA championship. A major growth a

Payton Pritchard has been easy to miss.Early in his college career at Oregon, Pritchard was occasionally mistaken for the team manager. Just two summers ago at the Las Vegas Summer League, he was stopped from sitting with Celtics staffers by arena security.

The Oregon native has been lighting it up from beyond the arc, and has become a plus defender on the other end of the court.

Pritchard has become known for his end of quarter heaves, including the signature shot from beyond halfcourt he sunk against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Pritchard nailed another buzzer-beating shot Monday in the closing second of the third quarter against the Bucks to help Boston take control of the game.

Payton Pritchard’s ability to make buzzer-beating 3-pointers and his play early in the NBA season has elevated his star status. He has become one of the most popular players on the Boston Celtics.

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is a superstar who is also very good at throwing a ball through a rim from 15 feet away, so when he is on the court when a technical foul is called against the opponent, there is rarely debate or discussion.

Unhappy with his performance in Tuesday night’s Celtics defeat, Payton Pritchard took his frustrations out on the Nets.

The odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have Payton Pritchard as the betting favorite at +250 to bring home the John Havlicek Trophy. For what it’s worth, he was at +6000 before the season. Could he actually win it?

During a 9 1/2-minute stretch from late in the first quarter to midway through the second, Pritchard accounted for five of the Celtics’ seven made field goals. He went 5-for-6,