Shulga 'scratching the surface' as NBA journey begins in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine. - "Be where your feet are."

It's a mantra Celtics coaches drill into the franchise's players in Boston and Maine. It's particularly important for the Two-Way players, who are constantly working to make an impact for two different teams, in two different places. 

That mentality is something Max Shulga had to learn early on in his basketball career, and it's a mentality that will serve him well as he begins his journey in the NBA. 

"At first you don't really know what you are getting yourself into," Shulga said on moving around the world in pursuit of his passion to play at the highest level. 

Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, Shulga came to the United States in 2020 to play at Utah State. He spent three seasons with the Aggies before following his head coach, Ryan Odom, to Virginia Commonwealth for his final two collegiate seasons. 

"The confidence he (Odom) has in me, and I have in him. We were always competing for championships so why would I need to change that, you know? It's not about where you play, it's about the impact you have and the amount of winning you can do."

Shulga and Odom won an Atlantic 10 Championship during Shulga's senior season in 2025. Shulga made his impact known in his final season at VCU, earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Honors after averaging 15.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.  Boston selected the 23-year-old guard with the 57^th overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. In August, Shulga and the Celtics agreed to a Two-Way contract. A childhood dream had come true. 

"It's crazy. I would have never thought it would be possible. I was always working towards it, but you don't really know it's going to happen until it does happen. It's something you dream about your whole life."

Shulga is the eighth Ukrainian to be drafted to the NBA and becomes the third Celtic to represent his home country, joining Svi Mykhailiuk and Vitaly Potapenko. 

"Knowing where we come from, how it is in Ukraine. It's really tough. It's tough to make it out of there as an athlete and in basketball especially. It makes me think of the dedication and work those guys before me had to do to put themselves in that position."

So, Shulga was on the move again, this time to New England where he will split time between Boston and Maine. At a young age, basketball has already taken him around the world. He hasn't visited his family back home in five years but remains focused on his dream. Shulga's rookie season brings another move, another transition that Shulga said is made easier by great people. 

"I've been blessed by being surrounded by great people that really care about each other. All the transitions have been really smooth. Coming here now to Boston and Maine, everyone is super welcoming. It's a lot of movement but all the people make it smoother."

One of those people is Boston Celtics center, Neemias Queta. Queta was once on a Two-Way contract and is a former teammate of Shulga's during his early days at Utah State. 

"Crazy, full circle moment. I played with him for one year at Utah State during my freshman year. Then I happen to get drafted to the same team as him years later."

Despite all the excitement that comes with joining the Boston Celtics organization, Shulga is reminded of another popular saying around the league, 'It's harder to stay in the league than to make it to the league.' There is a precedent of success in the organization. Shulga has seen the track record of current Boston Celtic players who embraced their time in Maine and worked their way into the big club's rotation. 

"I'm just scratching the surface. I'm on a Two-Way and I have work to do here in Maine. The work is just getting started. There's no room to be satisfied whatsoever." 

Whether it's making plays for his teammates, or knocking down big-time shots, Shulga is eager to show Celtics fans his gritty, team-first brand of basketball. 

"It's a city that cares about its sports. You can feel the passion and feel the responsibility of giving back to that and playing hard and playing a good brand of basketball. Giving back to the city by playing hard and giving the city something to cheer for."

Maine begins the 2025-26 season on November 7 in Greensboro. Maine returns home to the Portland Expo for the Celtics' home opener on November 14 against the Long Island Nets. Tickets are available now.