One of the more common adjectives used to describe Celtics rookie center Fab Melo is “raw.” A late arriver to the sport of basketball, the Brazilian 7-footer spent only two years at Syracuse before Boston snagged him with the 22nd overall pick in June’s draft.

The potential is obvious, but so too are the strides necessary to get his game ready for the NBA level. Celtics second-round pick Kris Joseph, a teammate of Melo’s at Syracuse, has seen his development up close, including as two transition to the pro level. So what’s his take on Melo’s progress?

“He’s making strides,” said Joseph. “He’s in better shape, he’s trimmed down tremendously. He’s a guy I’ve been with for two years, and I remember his jump from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and he puts in a lot of work that people may not see all the time. But I was there, personally, and I saw the hard work that he puts in and his dedication to the game. So, since summer league, he’s really been doing well, pick-and-rolling like they want him to, dunking, blocking shots. He’s doing all the things necessary to win basketball games.”

via Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston