Edwards knows he has a lot to learn

BOSTON — He was one of the main topics of discussion during the opening two weeks of the NCAA basketball tournament.

Guard Carsen Edwards brought Purdue University to the verge of the Final Four with quite a four-game run, leading the Boilermakers to wins over Old Dominion, Villanova and Tennessee before falling just short against eventual champion Virginia.

The 6-foot-1 Edwards scored 42 points in two of those games, including the South Regional final when Purdue nearly topped eventual national champion Virginia before falling in overtime.

Less than three months later, Edwards is now a member of the Celtics after being selected No. 33 overall in the second round of the NBA Draft last week. He is well aware that what he did during that tournament run doesn’t mean much as he embarks on a professional career.

“I have a good balance understanding I have so much to work on still,’’ said Edwards as he was introduced with three other draft picks on Monday morning at the Auerbach Center. “I have so many ways I can improve and things like that.

“I appreciate people congratulating me and telling me how well I played, but I still understand how far I am from where I can be as a player.’’

Edwards, the third player chosen in the second round, is joining the Celtics with the right attitude. The Texas native, who averaged 17.8 points in three seasons at Purdue, ranked ninth in the nation last season, scoring 24.3 points and was third with 135 3-pointers made.

During the tournament, Edwards turned his game up a notch, getting 26 points vs. Old Dominion in the opener before hitting nine 3-pointers while scoring 42 points to eliminate Villanova. Edwards then scored 29 against Tennessee (and fellow Celtics draft pick Grant Williams) before putting on a magnificent show against Virginia.

In an 80-75 OT loss, Edwards was 10 of 19 from 3-point range and 14-for-25 overall to score his 42 points. The Boilermakers let a win slip away in the final seconds of regulation.

He averaged 34.8 points in the four games and was selected the most outstanding player of the South Regional, the first time a player from a team that did not win the region title was selected since Davidson’s Stephen Curry 11 years earlier.

The three other Celtics’ draft picks — Williams, Romeo Langford of Indiana and Tremont Waters of LSU — had high praise for Edwards.

“I didn’t know who Carsen was last year, but I was in a Chinese restaurant ordering chicken wings, French fries or something,’’ said Waters. “They were actually playing Indiana. I was waiting for my (food) and was watching the TV.

“I saw Carsen drive down the left side of the court and took off on one foot. That’s when I was like this guy’s different. To be able to play and learn from him and these two guys is definitely going to be fun.’’

Said Williams: “I call him a little bullet because of how stocky and strong he is. (He’s like a) little linebacker. He’s a really talented offensive player.’’

Langford played against Edwards and Purdue in the Big Ten last season, and they were teammates on a national team that traveled overseas to play.

“Carsen, just don’t let him touch the ball,’’ said Langford, the No. 14th pick. “When he gets the ball, I feel like he’s a threat in multiple ways, not just scoring but passing. I had the opportunity to play with him on the USA team when we went to Egypt. I know how great of a teammate he is. He was one of our best defenders. He is a great two-way player.’’

Edwards’ size is likely the main reason why he was not picked in the first round, but the Celtics, who made a trade in the opening round and obtained a second-round choice, used the slot on him.

“People who give me inspiration and hope are the shorter guys who make it,’’ said Edwards, who noted former Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas.

With his quick-strike ability, Edwards could develop into a player who can give the Celtics some instant offense.

But he knows what a leap it is to go from the college game to the NBA, and the work begins next week during preparations for the summer league.

“I feel like my confidence with my offensive game comes with just the work you put in,’’ said Edwards. “There’s so much to this game I don’t know especially at this level. I wouldn’t even consider myself in the NBA yet.

“Just continue to work and find ways to expand my game offensively. I just want to find ways to be on the floor and help my team win. I just want to do whatever they tell me to do.’’

“At the end of the day, I just wanted an opportunity to give everything I have and after that you deal with the rest.’’