On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics big man Fab Melo (rest in peace) was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Donté Green in 2013. Fabricio Paulino de Melo (his full name) was a native of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil who played his collegiate basketball at Syracuse University and was later selected 22nd overall by the Celtics in the 2012 NBA draft.
Melo would struggle to find his footing at the NBA level, spending much of his time with the team’s developmental franchise in the G League, (then) the Maine Red Claws (now, Celtics).
He also spent too much time in the press for his clumsiness, overshadowing his basketball abilities at times.