Tag: brandon hunter

On this day: ML Carr born; Boston forward Brandon Hunter debuted; Moe Becker passes

On this day, former Boston Celtic player and GM ML Carr was born, and forward Brandon Hunter made his debut for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, future Celtics player, head coach, and general manager of the storied franchise Michael Leon “ML” Carr was born in Wallace, North Carolina back in 1951.

Carr, who is one of several former Celtics players to coach the team after having played for Boston (along with Tommy Heinsohn, Satch Sanders, Dave Cowens, Chris Ford, KC Jones, and Bill Russell), played his collegiate basketball with the Guilford Quakers, an NCAA Division III school. The North Carolina native got his start in pro ball in the American Basketball Association (ABA — a competing league that would merge with the NBA in 1978).

He played with the ABA’s Spirits of St. Louis before leaving the league to play for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.

On this day: Wilt Chamberlain nabs 55 rebounds vs. Boston; Gorman, Hunter, Bing, Randolph born

On this day, legendary big man Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 55 boards vs. Boston, and Mike Gorman, Brandon Hunter, Dave Bing, and Shavlik Randolph were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise reluctantly let Hall of Fame big man Wilt Chamberlain pull down an NBA-record 55 rebounds along with 34 points and 4 assists and still managed to win the game against his (then) Philadelphia (now, Golden State) Warriors when the final buzzer sounded.

The historic rebounding feat, which occurred in a 132-129 win for the Celtics on Philly’s home court, has yet to be bested since with the Big Dipper (Chamberlain hated the nickname ‘Wilt the Stilt’) setting a record for the ages on that night despite not coming away with the win.

“I got 55 rebounds against the Boston Celtics in one particular game,” related Chamberlain in a clip posted by Twitter user TodayInSports3.

Additional details emerge on former Boston forward Brandon Hunter’s death

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Hunter was picked up by the Celtics with the 56th overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft.

More details about what caused former Boston Celtics forward Brandon Hunter to collapse and pass away this past Tuesday morning have come to the surface. The former Celtic and Orlando Magic big man was evidently participating in a yoga class in Orlando at a local studio, per NBC News’ David K. Li.

“It was hot yoga, and he did it regularly,” related his mother-in-law Carolyn Cliett to NBC News. “He was in good shape as far as we know. We’re just shocked.”  A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Hunter was picked up by the Celtics with the 56th overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft and would play just 36 games for Boston before being taken by the (then) Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets) in the 2004 NBA expansion draft.

Hunter would continue in the league playing for the Magic after being dealt there by the Bobcats and then had a successful overseas playing career he parlayed into a job as an agent.

“For me, it was incredibly rewarding to see how he matured as a person,” said his college coach at Ohio, Tim O’Shea.

“He came from a very tough childhood, so it was amazing to see how athletics can be a vehicle to change somebody’s life, and he was a great example of that.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Boston Celtics power forward Brandon Hunter passes at 42

The exact cause of Brandon Hunter’s death has not been disclosed, but it was reported that he collapsed and died in Orlando on Tuesday morning.

Boston Celtics power forward alum Brandon Hunter, known for his stints with the Celtics and Orlando Magic, passed away at the age of 42 in Florida per multiple reports. His death was confirmed by both the Magic and his alma mater, Ohio University, who expressed their condolences to his family.

The exact cause of Hunter’s death has not been disclosed, but it was reported that he collapsed and died in Orlando on Tuesday morning. Despite a relatively brief NBA career that included 36 games with the Celtics in the 2003-04 season and 31 appearances with the Orlando Magic in 2004-05, Hunter found success in the basketball world beyond playing.

After retiring from professional play, Hunter transitioned into a career as an agent, specializing in helping players secure positions with overseas teams as far afield as Puerto Rico, Uruguay, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Turkey, and Israel. Rest in Peace.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 56

This is every player in Boston’s history who wore the Celtics’ No. 56 jersey for at least one game as of Aug. 2023.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball played in them, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history, with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the two players who wore No. 56 over the years as of Aug. 2023.

On this day: Smart, Walker, Fox drafted; Perkins, Banks, Walker trade; Hewson passes

On this day, the Boston Celtics drafted Marcus Smart, Antoine Walker and Rick Fox, and traded for Kendrick Perkins and Marcus Banks.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the Boston Celtics selected two players of note in the 2014 NBA draft, held in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The first was 6-foot-3 guard Marcus Smart out of Oklahoma State University, taken with the sixth overall pick of the draft. A native of Flower Mound, Texas, Smart fit in well and would make the 2014-15 All-Rookie Second Team in his inaugural season with the Celtics.

Smart’s brand of intense, all-out attack frequently saw the former Cowboy banged up with a litany of minor injuries, and his professionalism and dedication would position the young guard as the “heart and soul” and unofficial captain of the team in just a few short seasons.

Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, he earned 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2021-22 All-Defensive First Teams honors along with winning the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award — among many other honors.

On this day: Reggie Lewis, Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye, Brad Lohaus drafted

On this day, the Boston Celtics drafted Reggie Lewis, Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye, and Brad Lohaus, and lost Brandon Hunter to the Charlotte Hornets.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team would select four players of note in the 2017 NBA draft, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. While the Celtics had held the top overall pick in the draft, team president Danny Ainge would use it to trade back for the third overall pick, correctly gambling he could still get his targeted prospect, Jayson Tatum.

Tatum, a 6-foot-8 small forward out of Duke, was drafted third overall after Ainge completed the deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, who used the top overall pick on point guard Markelle Fultz out of Washington, the Los Angeles Lakers using the second overall pick on point guard Lonzo Ball.

Vindicating Ainge, Tatum has gone on to become one of the top ten players in the league, racking up accolades at a historic rate.

On this day: ML Carr born; Boston forward Brandon Hunter debuted; Moe Becker passes

On this day, former Boston Celtic player and GM ML Carr was born, and forward Brandon Hunter made his debut for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, future Celtics player, head coach, and general manager of the storied franchise Michael Leon “ML” Carr was born in Wallace, North Carolina back in 1951.

Carr, who is one of several former Celtics players to coach the team after having played for Boston (along with Tommy Heinsohn, Satch Sanders, Dave Cowens, Chris Ford, KC Jones, and Bill Russell), played his collegiate basketball with the Guilford Quakers, an NCAA Division III school. The North Carolina native got his start in pro ball in the American Basketball Association (ABA — a competing league that would merge with the NBA in 1978).

He played with the ABA’s Spirits of St. Louis before leaving the league to play for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.

On this day: Wilt Chamberlain nabs 55 rebounds vs. Boston; Gorman, Hunter, Bing, Randolph born

On this day, legendary big man Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 55 boards vs. Boston, and Mike Gorman, Brandon Hunter, Dave Bing, and Shavlik Randolph were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise reluctantly let Hall of Fame big man Wilt Chamberlain pull down an NBA-record 55 rebounds along with 34 points and 4 assists and still managed to win the game against his (then) Philadelphia (now, Golden State) Warriors when the final buzzer sounded.

The historic rebounding feat, which occurred in a 132-129 win for the Celtics on Philly’s home court, has yet to be bested since with the Big Dipper (Chamberlain hated the nickname ‘Wilt the Stilt’) setting a record for the ages on that night despite not coming away with the win.

“I got 55 rebounds against the Boston Celtics in one particular game,” related Chamberlain in a clip posted by Twitter user TodayInSports3.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 56

This is every player in Boston’s history who wore the Celtics’ No. 56 jersey for at least one game as of Oct. 2022.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball played in them, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history, with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the two players who wore No. 56 over the years as of October 2022.