Tag: dave gavitt

Larry Bird turned down a $10 million payday before retiring

The Boston Celtics legend turned down an opportunity to earn $10 million over two years by delaying his retirement.

Larry Bird retired from professional basketball after returning to the United States from his success with Team USA at the Barcelona Olympics. Bird had played in 45 games during the 1991-92 season but had suffered back issues throughout the season.

Had the legendary Boston Celtics forward delayed his decision to retire until the start of the 1992-93 season, Bird would have been entitled to his most recent contract extension, which would have paid him roughly $5 million per year for two seasons. Yet, despite Dave Gavitt trying to coax Bird into delaying his decision, the Celtics legend refused to pick up a cheque for work he hadn’t produced.

“I know what you are doing,” Bird said, as written in Jackie MacMullen’s book, “and I don’t want the money. I didn’t earn it, and I won’t take it. Let’s just get this over with.”

As such, Bird called time on his 13-year tenure with the Celtics, ending his career with three championship rings, 12 All-Star selections, and an Olympic gold medal. To this day, Bird is seen as one of the most iconic Celtics players of all time.

His decision to forgo over $10 million shows how much the franchise meant to him and why he will always be a legend in the TD Garden and the city of Boston.

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On this day: Brown, Poirier, Fall, Vincent debut; Gavitt, Dickey born; Mangurian passes; Cousy, Macauley jerseys retired

On this day, a number of Celtics debuted, former owner Harry Mangurian passed away, and Dave Gavitt was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, All-Star forward Jaylen Brown played his first game for the team in 2016, fittingly a 122-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets, the team who had dealt Boston the draft pick that would be used to select him.

The former Cal-Berkeley standout put up 9 points, 2 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and two blocks, with one turnover and two fouls in 19 minutes and 27 seconds of floor time for his debut performance with the Celtics. He shot 3-of-4 from the free-throw line and hit three of his four field goal attempts as well.

Perhaps surprisingly, Brown did not attempt a 3-point shot in his inaugural game in the association.

Complete list of Boston Celtics in the Basketball Hall of Fame

Celtics Wire celebrates the 48 members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with ties to the Boston Celtics franchise.

The Boston Celtics are one of the bedrock franchises in professional sports. Legends such as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett dazzled fans with their athletic exploits and won the NBA championship in Boston.

A couple of hours down the Mass Pike in Springfield, no fewer than four dozen players, coaches, and contributors with ties to the Celtics franchise have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame over the years, spanning the decades from the first years of the storied ball club’s existence up to the team’s last era of contention.

Below, Celtics Wire celebrates the 49 members of the Hall of Fame with Celtics connections in a photo gallery.

On this day: Wolkowski signed; ex-Celts Dickau, Kinney and Hoefer born

On this day, the Boston Celtics signed Rubén Wolkowyski, and Dan Dickau, Bob Kinney, and Charlie Hoefer were all born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team signed big man Rubén Wolkowyski to the team’s roster as an unrestricted free agent. A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wolkowyski played for a number of clubs in his home country before landing a spot on the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000.

After a few stints playing professionally in Argentina and in Russia, the Argentinian surfaced on the team’s radar, inking a deal for one season with Boston. Wolkowyski was not exactly a Celtics long-hauler — he played a mere seven games for the ball club in a reserve role that season.

Over that brief stretch, he averaged just 0.7 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game, and he was waived in February 2002.

On this day: Brown, Poirier, Fall, Vincent debut; Gavitt, Dickey born; Mangurian passes; Cousy, Macauley jerseys retired

On this day, a number of Celtics debuted, former owner Harry Mangurian passed away, and Dave Gavitt was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, All-Star forward Jaylen Brown played his first game for the team in 2016, fittingly a 122-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets, the team who had dealt Boston the draft pick that would be used to select him.

The former Cal-Berkeley standout put up 9 points, 2 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and two blocks, with one turnover and two fouls in 19 minutes and 27 seconds of floor time for his debut performance with the Celtics. He shot 3-of-4 from the free-throw line and hit three of his four field goal attempts as well.

Perhaps surprisingly, Brown did not attempt a 3-point shot in his inaugural game in the association.