Tag: Freeman Williams

On this day: Robert Parish, pick used for Kevin McHale traded for; Bird, Ainge drafted

Today saw the deal for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale and the drafts that brought Larry Bird and Danny Ainge to the Boston Celtics go down.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, President of Basketball Operations Red Auerbach pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history in 1980. Auerbach dealt a pair of first-round picks used to select big man Joe Barry Carroll and center Rickey Brown to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for big man Robert Parish and the draft pick used to select Kevin McHale.

In one fell swoop, Boston’s head honcho scooped up two-thirds of one of the greatest frontcourts ever assembled. Forward Larry Bird, who had already been drafted, completed the trio that win titles together in 1981, 1984, and 1986.

It is also the anniversary of the 1978 NBA draft, in which the Celtics took three players of note.

On this day: Kelly Olynyk, Gabe Pruitt, Jack Foley born; ‘Celtic Pride’ debuts

On this day, Kelly Olynyk, Gabe Pruitt, and Jack Foley were born, and the film ‘Celtic Pride’ came out.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, big man and future Celtic Kelly Olynyk would be born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1991, later moving west to Kamloops, British Columbia when he was in seventh grade.

Olynyk played his college ball at Gonzaga and was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft before being immediately dealt to the Celtics. Olynyk would make the 2013-14 All-Rookie team and would play for Boston for four seasons over which he averaged 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

The Canadian big man would leave the Celtics in free agency for the Miami Heat in the summer of 2017.