Tag: Greg Stiemsma

How Greg Stiemsma got his big break with the Boston Celtics

The man Tommy Heinsohn famously compared to Bill Russell himself.

Once upon a time, the late, great Boston Celtics broadcaster, coach and champion forward Tommy Heinsohn legendarily compared Celtics reserve big man Greg Stiemsma to his friend and Hall of Fame Boston teammate Bill Russell for the former’s shot-blocking ability.

While that comparison MAY have been a bit over the top even for Heinsohn, Stiemsma still holds a place in the hearts of Celtics fans from that era. Unselected in the 2008 NBA draft, Stiemsma played overseas and in the D League (as the G League was known then) before injury created an opportunity with the Celtics for the Wisconsin product.

While he never turned into a star or even a starter, he forged a nice — if short — NBA career on the strengths of that opportunity.

Take a look at this short clip of his story with Boston as told by the good folks over at the Celtics’ Reddit podcast.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see it for yourself.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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Wisconsin basketball alumnus Greg Stiemsma joins Badgers’ coaching staff

Wisconsin basketball alumnus Greg Stiemsma joins Badgers’ staff

Former Wisconsin men’s basketball player Greg Stiemsma was named the Badgers’ new director of player development on Wednesday.

Stiemsma, a member of Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program from 2004-2008, rejoins the Badgers after a successful player development tenure in the NBA.

Beginning in 2021, the Randolph, Wisconsin native worked with the San Antonio Spurs as a video assistant, player development staffer and member of the Spurs’ 2022 NBA Summer League coaching staff. Prior to that point, Stiemsma worked in player development for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2019-21.

Aside from coaching, Stiemsma enjoyed a successful four-year collegiate tenure on the hardwood in Madison. The 6-foot-11, 260-pound center appeared in 95 games, four NCAA tournaments and helped UW win the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles in 2008.

Stiemsma played in 203 games across four seasons in the NBA from 2011-15 with Boston, Minnesota, New Orleans and Toronto. He also played professional basketball in Turkey and Korea prior to his stint with the NBA D League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce.

With experience in developing players like Karl Anthony-Towns and Victor Wembanyama, Stiemsma should be an excellent resource for Wisconsin’s big men in the coming years. Nolan Winter, Will Garlock and veteran center Steven Crowl are among the names who can absorb a few tidbits from the former NBA player.

On this day: Wisconsin clinches second Big Ten Tournament title

On this day: Wisconsin clinches second Big Ten Tournament title

Captained by big man Brian Butch, Trevon Hughes and Marcus Landry, Wisconsin clinched its second Big Ten Tournament win in school history on March 16, 2008.

Held at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Badgers entered the tournament with a 16-2 conference mark and No. 6 overall in the 2008 AP Poll, four spots higher than their last tournament win in 2004.

Five Badgers averaged eight or more points per game throughout the regular season. NBA veterans John Leuer and Greg Stiemsma, who combined to average 6.4 points per appearance, came off the bench for Bo Ryan’s squad. 

As the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, Wisconsin throttled the University of Michigan 51-34 in its quarterfinal game. With three Big Ten All-Defensive Team members scattered throughout the rotation, UW held Michigan to 20% from the field and 18 points per half. Junior forward Joe Krabbenhoft led all scorers with 12 points. 

UW followed its explosive opening performance with a two-tally win against Michigan. Harris, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scored eight of his 21 points in the final 2:56 of action. Wilkinson, Wisconsin’s most dependable big man, dropped 20 and corralled nine boards.

In its following contest, the Badgers orchestrated a 12-point comeback in the second half to steal a win from Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. Michael Flowers, an excellent two-way guard, nailed a game-winning layup with 28 ticks to spare before the final buzzer.

The Badgers advanced to the championship game and plowed through the tournament’s No. 10 seed, the University of Illinois, by 13 points. 

With the win, Wisconsin captured its second Big Ten Tournament victory in program history and automatically clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Junior Marcus Landry was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. 

On this day: former Boston big men Greg Stiemsma, JaJuan Johnson debut

On this day, former Boston Celtics Greg Stiemsma and JaJuan Johnson made their debut for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, big man Greg Stiemsma made his debut for the team back in 2011. The University of Wisconsin – Madison alum was not picked up by any team in the 2008 NBA draft and would end up playing professionally overseas in Turkey and South Korea as well as at the G League level before signing with the Celtics in December of 2011 as an unrestricted free agent.

It would be several weeks before the former Badger saw any live game action, however, making his debut for the team on the 28th of that month.

His debut came in a 97-78 loss to the (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans) on the road.

On this day: Danny Ainge debuts; Otis Birdsong born; Keyon Dooling trade; Greg Stiemsma signed

On this day, former Celtic guard and team president Danny Ainge made his debut for the team, and shooting guard Otis Birdsong was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion shooting guard and penultimate team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his NBA debut for the franchise way back in 1981. An alum of Brigham Young University, Ainge was a three-sport star in high school, where he was a first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball, playing basketball with BYU and baseball professionally with the Toronto Blue Jays while still in college.

He would play for that team in Major League Baseball for three seasons before deciding to try his hand at basketball and was picked up with the 31st selection of the 1981 NBA draft by the Celtics.

Boston of course bought him out of his deal with the Blue Jays.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 54

This is every player in Boston’s history who wore the Celtics’ No. 54 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 six players who wore No. 54 over the years as of Aug. 2023.

On this day: Brian Scalabrine signs; Greg Stiemsma leaves; Antoine Walker traded

On this date, Scal inked a deal with Boston, Greg Stiemsma left for the T-Wolves, and Cybertoine was dealt to the Heat.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion reserve big man Brian Scalabrine was signed by the team in free agency in 2005. The Enumclaw, Washington native joined the Celtics for a five-year deal worth a total of $15 million.

A product of the University of Southern California, the White Mamba — as he was sometimes called — joined the NBA via the draft, taken 34th overall by the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets, where he played for a total of four seasons before leaving the team for Boston as an unrestricted free agent. Scalabrine would play with the Celtics for five more seasons, winning a title with the team in 2008.

He would later move on to the Chicago Bulls where he would finish his career as a player. He then tried his hand at assistant coaching and broadcasting, where he still works today with NBC Boston Sports.

On this day: former Boston big men Greg Stiemsma, JaJuan Johnson debut

On this day, former Boston Celtics Greg Stiemsma and JaJuan Johnson made their debut for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, big man Greg Stiemsma made his debut for the team back in 2011. The University of Wisconsin – Madison product was not picked up by any team in the 2008 NBA draft and would end up playing professionally overseas in Turkey and South Korea as well as at the G League level before signing with the Celtics in December of 2011 as an unrestricted free agent.

It would be several weeks before the former Badger saw any live game action, however, making his debut for the team on the 28th of that month.

His debut came in a 97-78 loss to the (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans) on the road.

On this day: Danny Ainge debuts; Otis Birdsong born; Keyon Dooling trade; Greg Stiemsma signed

On this day, former Celtic guard and team president Danny Ainge made his debut for the team, and shooting guard Otis Birdsong was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion shooting guard and penultimate team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his NBA debut for the franchise way back in 1981. A product of Brigham Young University, Ainge was a three-sport star in high school, where he was a first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball, playing basketball with BYU and baseball professionally with the Toronto Blue Jays while still in college.

He would play for that team in Major League Baseball for three seasons before deciding to try his hand at basketball and was picked up with the 31st selection of the 1981 NBA draft by the Celtics.

Boston of course bought him out of his deal with the Blue Jays.

How Greg Stiemsma got his big break with the Boston Celtics

The man Tommy Heinsohn famously compared to Bill Russell himself.

Once upon a time, the late, great Boston Celtics broadcaster, coach and champion forward Tommy Heinsohn legendarily compared Celtics reserve big man Greg Stiemsma to his friend and Hall of Fame Boston teammate Bill Russell for the former’s shot-blocking ability.

While that comparison MAY have been a bit over the top even for Heinsohn, Stiemsma still holds a place in the hearts of Celtics fans from that era. Unselected in the 2008 NBA draft, Stiemsma played overseas and in the D League (as the G League was known then) before injury created an opportunity with the Celtics for the Wisconsin product.

While he never turned into a star or even a starter, he forged a nice — if short — NBA career on the strengths of that opportunity.

Take a look at this short clip of his story with Boston as told by the good folks over at the Celtics’ Reddit podcast.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see it for yourself.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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