On this day in Boston Celtics history, shooting guard and small forward Aleksandar “Sasha” Pavlovic was born in what was then Yugoslavia. Taken by the Utah Jazz with the 19th pick of the 2003 NBA draft, Pavlovic had previously played professionally in Europe for Buducnost Podgorica of the Yugoslavian (and later Serbian and Montenegrin) YUBA league.
The Montenegrin swingman played one season with the Jazz before being selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2004 NBA expansion draft held in part to populate that re-created franchise. The revived Hornets in turn dealt him to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Pavlovic played five seasons.
From there he was traded with Ben Wallace to the Phoenix Suns for Shaquille O’Neal.
