Tag: Tony Battie

On this day: Former Boston coach Jim O’Brien, big man Tony Battie born

On this day in Celtics history, former head coach Jim O’Brien and center Tony Battie were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics head coach James “Jim” Francis Xavier O’Brien — son-in-law of Hall of Fame head coach Jack Ramsay — was born in 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

O’Brien, who joined the Celtics franchise along with his boss Rick Pitino, served as an assistant in Boston under the ex-Celtic president of basketball operations for three-and-a-half seasons. His role as an assistant with the Celtics ended when he assumed head coaching duties in the wake of Pitino’s resignation in the middle of the 2000-01 season.

He continued in that role for another three-and-a-half seasons until resigning himself in protest over newly hired general manager Danny Ainge’s decision to move two of his favorite players, Eric Williams and Tony Battie, as part of a roster tear-down.

On this day: Celtics Scott born; Battie traded; Gamble debuted

On this day, former Celtic champion Charlie Scott was born, Tony Battie was traded, and Kevin Gamble debuted for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion point and shooting guard Charles Thomas Scott was born in New York City in 1948. Better known as “Charlie” to many Celtics fans, the New Yorker broke the color barrier at the University of North Carolina as that famed school’s first Black scholarship athlete. He was drafted by Boston with the 106th pick of the 1970 NBA draft (there were many more rounds in that era).

Before he finished his NCAA playing days, he won a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City, Mexico, along with future teammate Jo Jo White.

Though drafted by Boston, Scott instead signed with the American Basketball Association’s (ABA — a competing league that later merged with the NBA) Virginia Squires for most of two seasons.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 4

Today’s installment focuses on the 30 players who wore No. 4 over the years as of September 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 or 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 30 players who wore No. 4 over the years as of September 2023.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 40

Today’s installment focuses on the 11 players who wore No. 40 over the years 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 11 players who wore No. 40 over the years as of Aug. 2023.

Nine Boston Celtics alumni changing places in re-draft of NBA’s 1997 class

Let’s take a look at which Celtics alumni landed where.

As Hoops Hype’s Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon keep themselves busy reassessing the draft orders of the last few decades over the years, there are always a fair number of Boston Celtics alumni making moves in their re-drafts as a result.

In the H/H reassessment of the 1997 NBA draft class, a total of nine Boston alumni ended up seeing their draft stock shift with the benefit of hindsight lifting their fortunes. And while they won’t see any pay raises or anything else of that sort given the fictitious nature of such an exercise, it’s also nice to see this duo get their flowers, too.

Let’s take a look at which Celtics alumni landed where.

Who has the highest block average in Boston Celtics playoff history?

Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

When talking about nabbing steals in the NBA playoffs, fans of the Boston Celtics might be surprised to learn that despite his fame as one of the most fearsome shot blockers in the recent history of the sport, the man we have come to call the Timelord, Celtics center Robert Williams III, does not hold the record for the most playoff blocks per game for the storied ball club.

In fact, that record belongs to another Boston big man. Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

Let’s take a look at the record books to find out.

On this day: Former Boston coach Jim O’Brien, big man Tony Battie born

On this day in Celtics history, former head coach Jim O’Brien and center Tony Battie were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics head coach James “Jim” Francis Xavier O’Brien — son-in-law of Hall of Fame head coach Jack Ramsay — was born in 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

O’Brien, who joined the Celtics franchise along with his boss Rick Pitino, served as an assistant in Boston under the ex-Celtic president of basketball operations for three-and-a-half seasons. His role as an assistant with the Celtics ended when he assumed head coaching duties in the wake of Pitino’s resignation in the middle of the 2000-01 season.

He continued in that role for another three-and-a-half seasons until resigning himself in protest over newly hired general manager Danny Ainge’s decision to move two of his favorite players, Eric Williams and Tony Battie, as part of a roster tear-down.

 

On this day: Celtics Scott born; Battie traded; Gamble debuted

On this day, former Celtic champion Charlie Scott was born, Tony Battie was traded, and Kevin Gamble debuted for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion point and shooting guard Charles Thomas Scott was born in New York City in 1948.

Better known as “Charlie” to many Celtics fans, the New Yorker broke the color barrier at the University of North Carolina as that famed school’s first Black scholarship athlete. He was drafted by Boston with the 106th pick of the 1970 NBA draft (there were many more rounds in that era).

Before he finished his NCAA playing days, he won a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City, Mexico, along with future teammate Jo Jo White.

Though drafted by Boston, Scott instead signed with the American Basketball Association’s (ABA — a competing league that later merged with the NBA) Virginia Squires for most of two seasons.

On this day: Former Boston coach Jim O’Brien, big man Tony Battie born

On this day in Celtics history, former head coach Jim O’Brien and center Tony Battie were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics head coach James “Jim” Francis Xavier O’Brien — son-in-law of Hall of Fame head coach Jack Ramsay — was born in 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

O’Brien, who joined the Celtics franchise along with his boss Rick Pitino, served as an assistant in Boston under the ex-Celtic president of basketball operations for three-and-a-half seasons. His role as an assistant with the Celtics ended when he assumed head coaching duties in the wake of Pitino’s resignation in the middle of the 2000-01 season.

He continued in that role for another three-and-a-half seasons until resigning himself in protest over newly hired general manager Danny Ainge‘s decision to move two of his favorite players, Eric Williams and Tony Battie, as part of a roster tear-down.

On this day: Celtics Scott born; Battie traded; Gamble debuted

On this day, former Celtic champion Charlie Scott was born, Tony Battie was traded, and Kevin Gamble debuted for the team.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion point and shooting guard Charles Thomas Scott was born in New York City, New York in 1948. Better known as “Charlie” to many Celtics fans, the New Yorker famously broke the color barrier at the University of North Carolina as that famed school’s first Black scholarship athlete before he was drafted by Boston with the 106th pick of the 1970 NBA draft (there were many more rounds in that era).

Before he finished his NCAA days, he would also win a Gold medal in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City, Mexico along with future teammate Jo Jo White.

Though drafted by Boston, Scott instead signed with the American Basketball Association’s (ABA — a competing league that would later merge with the NBA) Virginia Squires for most of two seasons.