If you have extra time, I highly recommend any of the books on the history of the Celtics franchise, or any of them written by former Celtics on their time with the team. I have been working my way through them and there are some very fascinating stories in them. Things were a lot different in the league way back then. Here are a couple of stories from Heinsohn, Don't You Ever Smile? by Tommy Heinsohn.
Let's begin with a story about Tommy's rookie year and his experiences with training camp:
I hadn't signed my contract yet, so I went to see Walter Brown about an adjustment. Fortunately, Red was back home in Washington, otherwise I probably would have wound up with less money. I explained to Walter that my situation had changed because I was going to replace Macauley, a star in the league. I asked if there was a chance for a bonus in my second year if I did well in my first. (His first contract was for $9,000 a year for 2 years.) He asked how much I was thinking about. I told him in the neighborhood of two thousand dollars. He said fine and wrote it into the contract. I didn't see Auerbach all summer. He was down at Kutsher's in the Catskills, playing poker and tennis. The next time I saw him was at training camp and he said nothing about the raise I had gotten out of Walter Brown, though I had to wait a year for it. Money was not on Red's mind at that time, anyway. He was thinking of torture. Not just for me, but for all the poor souls invited into his horror chamber. Our training camp was at the Boston Arena, where the steps were high and plentiful. You cracked one joke or laughed a little and you would run all the steps. Since I had a sense of humor, I ran the steps more than anyone. Red was supposed to have been in the Navy during World War II, but the Celtics were convinced he had been a Marine drill sergeant at Parris Island. He ran a camp like he was getting us ready to storm Iwo Jima rather than Fort Wayne or Minneapolis. I found out why in my first game against the Knicks. It was in Madison Square Garden. I got into the pivot and cut off Ray Felix; he stuck his knee out, and I had a charley horse in the right leg. In the second quarter, I got into the pivot and cut the other way; he stuck his knee out, and I had a charley horse in the other leg. I had only played a half and I had run out of legs. Auerbach was aware that the rookies in the NBA had to prove they were tough enough to survive. Joe Lapchick had a quaint way of putting it. "They ask you the question in this league," he said, "and if you don't come up with the right answer, you're in trouble. Felix was one of those who asked me the question in my very first season. Ray was a big, awkward fellow but not shy when it came to throwing punches. He and Russell once staged the world's tallest fight in the first game of a double header at Syracuse. I had the rematch with Ray in the second part of a double header in Madison Square Garden. I think I landed a right to Ray's armpit and he missed me with a hook before they broke it up. It was a rougher league when I first came into it. Now they jump over a player under the boards. Vern Mikkelsen of the Lakers and Joe Graboski of Philadelphia, the first schoolboy to play in the league, would go through you. It was all muscle. I remember Auerbach telling me how to play Mikkelsen. "He can't shoot outside," said Red. "He's got a lousy two hand shot. Let him shoo the outside shot and then block him off the boards." A very simple instruction. Mikkelsen got out there, I backed off him five feet, he shot the two hand set and missed it. I turned and stood there to block him off the boards. Meanwhile, he's 230 and coming at me. He didn't go around, he went through my back and came out the front. He shoved me so hard, my sneakers burned. For this test of strength and courage, Auerbach prepared me by insisting I play under 220. I was 235 my last season at Holy Cross, but Red wanted me slimmer for quickness, or it might have been his way to get even with the Germans. There was no doubt in my mind I needed more strength when I had to handle the muscle of an Ed Kalafat, mean down to his name. There was no time to consider maintaining weight in the camp Auerbach ran and ran and ran. He must have had a deal with the guy selling sneakers to the Celtics the way he ran us. We scrimmaged twice a day. We had 2 1/2 hour practices and never stood still. We ran all the time. No water, nothing. The training period then was almost six weeks, so there was plenty of time for Red to enjoy himself. His pet idea for getting us in shape was three on three full court games, losers stay on. That was after the wind sprints, the scrimmages, and running the stairs. He got us so agitated, we had fights among ourselves on the court. Heinsohn, of course, was Red's whipping boy, so I ran until my hair hung - and I always had a crew cut. He made sure I would be out there for at least five games. The fix was in. He would give me two teammates that would guarantee I'd lose. Red was funny that way. He would call all the fouls and settle all the arguments. He would push me until everyone got a pain in the side from laughing at my predicament. He pushed me because he somehow knew that I could be pushed without breaking - too much.
Here's a great story about Tommy and Frank Ramsey and their practical jokes on each other:
He [Frank Ramsey] was meticulous down to the clothes he wore. Everyone came to practice with leisure slacks and shirts. Not Mr Ramsey. He always wore a jacket, button down shirt, and tie, as though ready to go to the bank. That game me the inspiration for a practical joke. Ramsey, you see, was a practical joker himself, and I was his target. It developed into a running thing between us. He was an avid reader, so whenever he put his book down on the plane to visit the watershed, I'd reach over and rip out the last chapter. I don't think he ever found out who got the girl or committed the murder. His idea of a big joke was to scheme with Cousy and Buddy Leroux, the trainer, to get me fined by Auerbach for being late to practice. Cousy, my chauffeur, would grab an extra cup of coffee, and Leroux would tape my ankles slowly just to delay me. Ramsey would stand at the head of the stairs and yell: "Red! Red! He's four minutes late! That's a dollar! Make him pay the dollar, Red!" One day I had a long talk with Frank. I told him I knew what he and the others were doing and suggested he get off me. "What do you mean?" he said, feigning surprise. "You can't walk in late all the time and expect us to wait for you." I advised him not to be my keeper. "I'm going to do what I have to do," he said, carrying it to the ultimate. He was having a great laugh at my expense. So I devised a campaign just for him. I'd fix him for this: "Red! Red! He's four minutes late!" Frank would come into the locker room, remove his jacket, and hang it up. Now, most people wearing a button down shirt wouldn't yank out the tie. Frank was meticulous, remember? He unbuttoned the two buttons first, took off the tie and hung it up, then took off the shirt. He went through the ritual every day. Normal people just didn't do that, but Frank was different. His shoes always were immaculately shined and he would put them down perfectly parallel near his locker. He wasn't the most stylish individual, but everything had to be just right. For three full weeks, four or five practice sessions each week, I waited until he hung up his clothes and left. Then I took a razor blade and cut one of those buttons three quarters of the way through before I went upstairs to practice. Sure enough, Frank would be there chirping: "Red! Red! He's four minutes late!" After working out, Ramsey would take a shower, slip into his pants, put his shoes and socks on and his shirt, work the tie into place, and go to button the buttons, and one would come off in his hand. "I got to get that Jean to fix these buttons," he would say, referring to his wife. The next day I did something else. I cut one of his shoelaces three quarters of the way through. He would put on the shoe, yank the lace, and it would snap. "Oh gee," he'd say while tieing a knot. Then I would go back to the button and he would go through the same routine. For a change of pace, I would take his belt and force the metal prong that fits into the holes through the other side so it didn't work. He'd get dressed and couldn't buckle his belt. ONe day the button, one day the lace, one day the belt. He never suspected a thing for three weeks. Finally one day in the dressing room he came over to me. "Hawk," he said, "are you doing these things to me?" I indicated I didn't know what he was talking about. "Hawk," he said, Let's have a truce." I said: "What do you mean, a truce? I'm not doing anything to you. What kind of truce would you want? Are you doing something to me? Are you bothering me in some way?" I won by default.
Finally, here is another story about Frank Ramsey and his practical jokes on another of his teammates:
Conley was a perfect pigeon for Ramsey. We were on a plane one day going to Cincinnati, and they began serving cocktail sandwiches. Conley was very hungry. He hadn't eaten all day. When he saw the size of the sandwiches he got up and asked the guys if they wanted their sandwiches, and they told him they did. He went back to his seat starved. Ramsey, sitting directly in front of Gene, leaned back and pointed to a woman across the aisle. "That woman over there," he said to Conley, "just asked if I wanted her sandwiches. Apparently she doesn't want them." Conley sat back, reached across the aisle, and plucked the sandwiches off her tray. She turned, and he was just about to thank her when she screamed: "What are you doing? Who do you think you are, taking my sandwiches like that?" That upset Conley, and he admonished Ramsey for embarrassing him that way. Frank apologized and promised never to do it again. We got off the plane and headed through the airport, and Conley couldn't find the men's room. Whom did he ask? Ramsey, of course. Frank pointed at a door. Go through that door there," Conley was told. Gene walked through and wounded up smack in the ladies' room. Ramsey moved to the luggage area laughing so hard, he was crying. He saw Conley coming and started running. They ran outside the building and four times around the quadrangle at the Cincinnati airport before Gene gave up.
This is such a great book and if you are a Tommy Heinsohn fan, or even just a Celtics fan, I highly recommend it. Stay tuned for more great stories from this book.
I've covered the unique Celtics records included in The Unofficial Guide to Basketball's Nastiest and Most Unusual Records by Kerry Banks. And I also posted all of Rasheed Wallace's records from the book. Now, since the book was written before KG was a Celtic, here are KG's records listed in the book. Have fun!
Most exaggerated example of personal hardship Buying a house: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, October 2002
Are NBA stars out of touch with reality? Garnett, for one would appear to be. In a 2002 GQ interview, the Timberwolves forward, who signed a six year, $126 million contract in 1997, remarked: "The things I have been through since I came into the NBA, you would not believe how hard it has been." Asked to cite an example, Garnett replied, "Buying my first house. That was a hardship.
Richest long term contract $126 million: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, 1997
In 1997 the Wolves flashed a six year $103 million contract in front of Garnett, which at the time was the largest contract every offered to a pro athlete. Calling it an insult, the 21 year old forward turned it down. A few months later, the team rewarded Garnett's stubbornness by upping the offer to $126 million over six years. This time he signed. The deal so horrified other NBA owners that it is credited with sparking the 1998 lockout. In October 2003 Garnett agreed to a five year $100 million extension with Minnesota, bringing his total haul to $226 million over 11 years.
Strangest coincidence involving a retired number Malik Sealy, No 2, Minnesota Timberwolves
Sealy wore No. 21 for most of his NBA career, but when he joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1999, the six foot eight swingman switched to No. 2 because T-Wolves star Kevin Garnett wore No.21. Ironically, Garnett had adopted No. 21 as a tribute to Sealy, whom he admired when he starred at St. John's University. Sealy's No. 2 was retired at Minnesota's home opener on November 4, 2000. It was the team's first home game since Sealy's death in a car accident six months earlier. He had been driving home from Garnett's 24th birthday party in Minneapolis when his SUV was hit head on by a pickup truck traveling the wrong way on a divided highway.
Most weapons mentioned in a pre-game diatribe 6: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, May 19,2004
Maybe Garnett missed his calling. Rather than a basketball player, he sounded like a soldier of fortune when he riffed to a reporter on his mind set prior to Minnesota's game 7 playoff game against Sacramento in 2004. "It's Game 7, man. That's it. It's for all the marbles. Sitting in the house, I'm loadin' up the pump [shotgun]. I'm loadin' up the Uzi. I got a couple M-16's, a couple 9's [handguns]. I got a couple joints with some silencers on them. I'm just loading clips, a copule grenades. I got a missile launcher with a couple of missles. I'm ready for war." Combat metaphors aside, Garnett did come through in the clutch, scoring 32 points and snaring 21 rebounds to carry his club to an 83-80 victory and a berth in the Western Conference finals.
Most vivid description of an opponent's style Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, 2000
"They're really aggressive. They're like roaches on bread - you drop some on the floor and, boom, they're on it." The entomological-minded Garnett was paying tribute to the suffocating defense of the Pat Riley coached Miami Heat.
I hope i have whetted your appetite for this fun book. I highly recommend it for any basketball fan because there are a lot more fascinating and fun records in it. As for KG and Rasheed playing together, I can't wait. Just like roaches on bread.
The Globe has the Celtics preseason schedule posted. I am ready for games to start already. Hopefully the preseason games will be televised. I can't wait.
Indy Cornrows reports that the deal for Marquis Daniels is at a standstill. The Celtics are offering Tony Allen and Indy isn't interested. They are still having no luck finding that third team to make the deal work either. Danny must have other plans for the LLE if he is working so hard to try to make a sign and trade work for Daniels. One way or the other, Daniels will be a Celtic. I am sure he is happy with how hard Danny is working to get him more than the LLE, even though it may be selfish on Danny's part.
Daniels isn't the only player still in limbo. Glen Davis is still stuck in restricted free agency. Reportedly he has had interest from several teams, but no offers. Danny has said that he would match any reasonable offer, which means that a team would have to over pay for Big Baby to get him. Teams aren't rushing to overpay an undersized power forward, especially with the big free agents coming up next season.
The Celtics have reportedly made an offer that was anywhere from 3-4 years and $2 million to $3 million, depending on which rumor you believe. Whatever it was, it was deemed disappointing by Davis and his agent. All this waiting has him frustrated. Here are some of his recent Tweets:
“Why is this (expletive deleted) taking so long!!! I really don’t understand!!!!
Anybody knows what’s going on with the Celtics? Cause I don’t!!!!!
Well I’m not worried about Sheldon!!! Great. Guy and great player!!! But we are different players you know!!!!!
I wonder how the weather (is in) Boston cause I haven’t been there in so long!!!!
I like some of you guys ideas!!!! I going to tell danny (ainge) about some of you guys ideas!!!! I don’t know why then they sign (Williams) before me!!
Well I don’t know where I’m going to be!!! Where (you) guys think I’m going to be!!! Who needs a pf?”
It is understandable that he would be discouraged. He thought he was a mid level guy, but we are seeing guys settling for less now. Something is better than nothing. As for why they signed Williams before him, maybe Big Baby should consider what Shelden Williams signed for. If Big Baby was willing to sign for vet minimum money, he would have been signed already. I do hope he comes back and hopefully they can move a little closer on the money and get it done.
You have to love Delonte West. I really miss him and how funny he is. Here is his latest.
CBS Sports interviewed Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and you have to love how confident in this team he is.
"I think we should be the favorites in the conference, hands down," Grousbeck said after emerging from a 3 1-2 hour bargaining session between the NBA owners and the players' union. "And we’re going to start proving that Oct. 27."
You have to love that when teams like the Grizzlies are cutting corners all the way down to firing their scouts, the Celtics owners have opened their wallets to sign free agents and make the team as good as they can be. And it's nice to see that Wyc isn't shy about letting people know how much he believes in the team.
Watch the video below of Bill Walker if you haven't already. I really like this kid. He is a tough kid and is willing to work hard to improve. I have heard the rumors of Danny trying to include him in trades. I really hope he gets the chance to show what he can do. I think he has a chance to be a special player. He has the right attitude to make his mark on the defensive end. If he can, he will get the playing time. Maybe he will end up being that defensive stopper that we had in Posey.
I have never made it a secret that Perk is my favorite player and have been telling anyone who would listen since his first season that he was going to be a top center in the league. I got a lot of arguments back then and not many people agreed with me. It makes my day when I see articles from people who have come around and jumped on the Perk bandwagon. Celtics Town had a good one on Wednesday. He begins like this:
You’d probably tell me differently now, but when Perk was averaging 2.2 points and 2.5 points during his first two seasons, you never thought he’d become a good player, either.
I posted a comment to let him know that I did think differently all along. I can point to many articles that I wrote in defense of Perk from back in his early days where I state that I was sure that he would become a premier center. I have been on the Perk bandwagon since day 1 and I really love the fact that he is winning over fans who at one time argued with me that he would never be more than a good back up on a bad team.
Perk is the perfect center for this team. He knows his role and rarely goes outside of it. For many, the 5th game in the Finals against the Lakers proved Perk's true worth to the team. The Celtics dominated the Lakers inside in games 1-4 and 6. But, in game 5, when Perk was out, the Lakers had their way inside and won easily. We saw the value that Perk brings to the team by how much he was missed when he was out. Kind of like that old saying, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone." It was the Bulls series this season that won the author of this article over. Welcome on the Perk bandwagon. What took you so long?
Now that Danny has let Leon go, Billy Walker has moved up into the spot as my second favorite player. This kid has a great work ethic and has the same kind of drive to give back as Leon does. I really hope to see Walker develop this season. I think he can help the team doing just what he talks about in the video: Defense and hustle.
A while ago, I did a couple of articles with the unusual Celtics records from The Unofficial Guide to Basketball's Nastiest and Most Unusual Records by Kerry Banks. It seems that the newest Celtic, Rasheed Wallace, has set quite a few of these records all by himself. Most money paid in fines for technical fouls in one season 20,500, Rasheed Wallace, Portland, 2001-02
Technical fouls are assessed for unsportsmanlike behavior, such as trash talking and cursing officials. Wallace's demented season in 2001-02 qualifies as the most obnoxious to date. The power forward was whistled for 41 technicals in 79 games. That broke his own record of 38 set the year before. At $500 per T, Wallace was out of pocket for $20,500. But that money was only the tip of the iceberg. If you include another $30,000 in fines for various other violations that Wallace was assessed during the season, plus the $280,000 he lost in salary for a two game suspension, you arrive at the figure of $330,500 - all for being a pain in the a**.
Longest game delay caused by a seeing eye dog 3 minutes: Orlando vs Detroit, January 18, 2005
Who didn't let the dog out? The start of the second half of a Pistons-Magic game in January 2005 was delayed for three minutes after a seeing eye dog relieved itself on the court. The dog was with Canine Companions for Independence, a charity organization that was receiving a $10,000 donation from the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. When the Pistons came out for the second half warm ups, Rasheed Wallace walked up to the lane where the feces had fallen, stopped, and stared in disbelief. An arena worker was enlisted to scoop up the mess. In response to the stink, Seeing Eye Dog Inc of New Jersey complained to the press that the canine was not a Seeing Eye Dog, a brand name reserved for guide dogs trained by its company only.
Most convincing imitation of Cheech and Chong by two teammates Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace, Portland, November 2002
The scene could have been lifted from Up in Smoke. Near midnight on November 21,2002, Wallace and Stoudamire, and friend Edward Smith, were pulled over for speeding down Interstate 5 in a yellow Humvee while returning from a game in Seattle. When Stoudamire, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, rolled down the window, the stench of marijuana poured out. Washington State trooper Rob Huss asked Stoudamire to step out of the vehicle. The Trail Blazer's eyes were bloodshot and glazed dna he reeked of marijuana and booze. Stoudamire admitted there had been some pot inside the Humvee, but he insisted that it was all gone. A second trooper arrived and asked Wallace and Smith to exit the Humvee. In the process, he questioned Wallace about the marijuana smell. "We smoked it all up," said Wallace. The odor was so overwhelming that the officers could not use the K9 dog that had been brought to the scene because his senses would have been overwhelmed. A search of the car revealed marijuana beneath the front seat and in front of the passenger's seat, in the glove box, and in a seat pouch. Both players were charged with possession, and prosecuting attorney Jeremy Randolph vowed, "If they're convicted, they'll do some time." The case never made it to court. Randoph agreed to place both players on probation and drop the charges if the two committed no criminal acts for one year.
Largest fine for uttering a cliche $10,000, Rasheed Wallace, Portland, April 2005
Wallace stopped talking to reporters during the first three games of Portland's 2003 playoff series with Dallas. When coach Maurice Cheeks was asked why his forward had gone silent, he twisted himself into a pretzel trying to take both sides of the issue. "He doesn't really want to talk to the press, for whatever reason. I don't condone his actions, and I'm not saying it's right or wrong. The NBA, however, which takes its media image very seriously, threatened to fine Wallace if he didn't open his mouth. So he complied, sort of. After Portland's victory in Game 4, Wallace answered every question from reporters the same way. "It was a great game. Both teams played hard." The league was not amused. It fined Wallace $10,000 for lack of media cooperation. He was then fined another $20,000 for not attending the interview session after the next day's practice. Portland was also fined $50,000 - $25,000 for each of Wallace's transgressions.
Most obscene T-shirt slogan worn to a signing announcement "F**k What Ya Heard", Rasheed Wallace, 1996
Hello Portland! After obtaining Wallace in a trade with Washington, the Trail Blazers held a press conference to introduce their new power forward to local fans. The second-year pro arrived wearing a T-Shirt that made him a difficult photographic subject - printed on the chest was the phrase "F**k What Ya Heard." Presumably, this was Wallace's answer to anyone who might have had questions about his cantankerous personality.
Rasheed certainly is a colorful character. He has definitely mellowed over the years as can be seen by the fact that he cut his technicals in half and the fact that there were no obscenities written on his attire when he was introduced as a Boston Celtic. I get the impression that we should thank Fatima on both accounts. It is going to be a fun year.
Just a few odds and ends from around the web today. First, Jeff Goodman has a good article on Big Baby. Finally we get to hear his side of the story. Big Baby still wants to go where he can get the most money and you can't blame him for that. He also wants playing time and you can't blame him for that either. How else will he continue to develop? It wasn't until he stepped in for KG in the starting lineup that we saw the big improvement in his game last season. He also realizes that playing behind two guys like KG and Sheed can teach him a whole lot that will carry over into the rest of his career. He also says that his ankle isn't 100%, which is interesting. Goodman has this to say about his contract situation:
According to sources close to the situation, the Celtics brass believes that Davis will be back in Boston next season – either with a multi-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $2 million per year or for a qualifying offer in which Davis would still remain a restricted free agent after next season.
The Globe gave us some good news about the Celtics second round draft pick, Lester Hudson.
The Celtics received some good news on second-round draft choice Lester Hudson, who sustained a broken finger during the Orlando Summer Pro League last month. He is expected to return to training in three weeks, according to agent Lance Young. Hudson backed up Gabe Pruitt in Orlando, scoring 15 points in 44 minutes in three games before being injured.
The Celtics still need a back up for Rondo and the question is whether they decide to give Hudson a shot or sign a veteran. They have to decide whether Hudson showed enough in summer league to warrant a chance to show more in the regular season. If they wait until training camp, the best veteran PG's may be gone. Anthony Carter would be a good fit but I can't believe that he will make it to training camp without a team signing him.
Finally, the SCHEDULE is out! After the Cavs and a couple other teams were fined for leaking some info from it in advance, it is now officially released. Here are a few highlights. As was leaked by the Cavs, the Celtics will be opening in Cleveland on October 27. Their home opener will be the next night vs the Bobcats.
The Celtics will have 32 appearances on National TV including 10 on ESPN, 9 on TNT, 6 on ABC, and 7 on NBA-TV. The Cavs will be featured on national TV 29 times. Surprisingly, the Lakers are only scheduled for 24 national TV appearances. The Magic match the Celtics with 32 games on national TV. One very strange quirk is that the Lakers open their season vs the Clippers, not at home but at American Airlines Arena in Miami. I guess they won't be raising their banner on that night. Just strikes me as very strange.
Games to Circle on your calendar. After the way the Cavs behaved during their last game with the Celtics last season, and the fact that the Cavs are still figured to be the big competition for the Celtics, we should circle all the games vs the Cavs. The Celtics will face them 4 times. After the opening night game on Oct 27, the Celtics won't see them again until February 25 (Home) and then twice more on March 14 (Away) and April 4 (Home, an afternoon game)
Of course, the 2 Lakers games will be biggies. They first meet on January 31 at home in another of those afternoon games. They won't have to wait long for the rematch as their second meeting is on February 18 in LA.
After being knocked out of the playoffs by the Magic last season, we need to keep an eye on the games with the Magic. For the second year in a row, the Celtics will be on the road on Christmas Day and playing on national TV. This year it won't be the marquee matchup with the Lakers, but they will be taking on the Orlando Magic. The other Magic games will be on November 20 (home), January 28 (away) and February 7 (home).
Finally, after the classic series in last year's playoffs, the Bulls games should be fun to watch. The Celtics will face the Bulls on October 30 at home, January 14 at home, and April 13 in Chicago, which is the next to last game of the season. The Celtics final regular season game will be at home vs Milwaukee.
Some general observations, the Celtics have 16 back to back sets this season. Their longest road trips are 4 games in December and 5 in February. Here is a link to the schedule on Celtics.com and another link to the one on NBA.com with the national TV games shown. I really can't wait for this season to start!!!
This signing came out of nowhere in the middle of speculation about sign and trades for Big Baby and Marquis Daniels as well as about Bruce Bowen's destination. I didn't see anything about Williams being a possible target. For those not familiar with Williams, here are some facts and figures.
Williams was taken by the Atlanta Hawks with the 5th pick in the 2006 draft. He has been in the league for 3 years and has already been on 3 teams. He played in 81 games for the Hawks in the 2006-07 season. 36 games into the 2007-08 season, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings where he played in 28 more games that season. He started the 2008-09 season with the Kings and 30 games into the season he was traded to the Timberwolves where he played just 15 games in the remainder of the season. He has averaged 4.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and .4 blocks in 14.7 minutes per game over his career so far.
Williams is listed at 6'9" on NBA.com. In his predraft measurements according to Draft Express, he measured 6’7 3/4” without shoes and 6'8 1/2" in shoes. He has a 7' 4 1/4" wingspan. He has an 8'8" standing reach and a 33.5" vertical leap.
Here are the positives and negatives from ESPN's predraft profile:
Positives: One of the best rebounders and shot blockers in college basketball. A beast in the paint. A solid scorer with his back to the basket. Great strength and, despite his bulk, is actually pretty explosive. Has improved his perimeter shooting and can hit a jumper from 10 feet out.
Negatives: He doesn't have much of a face-the-basket game right now. Scouts wish Williams was another inch or two taller. Not a great athlete, especially laterally. Scouts don't see him as having much upside.
After a stellar career at Duke, this hard-nosed, tough-minded power forward has to prove he can take it to the next level. He excels at rebounding and shot-blocking, and his toughness and competitiveness make him go after every rebound. He's a strong post-up player with a variety of moves, giving him the ability to score inside. Has a big, wide base when he posts inside and is strong enough to not get pushed off the block. Doesn't mind physical play and will bang and mix it up with the best. Strong and physical, he can score and take the hit for and-ones. Constantly gets to the free throw line.
Williams is a capable facing shooter from 17 feet and in but needs work on his shot off the dribble and the jab series. Did not have to do this in college but will have to at the next level. Will need work to develop his 3-point shot for the NBA.
Has excellent timing along with the uncanny ability to stay out of foul trouble when attempting to block shots. Will have to prove he can guard people on the perimeter, as he was mostly an inside post defender in college. Runs the floor well and will finish in transition.
Comes from a winning program and knows what it takes to win. Has a great work ethic and is willing to put time in the gym to get better. Lunch-pail worker. Tough as nails. Karl Malone-like qualities if he continues to get stronger and add some more bulk. Will be a very solid, team-oriented NBA player who is willing to do all the little things that makes teams better.
So far, he hasn't lived up to the potential that Atlanta saw in him when they made him the 5th pick in the draft. It could be because he has played on weak teams and he never got the support to develop. Whether the veteran atmosphere and the coaching of Clifford Ray and Tom Thibodeau can bring it out of him remains to be seen. We can only hope so or we are stuck with another project on the end of the bench. If he isn't able to contribute, it will make the snub of Leon Powe all that more painful. So far, Shelden's major claim to fame is that he is married to WNBA star Candace Parker.
This could be Danny's solution to replacing Leon Powe, or it could be a precursor to a trade of Scal in the Daniels deal, or it could be insurance in case Big Baby gets an offer that the Celtics don't feel they can match. This gives the Celtics 11 players under contract. Marquis Daniels would be the 12th if they ever sign him. But then again, they may be able to trade a player or two to get Daniels. There is still roster space to bring Big Baby back and so I don't think this signing would eliminate the desire to re-sign Big Baby. I tend to think it is more of a replacement for Leon.
Next up on the agenda should be to finalize the Daniels deal and to find a back up for Rondo. Stay Tuned.
The articles on the retired numbers sparked some discussion in the Celtics Stuff Yahoo group. It seems that there was an outcry for some love for Johhny Most and I agree. Johnny didn't have a jersey or a number retired, but he did have his microphone retired high above courtside. So here is my tribute to Johnny Most, one of a kind and never to be forgotten.
From 1953 through the present, the Celtics have had a couple of announcers who love the Celtics with no apologies for being one sided with their calls. From 1953 through 1990, Johnny Most was the radio voice of the Celtics. Most never pretended to be objective: his Celtics were near-saints who could do no wrong and anyone not wearing the green was the enemy and the scum of the earth.
He was a legend to Boston Celtics fans during the Celtics' 30 year reign from the 1950s through the 1980s as basketball's most dominant team. Most was as much honored in Boston as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Larry Bird. Boston Celtics fans learned at an early age when watching the team play on television to turn the sound down and listen to Most's radio broadcast of the game instead.
Born to Jewish parents, Most began his career in the 1940s mentored by Marty Glickman. He called road games for the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers baseball teams as well as the New York Giants and Army football team. In 1953, Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown and Red Auerbach hired him to replace Curt Gowdy as the team's radio play-by-play man on WBZ radio. He always referred to his perch at Boston Garden as being "high above courtside."
Most was never shy about criticizing the other team's players. One time Most described the Los Angeles Lakers' Kurt Rambis as "something that had crawled out of a sewer." He also nicknamed Washington Bullets players Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland as "McFilthy" and "McNasty." Kareem Abdul Jabbar was "Kareem Puff" and Isaiah Thomas was referred to as "Little Lord Fauntleroy." He called Magic Johnson "Crybaby Johnson" when he challenged a referee's call. Most's pro-Celtic descriptions could turn shoving matches into "bloodbaths" and minor fouls into "vicious muggings" and once during a game in Detroit, he loudly proclaimed, "Oh the yellow, gutless way they do things here." When a player such as Xavier McDaniel would come to the Celtics after being a favorite target of Most's venom, he would suddenly be rehabilitated into a wonderful guy.
He was famous for coming up with phrases to describe the action on the court as well. I use Fiddlin' and Diddlin' to describe the news and links columns on this blog as a tribute to Johnny Most. Johnny used the term fiddlin' and diddlin' originally to describe how Philly point guard Maurice Cheeks dribbled the ball for 4 or 5 seconds as he waited for the Sixers to set their offense but he ended up using that expression to describe the play of DJ and Ainge. They weren't true fast break style PG's and would dribble the ball up the court when waiting to set up the offense. They'd dribble the ball to one side of the court and then dribble the ball back to the middle. Rather than describe all the ball handling for 5 or 6 seconds at a time, he would use the phrase fiddlin' and diddlin' to describe their dribbling around.
Johnny's most famous call came the closing seconds of Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals between the defending champion Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics' lead had shriveled to 110-109, and Philadelphia regained possession with five seconds left after an inbounds pass attempt by Boston's Bill Russell hit one of the wires that ran down from the ceiling of Boston Garden and helped support the baskets in those days. Hall of Fame guard Hal Greer prepared to toss the ball inbounds under his own basket. The logical target seemed to be Wilt Chamberlain in the low post, but Russell fronted Chamberlain and took away that option. K.C. Jones, guarding Greer, leaped along the baseline and frantically waved his arms to distract him as the five seconds ticked away.
To get a better view of the court, Greer jumped up and spotted high-scoring forward Chet Walker, seemingly open beyond the key. But Boston's John Havlicek had taken a position several feet off the direct line between Greer and Walker, making it look like Walker was open when he really wasn't. After counting off a couple of seconds in his head, Havlicek sneaked a peek over his shoulder at Greer just as he prepared to release the ball. He moved into the passing lane . but let Most tell it:
"Greer is putting the ball into play. He gets it out deep," Most intones, before his voices rises into a frenzy. "Havlicek steals it. Over to Sam Jones. Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!"
Havlicek tipped the inbounds pass away from Walker and toward teammate Jones, who dribbled out the clock as fans poured onto the court. The Celtics had the win, and would go on to capture their seventh consecutive championship. As Havlicek tipped the ball, Johnny Most could be heard yelling into the microphone in his raspy voice, "Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! It's all over!"
His second most famous call (and my personal favorite) came in Game 5 of the 1987 playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, the series tied at 2-2. Detroit had a one-point lead late in the game and needed to inbound the ball to secure the victory and take a 3-2 Series lead with Game 6 on their court. Isiah Thomas was inbounding the ball to Bill Laimbeer, who was in the backcourt. But in the words of the immortal Johnny Most:
"Now there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ! He lays it up and in!! ... What a play by Bird! Bird stole the inbounding pass, layed it up to DJ, and DJ layed it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! OH, MY, THIS PLACE IS GOING CRAZY!!!"
You can hear it for yourself on the clip below.
But perhaps his most memorable on air moment wasn't the call of a play, but was when he dropped a lit cigarette into his lap, setting his pants on fire while he was on the air.
On October 10, 1990, Johnny Most, who was a lifelong smoker announced his retirement due to health concerns. On December 3 of that year, Most was honored with the permanent installation at Boston Garden of his microphone, silver-plated and encased in a Celtic-green frame. The microphone was attached to the façade of the vantage point that Most always described as "high above courtside." On January 3, 1993, Most died at the age of 69 of a heart attack in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
Shortly after his death, Johnny Most was awarded the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame for his contribution to basketball. It was very ironic, considering that Most replaced Gowdy as the Celtics' play-by-play announcer. On October 4, 2002 (almost ten years after his death), Most was inducted into the media category of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame at the University of Rhode Island.
Johnny Most is fondly remembered by any Celtics' fans fortunate enough to have listened to his broadcasts. Although he didn't have a number to retire, his retired microphone speaks volumes for what Johnny meant to the Celtics organization and especially to Celtics fans.
It has been amazing to read article after article giving the Celtics no respect. The power rankings have the Celtics rated anywhere from 3rd to 5th behind the media darling Lakers, Cavs, Magic, and Spurs. Most writers are already writing off the Celtics as too old or not deep enough or just inferior to the Lakers, Cavs, Magic and Spurs. At least the Knicks haven't been ranked above them yet.
The OC register has already awarded the title to the Lakers this year. No need to play the season out. It is a foregone conclusion that the Lakers are going to win it. I hope this ends up like the last time it was a foregone conclusion that the Lakers were going to win it. Remember this?
Pro Baskeball News ranks the offseasons from best to worst. You would think that adding Rasheed Wallace, one of the top free agents this off season would count for something. And there is that Daniels guy who has committed to the Celtics too. So, the Celtics should rank in at least the top 10, right? Not according to this PBN article. They rank them 25th!
25. Celtics: Despite adding Rasheed Wallace, who may or may not be a major asset, Boston's already shallow depth took a major hit. Glen Davis doesn't look to be coming back. Leon Powe is shopping for a contender to aid in order to make Boston pay. Danny Ainge really irked Rajon Rondo, too. It wasn't the ideal summer for the Cs.
We don't know that Davis won't be back and if he doesn't come back, it will likely be a sign and trade to add another player in his place. The shallow bench got a major boost in that Rasheed Wallace has been added to it. That was the Celtics major need last season. The rest will come. The Fakers basically made one move. They signed head case Ron Artest and let Ariza walk and for that they are #2? Give me a break!
TO Sports ranks the top 5 benches in the East. The Celtics aren't mentioned here either. I mean having Rasheed Wallace on your bench should count for something. Sure the bench is a work in progress as we still don't know about Big Baby or the back up PG, but the Celtics do have a pretty good bench with the players we do have: Sheed, Daniels, Scal and House. Instead they rank the Cavs, Wizards, Raptors, Bulls, Bucks, and Pistons ahead of the Celtics.
The 2008-09 season started the same way. Everybody had reasons why the Celtics would not win the title. Too many egos, they wouldn't have chemistry, they were too old, they didn't have a bench, etc, etc. Last season the Celtics were the favorites and all the pressure was on them. Teams that won 15 games all season beat the Celtics because that was the one game they geared up for and they played their absolute best against the Celtics. This year, that mantle is on the Lakers and once again, there are the diclaimers for the Celtics. They are too old, they don't have a bench, etc. I like being the underdog. Being discounted from the start will give the team motivation. And, while the spotlight is shining on the Lakers, Cavs, Spurs, and Magic, the Celtics will be going about winning their 18th banner.
Here is the third and final part of this series on the Celtics' retired numbers and the players behind them.
Number 24 was retired on March 9, 1969 for Sam Jones. Sam was named, "Mr. Clutch" by his teammates and peers for his consistent and all-around skills. He played 12 seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics and was on 10 Championship teams. Considered one of the fastest NBA guards with superb court vision and savvy, Jones led the Celtics in scoring three times, averaging a career-high 25.9 points in 1965. Shortly after leaving the NBA, Jones became the athletic director and coach at Federal City College in Washington, D.C. (which later became the University of the District of Columbia). He later coached at his alma mater, North Carolina Central, and then worked as an assistant for the New Orleans Jazz. Perhaps the greatest compliment anyone every paid to Jones was supplied by Red Auerbach at a special ceremony at Boston Garden. "I would like to thank Sam Jones," he said, "for making me a helluva coach."
Number 25 was retired on February 12, 1967 for KC Jones who played 9 seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics. He helped lead the Celtics to 8 straight NBA world championship titles from 1959 through 1967. Jones was a defensive standout, serving first as a reserve and then as the heir to Bob Cousy at point guard. When his playing days ended, Jones continued his winning ways as a coach with six teams, employing a low-key, laissez-faire approach that won seven division titles, five Eastern Conference titles and two championships in 1984 and 1986 with the Celtics. KC is still active and speaks and does clinics all over the world. When KC was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989, he brought with him a legacy of personal respect. As Bird once cracked, "He's the kind of person I'd like to be, but I don't have the time to work at it."
Number 31 was retired on December 15, 2003 for Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell, who became the 22nd and most recent Celtic to have his number retired. Maxwell received the nickname "Cornbread" from his college teammate Melvin Watkins after the pair went to see the movie Cornbread, Earl and Me, in which a 12-year-old boy is traumatized by the murder of his friend, a star basketball player. Watkins thought that Maxwell looked like the title character and so began calling him "Cornbread." Since Maxwell didn't like the nickname, it did not gain widespread use until Maxwell was named MVP of the NIT tournament in 1976, when, according to Watkins, the New York media picked up on the nickname. He is also called Max. While Maxwell will be remembered as an efficient shooter and a colorful character, his biggest claim to fame is as a clutch playoff performer. Maxwell was named MVP of the 1981 NBA Finals. Three years later, Maxwell scored 24 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in the decisive game-seven victory in the 1984 NBA Finals. He was traded on September 6, 1985 with a draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for Bill Walton. Maxwell is now going into his 14th year as radio broadcaster for the Celtics, where he announces Boston Celtics games with the "voice of the Celtics", Sean Grande. "Grande and Max" are one of Boston's most popular radio teams.
Number 32 was retired on January 30, 1994 to honor Kevin McHale, who along with Larry Bird and Robert Parish, formed one of the best front courts in the history of the NBA. At 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, McHale's nearly unstoppable array of low post moves revolutionized pivot play and helped lead Boston to three NBA championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986. His 56-point effort against the Detroit Pistons on March 3, 1985, ranks second all-time in Celtics' single-game history behind Larry Bird's 60-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks on March 12, 1985. Larry Bird often referred to McHale as "The Black Hole" as when the ball went in to him in the post, it never came back out. McHale was often under-rated due to playing along side of Bird. He once said that if he had played on a team without Larry, he would have had a lot more points and attention, but also a lot fewer wins and championships. McHale was known as a joker during his playing days and always had a great sense of humor. After leaving the Celtics, McHale served as the GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves and last year moved from the front office to coach the team. After the season he was released by the Wolves and is expected to begin a broadcasting career. He will be remembered for 2 acts as the GM of the Timberwolves: Drafting Kevin Garnett and trading him to the Celtics.
Number 33 was retired on March 22, 1995 for Larry Joe Bird. Larry Bird is arguably one of the greatest players ever to play the game. Larry played 13 seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics, and was part of 3 championship teams. Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play--as a scorer, a passer, a rebounder, a defender, a team player, and, perhaps above all, as a clutch performer. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents' bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. He was such a deadly shooter that he sometimes practiced three-pointers with his eyes closed. Bird was the embodiment of "Celtics Pride." He was a classy, confident, hardworking player who thrived on pressure and inspired teammates to excel. Bird won three consecutive MVP awards and was only the third player to achieve that feat along with Russell and Chamberlain. Continuing back problems forced Bird to retire on August 8, 1992. After he retired, Bird was named a special assistant in the Celtics' front office, with limited duties that included some scouting and player evaluation. When the Celtics named Rick Pitino as the franchise's new President and Head Coach, Bird knew any role for him in Boston would be a limited one. So he cut the ties and went home to Indiana. Bird coached the Pacers for 3 successful years, being named coach of the year in 1998. He is currently the Pacers' GM.
Number35 was retired on March 22, 1995 in honor of the Celtics' fallen Captain, Reggie Lewis. Lewis starred at Northeastern University in Boston, averaging 22.2 points a game in four years as a starter. He was chosen in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Lewis became a starter in 1990-91, when Larry Bird was out much of the year with an injury, and he was named the team's captain after Bird's retirement in 1992. He averaged 20.8 points a game in both 1991-92 and 1992-93. In Boston's first game of the 1993 playoffs, Lewis collapsed and had to be taken to a hospital. Displeased when a team of doctors told him he would have to give up basketball because of a heart disease, Lewis changed hospitals and doctors in the middle of the night. He was then advised that his heart was healthy and that he could begin training again, under medical supervision. He died of a heart attack while taking part in an unsupervised workout. This is one of the saddest chapters of the Celtics' history. He is missed by all as he was not only a promising and talented basketball player, but a very kind and giving person as well.
Number 00 was retired on January 18, 1998 for Robert Parish. "The Chief" played 21 seasons in the NBA - the career record for most seasons played by an NBA player. He played 14 of those with the Celtics. A 7-1 center who combined strength, agility and remarkable endurance, Parish won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s and teamed with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale to form one of the greatest front lines in NBA history. He capped his career by winning yet another championship ring as a member of the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls. Parish was nicknamed "the Chief" by Celtics teammate Cedric Maxwell after a character from the film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Parish is currently employed by the Celtics as their marketing executive. He has also been seen at practices working with the bigs. Robert Parish and Celtics big man coach Clifford Ray run a Big Man camp in Florida every off season.
Jim Loscutoff was selected with the fourth pick of the first round in the 1955 NBA Draft to add some defensive toughness to the team. Loscutoff's mean defense and strength was part of the defensive greatness of the 60s Celtics, alongside fellow Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell. Loscutoff's nicknames included "Jungle Jim" or "Loscy". When the Celtics approached him about having his number 18 retired, he said that he would rather have it remain available for other players to use. The #18 was later worn by Dave Cowens and was retired for him. On the banners where the retired numbers are posted, they have Loscy posted instead of his number. Today Loscutoff lives in Andover, Massachusetts where he owns a day camp for children. Loscy was always one of my favorite players. Like Perk, he was the ultimate role player and made defense his calling card. He was happy to work in the trenches and let the others get the headlines.
You can find Part One of this series HERE, and Part Two HERE.
