On this day in Boston Celtics history, the Boston Celtics selected two players of note in the 2014 NBA draft, held in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The first was 6-foot-3 guard Marcus Smart out of Oklahoma State University, taken with the sixth overall pick of the draft. A native of Flower Mound, Texas, Smart fit in well and would make the 2014-15 All-Rookie Second Team in his inaugural season with the Celtics.
Smart’s brand of intense, all-out attack frequently saw the former Cowboy banged up with a litany of minor injuries, and his professionalism and dedication would position the young guard as the “heart and soul” and unofficial captain of the team in just a few short seasons.
Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, he earned 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2021-22 All-Defensive First Teams honors along with winning the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award — among many other honors.
Boston also drafted shooting guard James Young out of Kentucky with the 17th overall pick.
Young struggled at the next level despite the Celtics’ patience with him over three seasons, in which the Flint, Michigan native logged 2.3 points and a rebound per game.
It is also the date of the 2008 NBA draft, held at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
Boston took two players of note, the first being shooting guard J.R. Giddens, taken with the 30th overall pick out of the University of New Mexico.
Giddens spent much of his time with the Utah Flash, the Celtics’ NBA Development League (as the G League was called then) affiliate at the time.
He would be dealt with Bill Walker and Eddie House to the New York Knicks for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry in 2010, having averaged 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while with the team over two seasons.
Boston also drafted Turkish big man Semih Erden with the 60th pick of the draft, and Erden would go on to have a solid start with the Celtics, recording 4 points and 2.9 boards per game with Boston.
He would be traded with Luke Harangody to the Cleveland Cavaliers midseason for draft considerations.
With June being a popular month for the NBA Draft, it is also the date of the 2003 NBA draft, held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
The Celtics took three players of note, the first being point guard Troy Bell of Boston College, but was dealt on the night of the draft to the Memphis Grizzlies with Dahntay Jones — Boston’s next pick in this draft, No. 20 overall — for Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins.
The third player drafted was power forward Brandon Hunter, taken 56th overall.
Hunter would make the team and averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game before being taken by the (then) Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets) in the 2004 NBA expansion draft.
Two years exactly earlier, the Celtics drafted just one player of note in the 2001 NBA draft, held on this date again held in at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
That player was Lithuanian big man Darius Songaila, drafted 50th overall out of Wake Forest. He would never play for Boston though, having been dealt for the pick that would produce Hunter in the subsequent draft.
In 1996, the NBA draft was held on this date at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the Celtics selecting two players of note.
The first was forward Antoine Walker, taken out of Kentucky with the sixth overall pick, and the Chicago native would go on to be elected to three All-Star teams while with Boston while making All-Rookie First Team.
Walker played eight seasons with the Celtics in two stints he averaged 20.6 points, 8.7 boards and 4.1 assists over — and would have a long, successful career afterward.
Boston also took center Steve Hamer out of Tennessee with the 38th overall pick.
Hamer had a short NBA career, all with the Celtics, for whom he played 35 games and averaged 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds over.
It is the date of the 1991 NBA draft as well — held in the Felt Forum of New York City, New York — in which Boston selected just one player of note.
That player was small forward Rick Fox, taken 24th overall out of North Carolina. Fox would make the All-Rookie Second Team, and play six seasons for the Celtics, averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 boards, and 2.8 assists per game.
On this date in 2008, the Celtics bought the contract of Henry (a.k.a. Bill) Walker from the Washington Wizards.
Walker had been drafted out of Kansas State before being drafted by the Wiz that same summer and played 37 games over two seasons for Boston before he was traded with J.R. Giddens, Eddie House, and draft assets to the Knicks for Marcus Landry, and Nate Robinson.
He averaged 2.6 points and just under a board per game over that period.
Finally, it is also the day we lost big man Jack Hewson in 2012. A member of the Celtics in their second season of existence in 1947-48, the New Jersey native was among Boston’s first draft picks as well in 1947.
The Temple product played just 24 games with the Celtics — his entire pro career — in which he logged 2.7 points per game.
Rest in peace.
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