Today in Boston Celtics history, Rick Pitino was born in 1952 in New York City, New York. After completing his collegiate playing career with the Minutemen at the University of Massachusetts, Pitino transitioned into coaching instead of pursuing a career as a player. He later served as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii, and then and Syracuse University before getting the head coaching gig at Boston University.
After that, he left that role to make the leap to the NBA to become an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, eventually heading back to the college ranks, taking on the head coaching role at Providence College. Pitino would get his first shot coaching an NBA team with the Knicks in 1987, resigning two seasons later. He landed
at Kentucky, where he coached for eight seasons, winning an NCAA title in 1996 before joining Boston in 1997. Between then and his resignation in 2001, Pitino had total control over the Celtics organization and used it to lead them to a 102–146 record to the great chagrin of the fanbase. Perhaps no other coach or team president in franchise history has had such a fraught relationship with the fans.
But after Pitino failed to deliver a return to former glory with his frequent and at times puzzling moves, it's understandable why.
Birthdays
Ex-Celtic wing Greg Minor was also born today, in 1971 in Sandersville, Georgia. A Louisville product, Minor was taken by Boston 25th overall in the 1994 NBA Draft and would play six seasons in the NBA, all with Boston. He averaged 6.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while with the team.
It is also ex-Boston point guard Dennis Johnson's birthday as well, having come into this world in 1954 in San Pedro, California. He played collegiately for Pepperdine when he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, who he played for along with the Phoenix Suns before coming to the Celtics in a trade for Rick Robey.
DJ (as he was often called) would win two titles with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986, an All-Star bid, and other honors during his seven-season tenure with the team. He averaged 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game while with the franchise.
Gone too soon
Former Boston big man Bob Doll passed today in 1959, who played for the team for two seasons between 1948 and 1950 in its Basketball Association of America (BAA - a precursor league of the NBA) era.
Doll averaged 7.3 points and 2.4 assists per game over that stretch (rebounds had yet to be tabulated).
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Pitino, Johnson, Minor born; Doll passed away
