Today in Boston Celtics history, Travis Knight was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1974. He played his college basketball for the University of Connecticut Huskies, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 29th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. The Bulls, for unspecified reasons, hesitated to sign Knight to the three-year contract typically required for a first round pick, and they later renounced his rights, less than a month later. After that, the Los Angeles Lakers signed him to a new deal, and he earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team during his first season in the league.
A free agent after his first season, Knight signed a seven-year, $22 million deal with the Celtics under head coach and team president Rick Pitino. The
Utahn uttered the famous line: "I really have mixed emotions – I should be elated right now, but I'm not. I feel so much loyalty (to the Lakers)," which did not do Knight any favors with the fans of his new team. Knight got his wish. He was dealt back to Los Angeles for Tony Battie in 1999, and he won a title there in 2000.
The former Husky averaged 6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while a Celtic.
Birthdays
It was also on this date in 1937 that former Celtics forward Gene Guarilia was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania.
Guarilia was drafted out of George Washington with the 14th pick of the 1959 NBA draft and played four seasons for Boston, winning a title in each of those seasons between 1960 and 1963. He averaged 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game over that stretch.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Travis Knight, Gene Guarilia born
