Today in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame forward Thomas Ernest "Satch" Sanders was born in New York City. He played his college basketball at New York University and was picked up with the eighth overall pick by the Celtics in the 1960 NBA Draft.
Sanders joined Boston just as it was establishing its dynasty of titles in the 1960s, winning eight with the team in that decade – a feat only surpassed by teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones and equaled by Tommy Heinsohn, John Havlicek, and K.C. Jones, all Celtic teammates from that era as well.
The New Yorker would retire as a player to get into coaching (including Boston in 1978) in 1973, averaging 9.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game with the Celtics.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of
former Celtics interim and assistant coach John Carroll, born today in 1955.
Carroll had been an assistant under coach Jim O'Brien, and took over the post of head coach for the remainder of the 2003-04 NBA season, going 36-14 to close out the season before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs. He was replaced by Doc Rivers that summer.
Historic milestones
It is also the day Nate Driggers debuted for the team. An undrafted prospect out of the University of Montevallo, Driggers signed with the Celtics in 1996 and played his first game for Boston in a 115 - 105 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Driggers went scoreless in just over a minute of game time, too short of an opportunity to do much.
Driggers shares his debut date with Celtics small forward Ed Searcy, who played his first NBA minutes for Boston in 1975 in a 118-104 win over the Detroit Pistons. And like Driggers, Searcy would also go scoreless in about a minute of floor time.
Transactions
Wayne Turner was waived on this day in 1999, bringing his very brief tenure as a Celtic to an end. The Kentucky alum played a total of 3 games for the Celtics, averaging 1.3 points, 1 rebound, and 1.7 assists per game. That same day, Boston signed Doug Overton to take his place. He was not around all that much longer in this stint (he returned to the team in a few seasons), playing 48 games over which he put up 3.2 points and 1.1 assists per game.
Four years to the day prior, another Celtics short-timer inked a deal with the team – power forward Larry Sykes. The Xavier alum played a single game for Boston, pulling down 2 boards in as many minutes of play.
Gone too soon
Finally, it is also the date that former Boston big man George Nostrand left us in 1981.
Nostrand – a journeyman before the concept existed, playing for 6 clubs across his 4-season career – played 45 games across 2 seasons for the Celtics, recording 8.3 points and 1.2 assists per game with the team.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Sanders, Carroll born; Driggers, Searcy debuted; Overton, Sykes sign; Nostrand passes
