Today in Boston Celtics history, Jerome McKinley Henderson Sr., more commonly known by Celtics fans as Gerald Henderson, was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for the draft pick that was ultimately used to select forward Len Bias in 1986. Henderson, an alum of Virginia Commonwealth University, was picked up with the 64th overall selection of the 1978 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs
.Even so, he did not secure a roster spot with the team, released prior to the season's start. After that tough break, he played for the Tucson Gunners in the Western Basketball Association (WBA) before signing with the Celtics as a free agent in 1979. He played for the team for parts of five seasons, winning two titles with Boston in 1981 and 1984
(famously helping Boston secure Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals with a game-tying steal in the tilt's final seconds).
Henderson scored 8.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a steal per game while with the storied ball club.
Transactions
Today is the anniversary of the trade of Chris Herren and Bryan Stith to the Celtics by the Denver Nuggets in 2000. The Celtics sent Robert Pack and Calbert Cheaney to the Nuggets. "Growing up right down the street, it's an amazing thing for this day to come," said Herren via the CBC, a native of Fall River, Massachusetts. "I dreamed about this a long, long time ago as a little kid."
It is also the day that the Celtics dealt Sam Vincent and Scott Wedman to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987. The duo were sent to Seattle for a pair of second round draft picks and cash considerations, freeing up cap space in order to aid their failed efforts to sign Hall of Fame forward Bernard King. King, as we now know, instead signed with the (then) Washington Bullets (now, Wizards).
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of Mel Counts, born this day in 1941 in Coos Bay, Oregon. Counts played his collegiate basketball at his hometown Oregon State and was taken seventh overall in the 1964 NBA Draft by the Celtics. His stay with the team lasted until he was traded to the (then) Baltimore Bullets (now, Washington Wizards) in 1966. Counts put up 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game with Boston, winning a title in a reserve role for both seasons he was with the team.
Counts shares his birthday with Aaron Nesmith, born this day in Charleston, South Carolina in 1999. Picked up by Boston out of Vanderbilt with the 14th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Nesmith's high-energy play was not enough to make up for his yips at the NBA level for Boston, who dealt him to the Indiana Pacers in 2022 as part of the package bringing Malcolm Brogdon to the team. Nesmith averaged 4.2 points and 2.2 boards per game while with the Celtics.
Historic milestones
Today is the date of the first game played as a Celtics by Brad Wanamaker. The Pitt alum went unselected in the 2011 NBA Draft, playing abroad until he signed with Boston in 2018. His first game with the Celtics (and in the NBA) came in a 105-87 beatdown of the Philadelphia 76ers. Wanamaker logged 2 points and a rebound in a little less than a minute of floor time.
Finally, it is also the official date of the jersey retirements of Celtics legends Ed Macauley and Bob Cousy. We say official because the actual ceremony took place 10 days later – today was just the start of the first season (1963-64) after Cousy retired, and where the team lists the event as having happened.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Henderson traded; Counts born: Cousy, Macauley jersey retirement
