Tuesday, March 16, 2010

4

Wyndol Gray, 1947
Saul Mariaschin, 1948
Sonny Hertzberg 1950-1951
Tony Lavelli, 1950
Kenny Rollins, 1953
Carl Braun, 1962
Clyde Lovellette, 1963
Gerry Ward, 1965
Jim Paxson, 1988-1990
Sherman Douglas, 1992-1996 (only 1992 in No. 4)
Larry Robinson, 1992
Alaa Abdelnaby, 1993-1994
David Wesley, 1995-1997
Chauncey Billups, 1998
Popeye Jones, 1999
Tony Battie, 2000-2004
Chris Mihm, 2004
Ryan Gomes, 2006-2007
JR Giddens, 2009-2010
Nate Robinson, 2010-2011
Nenad Kristic, 2011-pres.

Wyndol Gray, Saul Mariaschin: Again, not much on these-pre NBA Celtics. Evidently, they wore the most worn number in NBA history.

Sonny 'Sidney' Hertzberg: Hertzberg was a member of the original New York Knickerbockers in their first season in 1946, and staying with them until 1948. He finished his career with the Celtics in 1949-1950.

Tony Lavelli: Lavelli is probably more famous as an accordion player than a basketball player, as he released two albums in the 1970s of accordion music. However, during Lavelli's brief time in the NBA (1949-1951). Lavelli scored a career high 20 points in his first game of his career, and that was it. He finished his career with 6.9 ppg, and is more famous for entertaining the fans during half-time at Boston Garden with his accordion music.

Kenny Rollins: Rollins is probably more famous for being part of the University of Kentucky's original fab five, who won the 1948 NCAA championship. He participated in the 1948 London Olympics with Team USA, and played for the Chicago Stags before joining the Celtics.

Carl Braun: Braun died on February 10, 2010 at the age of almost 90. He spent 13 years in the NBA, playing 12 of them with his hometown New York Knicks, before joining the Celtics for his final season in the NBA.

Clyde Lovellette: The second Olympian on this list, Lovellette also played for Team USA, but instead in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. Lovellette was the best player on the floor for Team USA, and for his collegiate team at the University of Kentucky. He was the nation's leading scorer in his senior year at UK. The Celtics were his final career stop, playing first with the Phillips Oil 66ers, Minneapolis Lakers, Cincinnati Royals, St. Louis Hawks and finally the Celtics. In the video game NBA Live 07 Lovellette is featured on the 1950s All-Star roster.

Gerry Ward: Ward is more famous in Boston for what he did at Boston College during his collegiate career (his number 40 was retired at BC), but he played (albeit less-spectacularly) in the NBA for the St. Louis Hawks, Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Chicago Bulls.

Jim Paxson: Paxson is more famous for his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, and for a time, he was the team's all time leading scorer. His two seasons with the Celtics were rather unspectacular. He is the son of former NBA great Jim Paxson, Sr. Paxson was a two time all-star, in 1983 and 1984.

Sherman Douglas: Douglas spent 1992-1996 with the Celtics, and spent that most of those seasons as a back-up, much like the entirety of his career. Originally drafted by the Miami Heat, he played for them from 1988 to 1992, then the Celtics for the remainder of the 1992 season, and into 1996, followed then by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1996-1997, then the New Jersey Nets from 1998-1999, then the Los Angeles Clippers in 1999, then the Nets again from 2000-2001. Douglas spent only part of the in No. 4, spending the rest of his Celtics career in No. 20, because of new acquisition Larry Robinson's request to wear No. 4

Larry Robinson: Robinson has had an incredibly well-traveled career. He played in the NBA from 1990 until 2001, playing for the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Vancouver Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. After leaving the NBA, he played in the semi-pro leagues the USBL, CBA and IBL, and playing in other nations such as France, Spain, the Philippines, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

Alaa Abdelnaby: Abdelnaby was acquired in probably one of the worst trades in Celtics history: the trade that sent future all-star Jon Barry from the Celtics to the Milwaukee Bucks for Alaa Abdenalby. Abdelnaby was a crap-tastic player, while Barry became one of the better shooters in the league. The Cairo, Egypt native also played for the Bucks, the 76ers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors, even though he never played a game for the Warriors, and was released 12 days after he signed a contract with them.

David Wesley: Wesley was always one of those scrappy players, who had to fight to get into the league, and because he could be cut at any minute, he played his heart out. He was never an elite player, but always willing to play. Wesley played for the New Jersey Nets from 1993 to 1994, the Boston Celtics from 1994 to 1997 the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets from 1997 to 2004, the Houston Rockets from 2004 to 2006 and the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2006 to 2007.

Chauncey Billups: Oh, the "could've beens" that Celtics fans always gripe about. Billups is right up there. Because of the impatience of coach Rick Pitino, the Celtics had Billups traded to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny Anderson. When the Celtics reacquired Antoine Walker in 2005, my father said "All we have to do now is get Billups back." Unfortunately, Billups bounced around to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets until finally a team was willing to hang onto Billups for more than a season. The Detroit Pistons. In Detroit, Billups became an elite player, and stayed with the team from 2002 to 2008, before rejoining the Nuggets, and now the New York Knicks.

Ronald 'Popeye' Jones: Jones was never, ever, a very good player. At most, he was occasionally passable. Jones played from 1993 to 1996 with the Dallas Mavericks, 1996 to 1998 as well as 2002 to 2003, the Celtics from 1998 to 1999, the Denver Nuggets from 1999 to 2000, the Washington Wizards from 2000 to 2002 and the Golden State Warriors from 2003 to 2004.

Tony Battie: Battie seems to be universally unappreciated by Celtics fans, even though he saved Paul Pierce's life when Pierce was stabbed 11 times in 2000. Battie was never that good on the court, but he was admirable, as a backup power forward. Battie has also played with the Denver Nuggets (1997-1998), Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2004), Orlando Magic (2005-2009), New Jersey Nets (2009-2010) and the Philadelphia 76ers, who he's with now.

Chris Mihm: Mihm was drafted grossly high (7th overall) in 2000 by the Chicago Bulls, and was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and finally to the Boston Celtics. Mihm was the backup center for Boston, and spent only one season here. Mihm was traded that offseason to the Los Angeles Lakers for Rick Fox and Gary Payton. After five seasons with the Lakers, Mihm was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, who released him. Mihm is currently a free agent.

Ryan Gomes: Gomes was part of that landmark trade that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston. During the beginning of his tenure with the Celtics, Gomes spent very little time off the bench for the Celtics, but as his playing time increased, he became one of the better bench players in the NBA. Gomes was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett. Gomes is currently a starter for Los Angeles Clippers.

JR Giddens: Nothing was ever that spectacular (or even good) for Giddens in his time in Boston. He will probably go down as the guy who brought Nate Robinson to the Celtics.

Nate Robinson: Robinson is probably one of the most recognizable players in the game. He has won the Slam Dunk Contest three times (the first player ever to do that - 2006, 2009, 2010) and is known for his charismatic attitude. Robinson is one of the elite players of the game, and is hearkened to the likes of Spud Webb, one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder with Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic.

Nenad Kristic: Only 28, Kristic is already a journeyman for the NBA. He landed with the Celtics in the grossly lopsided (toward OKC) trade in 2011.

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