On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics center “Never Nervous” Pervis Ellison was born in 1967 in Savannah, Georgia.
Ellison would play his college ball at Louisville and would be drafted first overall in the 1989 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He would also play for the (then) Washington Bullets (now, Wizards) after an injury-plagued rookie season, and would then sign with the Celtics in free agency in 1994. Injuries continued to limit his playing time for the duration of his career with Boston, including an off-court toe fracture damaged while moving furniture that cost him most of two seasons with the team.
After only two-and-a-half seasons’ worth of games spread across five seasons with the Celtics, Ellison would sign with the Seattle Supersonics. He averaged 4.7 points, 5 boards, and a block per game with Boston.
Phil Farbman was a 6-1 forward who played just one season in the #NBA (then BAA) in 1948-49, for the @celtics and @warriors.
See more on Farbman's career ➡️ https://t.co/c3pD2VGX3R pic.twitter.com/kuedVfyuji
— Random NBA Player of the Day (@RandomNBAPOTD) January 26, 2018
It is also the birthday of former Boston forward Phil Farbman, who played just one season with the team in its Basketball Association of America (BAA – an NBA precursor league) days.
A native of Brooklyn born in 1924, Farbman played just 21 games for the Celtics, the City College of New York graduate averaged 3.4 points per game in that stint.
Thomas Hamilton. Boston Celtics. Large and in charge. pic.twitter.com/h6C5NZfFlt
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) February 3, 2021
Thomas Hamilton, a center who played for Boston in 1996, was born today in 1975 and did not play professionally before being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Celtics.
At 7-foot-2, he was a gamble on size for Boston that ultimately didn’t work out, with injuries and suspensions derailing his career with the team almost as soon as it started.
The Celtics would waive Hamilton after just 11 games, over which he averaged 2.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game.
Finally, today was also Kobe Bryant’s last game against his longtime rivals, and he scored 34 points in the loss.
“It’s weird, the last time I’m facing that green,” Bryant said courtesy of the Associated Press. “It’s been a joy to go against them, to be a part of a rivalry that I’ve watched for so long.”
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