On this day in Boston Celtics history, iconic Hall of Fame small forward Paul Pierce signed a deal to rejoin the team long enough to retire a Celtic in 2017, a franchise he had played with for 15 seasons before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.
After his time with the Nets, Pierce would play stints with the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers before his symbolic return to the franchise that drafted him with the 10th overall pick of the 1998 NBA draft out of Kansas. Pierce would win a title with Boston in 2008 along with Finals MVP, make 10 All-Star teams, four All-NBA teams, and All-Rookie first team in 1999 among several other honors.
He averaged 21.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while with the team.
It is also the date former Celtics point guard J.R. Bremer signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of St. Bonaventure in 2002.
“It takes a lot of pressure off me, but at the same time adds pressure,” said Bremer at the time (via St. Bonaventure Athletics). “I still have to make the team in training camp and everything. I’m happy to be settled, finally.”
Bremer signed a 2-year deal with the team for just over $900,000 but would be dealt with Bruno Šundov and draft assets to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jumaine Jones in the summer of 2003.
He would log 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game with Boston.
It is the birthday of former Celtics wing Eric Williams, who was drafted out of Providence College with the 14th pick of the 1995 NBA draft. He came into this world in 1972 in Newark, New Jersey.
Williams would play seven seasons with Boston in two stints, first traded to the Denver Nuggets for draft considerations, then returning from the Nuggets with Danny Fortson, Eric Washington, and draft assets for Popeye Jones, Ron Mercer, and Dwayne Schintzius.
Happy birthday to the Prince of Newark. Happy birthday Eric Williams. You were one guy I was always rooting for. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/a0V01pggzo
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 17, 2020
He would leave the team again in yet another deal, sent with Tony Battie and Kedrick Brown to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart, and picks.
Williams recorded 9.2 points, 3.5 boards, and 1.5 assists per game during his years with the franchise.
Happy birthday Calbert Cheaney! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/IJBxtYbKha
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 17, 2020
It also happens to be the birthday of Ex-Celtics forward Calbert Cheaney, who played one season with Boston in 1999-2000. He was born in 1971 in Evansville, Indiana.
Cheaney signed with the team as a free agent, and played 67 games for the Celtics, putting up 4 points, 2.1 boards and 1.2 assists per contest with the team before he was traded with Robert Pack to the Denver Nuggets for Chris Herren and Bryant Stith in 2000.
Vander Blue, a shooting guard out of Marquette signed by Boston to a 10-day contract in 2014, was also born today in 1992 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Blue played just three games as a Celtic, recording an average of 1.7 points and 1 rebound per game.
Celtics center Chris Johnson was born today as well, in 1985 in Washington, DC.
Johnson also had the briefest of tenures with Boston, signing a 10-day deal and playing four games with the team in 2011, and putting up 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest as a Celtic.
Finally, it is also the birthday of Celtics short-timer (and current Indiana Pacers exec) Kevin Pritchard, who came into this world in 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana.
Pritchard (no relation to Payton) played his college ball at Kansas and was picked up by the Golden State Warriors in the 1990 NBA draft. After a season playing for the Dubs, his rights were sold to the San Antonio Spurs, who cut him.
The Indiana native signed with Boston but appeared in just 11 games for the Celtics before he was waived by the team. Pritchard logged 4.2 points, 1 board, and 2.7 assists per game.
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